Irish Port Safety Week Gets Underway at Dublin Port

23rd October 2023

Michael McKenna, Dublin Port Harbourmaster and Barry O’Connell, Dublin Port Company CEO joined the Dublin Port EHS Team to launch Port Safety Week 2023. This edition of the week sees Dublin Port Company team up with An Garda Siochána, the HSA, the RSA, Dublin Fire Brigade, the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI to highlight a collective awareness and responsibility for health and safety around the Port estate Credit: Conor McCabe

Dublin Port Company (DPC) proudly kicked off the third annual Irish Port Safety Week at its Substation today. DPC has joined the other Port Authorities of Ireland to host and promote the initiative, which runs from October 23rd to 27th.

Port Safety Week allows the Port Authorities of Ireland to work collaboratively through the Irish Port Safety Forum to highlight a collective awareness of and responsibility for health and safety. A calendar of events throughout the week allows port users to enhance their safety knowledge at Dublin Port.

The Road Safety Authority Shuttle Bus will be at Dublin Port on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Shuttle Bus is a highly popular tool that brings road safety education to life in an engaging, interactive and memorable way. Members of the public, as well as port workers, can test and improve their skills in simulated adverse driving conditions. This continued focus on road safety follows on from Dublin Port’s SafePort initiative, which last year reduced speed limits across the seven unitised terminals from 40 km/h to 20 km/h to highlight the importance of road safety in and around the busy port.

Other highlights throughout the week include:

150 children from local schools take part in a colouring competition at Dublin Port’s Heritage Zone.
Doyle Shipping Group’s state-of-the-art tug master vehicle will offer demonstrations for port operators to see the future of freight.
Take a break and focus on mental health with free lunchtime yoga sessions.
Witness a staged emergency scenario as the Irish Coastguard calls in DPC’s pilot and tug boats for a water rescue at the Poolbeg Yacht Club.

The dates for Irish Port Safety Week were chosen to follow European Safety Week. All ports nationally have been invited to participate in the national safety week with different collaborative events taking place at each port daily.

The themes of the Irish Port Safety Week include the Awareness of Port Golden Rules, Class 3 PPE, Emergency Response, Traffic Management, Employee Wellness, Water Safety and Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age, which is the overall theme of European Safety Week.

Following the formation of Dublin SafePort in 2022, Dublin Port - Ireland’s largest port - have taken giants strides to enhance safety. They recently introduced their ’10 Golden Rules’ to follow on from several measures including changing the speed limits throughout its north port road network from 50km/h to 40km/h.

Dublin Port is delighted to have the assistance and support of the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána, Dublin Fire Brigade, the Irish Coast Guard, the RNLI and other services who interact frequently across the port area.

Dublin Fire Brigade are onsite at Dublin Port Friday, October 27th as part of an emergency scenario at the R&H Hall on the Port estate. In collaboration with Dublin Port Company and the staff at the R&H Hall, Dublin Fire Brigade responds to an onsite explosion with two missing persons reported. This scenario showcases the highest standards in health and safety practice that are central to all Dublin Port.

Michael McKenna, Dublin Port Harbourmaster, said: “We are very proud to see the bumper calendar of events at Dublin Port and throughout the ports of Ireland for Port Safety Week. Thanks to the support of our great partners, which include the HSA, Dublin Fire Brigade, the RSA and an Garda Síochána, the entire community of workers at Dublin Port can partake in a range of vital events to raise awareness of Health and Safety around the Port. Attendees of our many events will come away with a reinforced awareness of the SafePort Golden Rules, key emergency response strategies and the wider role everyone has to play in maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment at the Port.”

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Michael O’Reilly, Dublin Fire Brigade, said “Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do with Dublin Port. As you can see from the numerous safety exercises and events held at the Port throughout Irish Port Safety Week, Dublin Fire Brigade stands committed to working closely with Dublin Port to enhance safety standards and promote a secure environment for everyone involved.”

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About Dublin Port

Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest and busiest port with approximately 17,000 vessel movements per year. As well as being the country’s largest port, Dublin Port has the highest rate of growth and, in the seven years to 2019, total cargo volumes grew by 36.1%.

The vision of Dublin Port Company is to have the required capacity to service the needs of its customers and the wider economy safely, efficiently and sustainably. Dublin Port will integrate with the City by enhancing the natural and built environments. The Port is being developed in line with Masterplan 2040.

Dublin Port Company is currently investing about €277 million on its Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR), which is due to be complete by 2021. The redevelopment will improve the port's capacity for large ships by deepening and lengthening 3km of its 7km of berths. The ABR is part of a €1bn capital programme up to 2028, which will also include initial work on the Dublin Port’s MP2 Project - a major capital development project proposal for works within the existing port lands in the northeastern part of the port.

Dublin Port has also recently secured planning approval for the development of the next phase of its inland port near Dublin Airport. The latest stage of the inland port will include a site with the capacity to store more than 2,000 shipping containers and infrastructures such as an ESB substation, an office building and gantry crane.

Dublin Port Company recently submitted a planning application for a €320 million project that aims to provide significant additional capacity at the facility within the port in order to cope with increases in trade up to 2040. The scheme will see a new roll-on/roll-off jetty built to handle ferries of up to 240 metres in length, as well as the redevelopment of an oil berth into a deep-water container berth.

Dublin Port FAQ

How old is Dublin Port?

