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Dublin Port News
#CityOfDublin - It would be hard not to have noticed in particular as a Dublin bus commuter using services at Eden Quay the historic crest of the former City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, writes Jehan Ashmore. The ornate masonry…
#WorldLargest - An historic milestone in Dublin Port took place late last night as Celine, the world’s largest short-sea ro-ro freight ferry completed a commercial maiden voyage from mainland continental Europe, writes Jehan Ashmore. On arrival from Zeebrugge, Belgium, a…
The Valletta registered giant ro-ro Celine is towed astern (top photo /see rope) through a Dutch road-lift bridge having sailed on a delivery voyage from South Korea.  The naval architecture of the newbuild is much more akin to a large car-carrier compared to CLnD /Cobelfret's range of other ro-ro currently in service, albeit several ships of recent years.
#WorldLargest - As Afloat.ie reported on Monday, the World's largest ro-ro freight ferry is to make a maiden call to Dublin Port however the giant newbuild made a debut call to Rotterdam yesterday following a delivery voyage, writes Jehan Ashmore.…
Dublin Port volumes are up 30% in five years
Dublin Port Company has published its latest trade figures showing growth of 4.2% to the end of Q3 2017. Overall, volumes in Dublin Port have grown by 30.1% in just five years. A continuation in the current pace of growth…
#worldlargest - The world's largest ro-ro ferry described as a 'game-changer' is to make a maiden call this week to Dublin Port from Zeebrugge and is to be followed with an introduction on the Rotterdam route, writes Jehan Ashmore. Landlocked…
#TransitGateway - As part of “Port Perspectives”, Transit Gateway is a project that documents the transitional changes of the shape of Dublin Port from its medieval shoreline to its current infrastructure. Transit Gateway as an artistic mapping cartography shows the…
Ophelia: Information issued from Met Eireann, the National Emergency Coordination Centre, Dublin Port and AA Newsroom advise of safety precaution, updates on ferry travel and incidents
#OpheliaDublinPort - Met Eireann and the National Emergency Coordination Centre are advising everyone throughout the country to stay away from coastal paths, cliffs and harbours during the forecasted extreme weather event. Dublin Bay  For safety reasons there will be no…
An Taoiseach Mr. Leo Varadkar TD, pictured at the official ‘opening up’ of Port Centre following completion of a 12 month project to soften the Port’s boundaries with the city which included the unveiling of the new art insulation entitled “The Sphere” by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mícheál Mac Donncha
Guests of Honour Ardmhéara Bhaile Átha Cliath and Honorary Admiral of Dublin Port, Mícheál Mac Donncha and An Taoiseach Mr. Leo Varadkar TD were in attendance at the official opening of Dublin Port Centre. The project which began last November…
#DublinDocklands - Afloat recently reported of Arklow Shipping's latest acquisition, Arklow Dawn that brings the fleet to 52, the majority of these cargoships comprising 13 in total are of the remaining R class sisters however there are differences between them,…
Dublin Port lands (on left Poolbeg peninsula) must not be ‘reallocated’ for non-port uses, warns business group
#dublinport- Lands in Dublin Port must not be “reallocated” by Dublin City Council for uses not associated with strategic port activities, business representative group Ibec has said. Ibec was responding to a decision by the council this week writes The…
Plan afoot to reinstate historic Ballast House timepiece mentioned in Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’. The Ballast House time ball (see top left) was taken down in 1920. It came from a time when the city were on Dublin time rather than GMT.
#dublinport - The Irish Times writes that the giant bronze timepiece the “time ball” that was visible across Dublin city until the time of the 1916 Rising, could be reinstated as part of the refurbishment of Ballast House at O’Connell…
#crane292 - It is just days ago that Afloat reported of a 'resurrection' in Dublin Port, that been the return of an iconic 1960's quayside crane 292 albeit relocated to a much more prominent site beside the Port Centre headquarters, writes…
Towering above is the recently resurrected and restored Crane 292 which stands proudly adjacent to the Dublin Port headquarters building - The Port Centre close to the Point Village.
#crane292 - As Afloat previously reported Dublin Port Company has made a striking change downriver from the city centre as a new skyline emerges with the resurrection of one of its iconic 1960s cranes as pictured above.  The 115 feet tall…
#TransitGateway - As highlighted on Afloat was the penulimate semimar of Transit Gateway's Mapping of Dublin Port, a series which is part of the Port Perspectives programme of events. Among them is the opportunity for the public to visit the…
The pair of cargoship steamers S.S. Hare (top) and S.S. Adela (bottom) that were attacked in separate incidents by German submarine U-Boats a century ago that led to the combined loss of 36 crew. A joint commemorative public plaques unveiling ceremony for descendants of the victims takes place this Saturday, 30 Sept (13.00hrs) at Custom House Quay, Dublin.
#WWIcargoshipsCeremony - To mark the centenary of the sinking of two merchant cargo steamships in the Irish Sea and loss of life, an unveiling of plaques are to take place this Saturday in Dublin, writes Jehan Ashmore.    Family descendents…
#dublinport- A striking change to the capital's skyline that been based downriver has been made possible with the Dublin Port Company resurrecting one of its iconic 1960s cranes. The 115 feet tall Crane 292 has been lovingly restored to its…

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.