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The Drogheda Port Company wishes to announce its long term strategic development strategy ( 2004-2024 ) which was formally approved by the board of the Drogheda Port Company on 10th September. The strategy contains three main development strands and intends to position Drogheda Port Company as one of the most progressive, modern and efficient Ports in Ireland over the period.
*Expansion & Development of existing Port & Facilties
*Redevelop the North Quays 'Merchants Wharf Project'
*Development of a new Deepwater Port at Bremore
Background
Drogheda Port Company commissioned a major study (in September 2002) to assess the future potential for the Port in the light of the increase in cargo movements since the successful opening of Tom Roe's Point Terminal in 2000, and in light of the considerable projected increases of trade to and from Ireland over the years ahead.
The study examined in detail the extent of new facilities required to match the current and projected future traffic levels along with the current international trends in increasing vessel sizes. Current short sea container vessels require up to 7 meters of water depth and the new generation vessels currently on order will have requirements up to 9 meters. It addressed the need for sustainable economic development through the inclusion of environmental, social and cultural aspects.
The study was conducted by a consortium of four companies, led by Baxter Eadie Ltd from Richmond, UK which specialises in the port and shipping sectors and which won the contract via a competitive bidding process through the European Journal. The other partners are WSP (Dublin) which cover all the environmental and land transport issues, Kirk McClure and Morton (Belfast) on engineering aspects, and Eagle Lyon Pope (London) on navigation and ship design issues.
A total of 11 sites were identified as having the potential to cater for additional port facilities and were assessed under a detailed range of Environmental, Operational, Land Access, Marine Access and Engineering criteria. In addition a number of Hydrographical studies were completed by Kirk McClure Morton, consulting engineers.
The results of the detailed studies have assisted the Drogheda Port Company with the preparation of its long term strategic development strategy. Through this strategy the company aims to increase its current share of all sea borne cargo traffic to and from the island of Ireland, in both a regional and national context.
The National Spatial Strategy
The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) is a 20-year planning framework for all parts of Ireland which aims to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development between regions. It also dovetails with the Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland. The NSS seeks ways to unlock potential for progress, growth and development in a more balanced way across Ireland, supported by more effective planning. In essence, the strategy, while not seeking to reduce economic development in the main cities, does seek to rebalance economic development to the regions.
In the National Spatial Strategy 2002 – 2020, Drogheda Port is included in the central seaway corridor, which includes Dublin and Dun Laoghaire within the Greater Dublin Area (GDA). In terms of addressing the issues of transportation within the Regional Planning Guidelines for the GDA, Drogheda Port should be considered to be part of the GDA for future strategic planning as an integral part of the central seaway corridor.
The importance of international trade to the Irish economy cannot be overstated and it is generally accepted that the export sector has been a driving force in Ireland's recent economic development. The rapid economic growth of the past decade has resulted in considerable growth in traffic through Ireland's ports which are estimated to handle some 99% by volume of all trade to and from Ireland. Consequently ports play a pivotal role in the Irish economy and are a key determinant of national competitiveness.
Irelands Port Capacity study
Baxter Eadie UK Ltd. were commissioned by the Minister for Communications Marine & Natural Resources to undertake a study of port capacity, capacity utilisation and future trends in port activities at Irish ports. They estimated that Ireland's ports will have a serious capacity deficit by 2014 particularly in unitised trade on the east coast. Overall they estimated growth of freight handled at Irish ports of 35% in the period 2003 to 2014.
* Expansion & Development of existing Port & Facilities
Drogheda Port Company intends to expand its facility at Tom Roes Point Terminal with an immediate extension to its storage and paving area. The project which will commence in January 2005 is part funded under the Seaports measure of the Local Infrastructure Sub Programme, Border Midland and Western regional operational Programme, National Development Plan 2000-2006. The project will cost approx. €1.3 million.
A further investment of €1.2 million will be made in September 2005 part funded under the European Union INTERREG IIIA Programme Ireland/Northern Ireland 2000-2006 with the introduction of a Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS). The main aim of the proposed system will be to improve the navigational system for commercial shipping and pleasure craft and to provide continuous coastal surveillance for the entire port area. In addition the introduction of this equipment to Drogheda Port will considerably improve safety of navigation and will help to protect the environment and minimise the risk of accident.
A new 2,300m2 warehouse facility will be constructed at the extended Tom Roes Point facility during 2005 at a total investment cost of €500,000 to cater for new specialised timber products.
It is the current expectation of the Port Company that both the northern port access route and the southern Colpe access route will be completed within the next 5 years. This will present considerable opportunity for the port to develop substantively its facilities on the north side by acquiring additional lands adjacent to the existing facility and the northern access route, and to expand facilities with new berths on the south side of the river by developing existing lands owned by the port company and zoned for employment generating activities.
Development discussions with Drogheda Borough Council, Louth County Council and Meath County Council will commence in early 2005 on these longer term developments.
* Redevelop the North Quays 'Merchants Wharf Project'
The Port Company has an objective to make the most effective and efficient use of its land bank on the North Quays cognisant of the potential that this strategic site can make to the urban environment of Drogheda whilst taking best advantage of its attractive riverside location. The successful development of this site will assist in supporting the long term economic development of the town and create an environment conducive to the attraction of inward investment and to fostering enterprise.
