By Business & Finance The redevelopment of Dublin Port will leave Ireland well-positioned to capitalise on future export opportunities, according to Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
The news that a planning application has been made to make Dublin Port more accessible to modern vessels has been welcomed by the Chamber, who have urged An Bord Pleanála to approve the plans for the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) project.
Gina Quin, chief executive, Dublin Chamber, said that the long-term development of Ireland’s largest port is vital in maintaining Dublin as an internationally competitive city region. “We are an island nation and our economic recovery will be export based, which means that we are dependent on ports to help further the economic rebound. Dublin Port is an essential part of the City Region’s competitiveness architecture, providing a key channel to export markets. As vessels continue to increase in size, the improvements will mean that Dublin Port is equipped to meet future demand, particularly as total tonnage through the Port is expected to double to around 60 million tonnes by 2040.”
As well as cargo, the improvements are also good news for Ireland’s cruise business, Quin added. “Over the past decade, cruise business has tripled and hit a new record of 100 ships in 2013, resulting in over 152,000 visitors. Dublin Port’s facilities have never been more in demand or valuable to Ireland. Dublin Chamber campaigned strongly for the formation of a Masterplan for Dublin Port, which we were delighted to see launched in 2012. The ABR Project marks the first large scale project under that Masterplan. Going forward, it is critical that Dublin Port has the necessary capacity and supporting infrastructure to sustain economic growth over the coming decades. Facilities were under pressure prior to the downturn and it is prudent to plan for a continued improvement in economic conditions.”
