Drogheda Port Company will host the 2008 Annual Irish Ports Association conference. At a time when the efficiency of seaports is being improved by a general change of our role from one central to shipping to one that is central to the logistics process for firms, Irish Ports are responding to the approaches by industry to a market driven expansion of the footprint of ports which is redefining the port hinterland and expanding the role and importance of the port.

Mr Patrick Traynor, (Chairman, Drogheda Port Company) comments  ‘this is a hugely critical time for the future development of our industry, currently the development programme by the ports industry for the next 10 years is unprecedented. Projects such as Bremore Ireland Port will not only ensure future capacity but illustrates that the industry is responding to the provision of expanded facilities not only on economic terms but on environmental and wider community terms.’

‘There is no doubting the importance of the Irish commercial seaports in facilitating the movement of goods into and out of the state, they are the lifeblood of our trading economy and we look forward to hosting an open, informative and cutting edge conference in 2008.’

The Irish Ports Association acts as an umbrella body for the commercial ports around the State’s coast and includes representatives from Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Dundalk ,Dun Laoghaire, Galway, New Ross, Rosslare, Shannon Foynes, Waterford and Wicklow.