#Burke2Doyle - Burke Shipping, the marine agency and logistical services company will be changing name to the Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) with effect as of next week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The date for the name change is Monday, 7 December, which is just over a year ago to the day when Burke Shipping Group, the principal operating subsidiary of the Doyle Group, acquired Greenore Port, Co Louth in December, 2014. 

According to reports at the time, the port purchase price was understood to be in the region of €5 million, and the deal represented the first significant port to be entirely privately-owned in the republic. The port has since seen investment in new quayside upgrade to allow larger vessels to dock, notably Smart Tina, following extensive dredging works. 

The group headed by cousins Connor Doyle and Frank Doyle, also has operations across a broad spectrum of industries including, agri-feed, renewable energy, manufacturing and offshore oil.

Origins to the company date to 1886, when the cousin’s grandfather founded D.F. Doyle Stevedoring in Cork. More than a century later, the family-owned group has expanded with offices located in all the major Irish ports and a workforce of over 300 people.

The change will see the introduction of DSG corporate branding been rolled out across the group over the coming weeks. Also, the renaming coincides with the amalgamation of their Cork based companies into the group, including Cork Dockyard and Marine Transport Services.

Both these companies are located at Rushbrooke near Cobh, from were among the engineering activities of the 44-acre dockyard are ship-repairing, marine conversion and fabrication.

As for Marine Transport Services, they operate and hire tugs/workboats, a car ferry service trading as Cross River Ferries in the centre of Cork Harbour. In addition to running passenger boat tours from Cobh to Spike Island.