Dublin was little more than a monastic settlement until the Norse invasion in the 8th and 9th centuries when they selected the Liffey Estuary as their point of entry to the country as it provided relatively easy access to the central plains of Ireland. Trading with England and Europe followed which required port facilities, so the development of Dublin Port is inextricably linked to the development of Dublin City, so it is fair to say the origins of the Port go back over one thousand years. As a result, the modern organisation Dublin Port has a long and remarkable history, dating back over 300 years from 1707.

Where was the original Dublin Port located?

The original Port of Dublin was situated upriver, a few miles from its current location near the modern Civic Offices at Wood Quay and close to Christchurch Cathedral. The Port remained close to that area until the new Custom House opened in the 1790s. In medieval times Dublin shipped cattle hides to Britain and the continent, and the returning ships carried wine, pottery and other goods.

How big is Dublin Port?

510 acres. The modern Dublin Port is located either side of the River Liffey, out to its mouth. On the north side of the river, the central part (205 hectares or 510 acres) of the Port lies at the end of East Wall and North Wall, from Alexandra Quay.

Who owns Dublin Port?

Dublin Port Company is a State-owned commercial company responsible for operating and developing Dublin Port.

What is Dublin Port Company?

Dublin Port Company is a self-financing, and profitable private limited company wholly-owned by the State, whose business is to manage Dublin Port, Ireland's premier Port. Established as a corporate entity in 1997, Dublin Port Company is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of the Port.

Name someone famous connected to Dublin Port?

Captain William Bligh (of Mutiny of the Bounty fame) was a visitor to Dublin in 1800, and his visit to the capital had a lasting effect on the Port. Bligh's study of the currents in Dublin Bay provided the basis for the construction of the North Wall. This undertaking led to the growth of Bull Island to its present size.

Is Dublin the largest Port in Ireland?

Yes. Dublin Port is the largest freight and passenger port in Ireland. It handles almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland.

Who handles the Cargo in Dublin Port?

All cargo handling activities being carried out by private sector companies operating in intensely competitive markets within the Port. Dublin Port Company provides world-class facilities, services, accommodation and lands in the harbour for ships, goods and passengers.

Who is the Chief Executive of Dublin Port?

Eamonn O'Reilly is the Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Who is the Harbour Master of Dublin Port?

Capt. Michael McKenna is the Dublin Port Harbour Master

How many passengers come through Dublin Port each year?

In 2019, 1,949,229 people came through the Port.

How many cruise liners arrive in Dublin Port?

In 2019, there were 158 cruise liner visits.

How many tonnes of exports were shipped by Dublin Port?

In 2019, 9.4 million gross tonnes of exports were handled by Dublin Port.

How many ships arrive at Dublin Port each year?

In 2019, there were 7,898 ship arrivals.

What is the total throughput of goods at Dublin Port?

In 2019, there was a gross tonnage of 38.1 million.

How many tourist vehicles come through Dublin Port?

In 2019, there were 559,506 tourist vehicles.

How many trade vehicles come through Dublin Port?

There were 98,897 lorries in 2019

Can pleasure craft enter Dublin Port?

Boats can navigate the River Liffey into Dublin by using the navigational guidelines. Find the guidelines on this page here.

What is the VHF Channel for Dublin Port control?

VHF channel 12. Commercial vessels using Dublin Port or Dun Laoghaire Port typically have a qualified pilot or certified master with proven local knowledge on board. They "listen out" on VHF channel 12 when in Dublin Port's jurisdiction.

Is there a Dublin Bay webcam?

A Dublin Bay webcam showing the south of the Bay at Dun Laoghaire and a distant view of Dublin Port Shipping is here

What is Dublin Port’s 'distributed museum'?

Dublin Port is creating a distributed museum on its lands in Dublin City.  A Liffey Tolka Project cycle and pedestrian way is the key to link the elements of this distributed museum together. The distributed museum starts at the Diving Bell and, over the course of 6.3km, will give Dubliners a real sense of the City, the Port and the Bay. For visitors, it will be a unique eye-opening stroll and vista through and alongside one of Europe’s busiest ports: Diving Bell along Sir John Rogerson’s Quay over the Samuel Beckett Bridge, past the Scherzer Bridge and down the North Wall Quay campshire to Berth 18 - 1.2 km. Liffey Tolka Project - Tree-lined pedestrian and cycle route between the River Liffey and the Tolka Estuary - 1.4 km with a 300-metre spur along Alexandra Road to The Pumphouse (to be completed by Q1 2021) and another 200 metres to The Flour Mill. Tolka Estuary Greenway - Construction of Phase 1 (1.9 km) starts in December 2020 and will be completed by Spring 2022. Phase 2 (1.3 km) will be delivered within the following five years. The Pumphouse is a heritage zone being created as part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project. The first phase of 1.6 acres will be completed in early 2021 and will include historical port equipment and buildings and a large open space for exhibitions and performances. It will be expanded in a subsequent phase to incorporate the Victorian Graving Dock No. 1 which will be excavated and revealed.   The largest component of the distributed museum will be The Flour Mill. This involves the redevelopment of the former Odlums Flour Mill on Alexandra Road based on a masterplan completed by Grafton Architects to provide a mix of port operational uses, a National Maritime Archive, two 300 seat performance venues, working and studio spaces for artists and exhibition spaces. The Flour Mill will be developed in stages over the remaining twenty years of Masterplan 2040 alongside major port infrastructure projects.