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Dublin Port’s New €127m Freight Terminal Launched by Minister of State, Jack Chambers, TD

7th November 2023
FMinister of State Jack Chambers, TD (left) and Barry O’Connell, CEO of Dublin Port Company, launch T4, a new €127m freight terminal, at Dublin Port
Minister of State Jack Chambers, TD (left) and Barry O’Connell, CEO of Dublin Port Company, launch T4, a new €127m freight terminal, at Dublin Port Credit: Andrew Watchorn

Dublin Port Company (DPC) has announced the opening of T4, a newly redeveloped RoRo freight terminal in the Port costing €127m, which was officially launched on Tuesday, November 07th by the Minister of State, Jack Chambers, TD.

Self-financed by DPC and delivered on time, and on budget, T4 marks a major milestone in the delivery of the ABR Project, the first of three major capital development projects under its Masterplan to futureproof Dublin Port’s cargo handling capacity to 2040.

Maximising existing lands to facilitate international trade

T4 will handle more than 220,000 RoRo units annually, which equates to over one-fifth of all RoRo units at Dublin Port based on 2022 volumes and more RoRo freight per annum than any other port in the Republic of Ireland.

T4’s capacity comes from 4.1ha of existing port lands having been reconfigured, creating more efficient space for handling European and UK unaccompanied RoRo units. It comes into operation at a time of growing demand for unaccompanied RoRo freight services (goods on trailers transported by ferry without a driver) to and from the greater Dublin market post-Brexit.

It has also enabled the opening of a new transhipment route to Santander.

T4, a new €127m freight terminal, at Dublin Port. It marks a major milestone in the delivery of the ABR Project, the first of three major capital development projects under Dublin Port Company’s Masterplan to futureproof Dublin Port’s cargo handling capacity to 2040. The terminal will handle more than 220,000 RoRo units annually, which equates to over one-fifth of all RoRo units at Dublin Port based on 2022 volumes and more RoRo freight per annum than any other port in the Republic of Ireland. Photo: Andrew WatchornT4, a new €127m freight terminal, at Dublin Port. It marks a major milestone in the delivery of the ABR Project, the first of three major capital development projects under Dublin Port Company’s Masterplan to futureproof Dublin Port’s cargo handling capacity to 2040. The terminal will handle more than 220,000 RoRo units annually, which equates to over one-fifth of all RoRo units at Dublin Port based on 2022 volumes and more RoRo freight per annum than any other port in the Republic of Ireland. Photo: Andrew Watchorn

Modern port infrastructure for next-generation ferries

T4 brings into operation 3km of new quay walls, upgrading Victorian-era port infrastructure to service direct routes between Dublin and Liverpool/Heysham by ferry operator Seatruck.

The work also involved the demolition of an old jetty, replaced with two best-in-class modern jetties of 270m each, that will accommodate the largest ferries measuring 240m in length and which have been future-proofed to allow for shore to ship power in the years ahead.

Launching T4, Minister of State, Jack Chambers, TD said; “I am delighted to be on-site today for the opening of T4 and to see first-hand the world-class facilities that are in place at Dublin Port.

“Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest freight and passenger port, handling approximately 51% of national tonnage. Its importance is even more pronounced in the unitised freight sector as it handles 71% of all Load-on/Load-off and 80% of all Roll-on/Roll-off tonnage in and out of the country.

Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest freight and passenger port handling approximately 51% of national tonnageDublin Port is Ireland’s largest freight and passenger port, handling approximately 51% of national tonnage Photo: Afloat

“In line with its Masterplan, Dublin Port has been progressing the necessary infrastructure to provide for increases in throughput. T4 will greatly enhance Roll-on/Roll-off capabilities at the Port.

“As an island nation, sufficient capacity and the efficient and seamless operation of our ports are indispensable for the success of Ireland’s importers and exporters.”

Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company, said; “Dublin is already one of the most efficient ports in Europe. With T4, we are driving even more efficiencies and facilitating growing customer demand for direct shipping routes between Dublin, the UK and Europe. O'Connell also discussed these plans in a recent Afloat podcast with Lorna Siggins here.

“Even with T4 now fully in operation, Dublin is running at 91% average capacity and therefore it is imperative that our plans to complete all three of our Masterplan 2040 projects continue as planned. “This will ensure we create the capacity needed to support the ongoing growth in the economy to 2040, while providing new public amenities that will support the growth of our city and neighbouring community for decades to come.”

Opening up the Port

Significantly the development of T4 has also facilitated the closure of an entrance onto East Wall Road paving the way for DPC’s Liffey Tolka Greenway project on East Wall Road to commence construction in 2024. This will see the transformation of the East Wall Road with a new dedicated 1.4km cycle and pedestrian route which will eventually form part of the 16.5km of cycleway / walkway planned as part of the overall Masterplan.

This is another important step in DPC's journey to open up Dublin Port as a safe and accessible venue for all to enjoy.

Published in Dublin Port
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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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Eamonn O'Reilly is the Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Capt. Michael McKenna is the Dublin Port Harbour Master

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

In 2019, there were 158 cruise liner visits.

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

In 2019, there were 7,898 ship arrivals.

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

In 2019, there were 559,506 tourist vehicles.

There were 98,897 lorries in 2019

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

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.

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

Source: Dublin Port Company ©Afloat 2020.