The Drogheda Borough Council Draft Development Plan 2005-2011 zones the north quay area as ‘Inner Quays Development Area’ and is identified specifically to accommodate new town centre functions in accordance with a Local Area Plan. The Plan considers these lands to be the extension to the existing town centre and appropriate for residential, office, retail and commercial use. This will include the provision of a pedestrian walkway cantilevered off the viaduct connecting to the train station.
With a growing emphasis on sustainability and sustainable land use management, Drogheda Port Company recognises the need to strike an appropriate balance between the need to facilitate development and the need to apply certain control measures to the physical expansion of towns and cities. Central to this philosophy is: the effective use and management of land within and close to the existing urban structure.
To continue its port related use (and in a manner that is both inefficient and uneconomical) would constitute a mismanagement of a significant land resource in a town centre location. The redevelopment of sites such as this has long since been recognised by those charged with town and city centre management as being a crucial ingredient in rejuvenation and regeneration.
The relocation of the port away from the residential and commercial uses that have emerged in the area of the Quays in recent years will eliminate conflict between incongruous and conflicting land uses. The use of the port on a 24 hours basis conflicts with new and emerging residential communities where nuisance from noise, dust and traffic have been a constant source of complaint to the Port Company. Its relocation away from this strategic town centre site is, consequentially, infinitely desirable from a logistical, planning and environmental viewpoint.
The mix of uses now sought includes residential, employment, commercial and leisure which are to be provided in a high density environment in line with best practice in the sustainable use and management of land. New housing will be a key component in any redevelopment / regeneration proposal and will be central to the creation of a new and sustainable riverside community.
* Development of a new Deepwater Port at Bremore
A key recommendation of the Baxter Eadie Drogheda Port Company Port Development Phase 2 report (July 2003) is that Bremore is the preferred location for the development of a Deepwater Port and the company proposes to develop an integrated 24-hour, state of the art, dual gateway commercial port. Phase 1 of the development once complete will be able to cater for up to 5 million tonnes of freight. In the medium to long term, and given the unique nature of the Bremore site, the location has a total potential capacity (following on Phase 3 of development) of up to 20 million tonnes plus. Such a large traffic volume would of course constitute a significant share of total Irish port traffic; however notwithstanding this it is important that any proposed port development takes place on a site which has significant expansion potential which is available to be realised as and when required, and is part of an overall design which allows from an engineering perspective for future expansion.
The Bremore site, given its unique attributes (deepwater, low residential density, good intermodal access, strategic north-south location, etc.) represents most probably the last remaining opportunity for a significant and sustainable new port development along the East Coast of Ireland.
The company have negotiated the purchase of the 150 acre coastal site at Bremore for Phase 1 of the port development. In addition there is an immediate availability of a further 250 acres minimum for port development, logistics and related activities.
HR Wallingford, one of Europe’s premier hydraulic modelling and port design companies, following an initial assessment report have prepared a port masterplan for the development of the Bremore deepwater port. Their report concludes that the Bremore site is an excellent location for a new deepwater report, both in terms of its maritime characteristics and the character of the hinterland, particularly connections to road and rail routes.
It is evident from successive Department of Communications Marine & Natural Resources sponsored reports (notably the High Level Review in April 2003 and the Baxter Eadie Port Capacity Study Update Report 2004 etc.) that Ireland is facing future port capacity shortfalls along, although not confined to, the East Coast Central Sea Corridor (Dun Laoghaire-Dublin-Drogheda). This new port development will significantly address and alleviate some of this capacity shortfall.
Bremore Deepwater Port will be the first purpose designed and built total logistics port in Ireland and will provide an efficient and competitive logistics platform for Irelands Importers and Exporters and will be a key node in the European Community Trans European Motorway of the Sea.
Drogheda Port Company Ltd
Drogheda Port Company Limited is responsible, under Irish statute, for the management, control, operation and development of its port and for the provision of such facilities, services and accommodation and lands in the port for ships, goods and passengers as it considers necessary. The company is also responsible for pilotage on the east coast of Ireland from Skerries in North County Dublin to Clogherhead in County Louth.
Drogheda Port is one of Ireland’s premier multi modal ports, strategically located on the Dublin to Belfast Economic corridor on Ireland's east coast and also on Ireland's central shipping corridor. The port has developed and expanded by offering its customers a strategic locational advantage in an increasingly competitive marketplace and built a solid reputation on high levels of customer service, flexibility, and the rapid turnaround of vessels.
Few ports boast such a prime position for taking advantage of the ever increasing opportunities in European and Scandinavian trades, the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and the ever changing patterns of short sea container trade. The port offers an extremely wide variety of facilities and handles annual cargo throughputs of over 1.3 million tonnes. It has established itself as Ireland's gateway to Scandinavia with the country’s only weekly service to Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The port is also the major distribution and logistics centre in Ireland for newsprint.
DPC has recently just completed the largest single port development in the north east region. Tom Roe’s Point Terminal is a major new container and general cargo facility which was developed to address the port's expanding customer base and the growth of short sea shipping. The project, costing over €25 million, was part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the terminal now hosts a successful short sea shipping route to Rotterdam, serviced by Norfolkline and Geest Northsea Line. Prior to the opening of the new terminal, there were only three other ports in Ireland with short sea unitised capability.
The port is a significant contributor to the prosperity of the regional and national economy and has stimulated the growth of a marine cluster of activity and industry in the north east region.
Further Information:
Paul Fleming
Chief Executive
www.droghedaport.ie
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