#PortofCork - Plans to start a new Motorway of the Sea between Port of Cork and Gijon in northern Spain was called for at the Ireland-Iberia Trade and Transport Round Table forum which was held in Dublin today.

The IEA chief executive calls for a direct sea-freight connection with one of our longest established markets –in Spain- as way to boost the flagging exports to that market.

Last year exports to Spain amounted to €2.9 billion, this is down by €400 million from the €3.3 billion exports in 2007 . There is sufficient volume to support a new direct service to the Iberian Peninsula -- Ireland exported 230,000 tonnes of goods and imported 701,000 tonnes. Currently 110,000 tonnes of goods move between Ireland and Iberia by road with the consequent cost, environmental impact and susceptibility to British and French restrictions on HGV traffic and road-usage charges.

For some considerable time the Port of Cork and Port of Gijon in northern Spain have been working together on the feasibility of setting up and launching a 'maritime motorway' between the two ports by means of a regular, twice-weekly roll-on/roll-of ferry service which would complete the journey in 25 hours and reduce the total time and cost associated with the movement of goods between the island of Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula.

According to Michael McCarthy, Commercial Manager of the Port of Cork "the service will facilitate and enhance the already significant freight and tourist activity between the two regions".

John Whelan, IEA chief executive stated; "The advent of the Irish government's new ports policy together with major investment by Spanish authorities in the Port of Gijon and its 4 million square metre multimodal logistics park ZALIA, and EU incentives to encourage road freight traffic to mode-switch to short sea shipping, have lent considerable extra momentum to this initiative to establish a direct shipping connection between Ireland and Spain.''

The Ireland-Iberia Trade and Transport Round Table hosted by Patrick Daly, Managing Director of Alba Consulting at the Guinness Enterprise Centre on Tuesday 25th June from 1pm to 3.30pm will examine and review developments to date and the opportunities for the future including:
• Updated trade figures by transport mode between Ireland and Iberia.
• Port of Cork infrastructural developments and future strategy.
• Port of Gijon (Spain) developments and future strategy.
• ZALIA intermodal logistics park capabilities and advantages.
• Cork-Gijon RoRo service capabilities and advantages

Executives attending the event in Dublin will include delegates from major Irish importers and exporters such as Diageo, Irish Distillers, PepsiCo Worldwide Flavours, Glanbia, DSV, Celtic Logistics, LTL International among others as well as representatives from the Irish Exporters Association, Port of Cork, Port of Gijon (Spain) and ZALIA Logistics Park (Spain).