EU grants the Port of Cork €13 million in funding

The Port of Cork has received almost €13 million in EU funds for the €100 million redevelopment of Ringaskiddy, as part of plans to modernise the port.

The funding, under the Ten T - Connecting Europe programme, will help the development of a new deepwater container facility at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour.

Fine Gael MEP Deirdre Clune said confirmation of the funding reaffirms the importance of the Port of Cork within the European context.

“It means new construction jobs, it means more business and investment for Cork and it means that we can develop the port into a world class facility,” Ms Clune said.

The Port of Cork is one of 276 infrastructure projects to qualify for funding from the record €13.1 billion earmarked for transport projects across the EU.

Confirmation of the Cork funding comes just a month after An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for a €100 million upgrade of the Ringaskiddy facility in Cork Harbour.

The Port of Cork had unveiled plans for the project in April 2014. The matter went to an oral hearing last autumn before permission was granted to the Port of Cork on May 28th last.

‘Huge significance’

According to Port of Cork CEO, Brendan Keating, the granting of the application for funding, made under the Strategic Infrastructure Act, will have huge significance for the port’s activities.

The decision will allow Port of Cork to transfer its container terminal from Tivoli to Ringaskiddy, where it can accommodate larger container vessels.

The port’s ability to grow container traffic had been hampered by the fact that larger vessels could not turn at Tivoli because of the narrowness of the channel.

Mr Keating said it was vital for the port to be able to accommodate larger vessels if it is to meet both the needs of its customers and the economic developmental needs of the region.

He said that the Port of Cork expects to have Phase One of the Ringaskiddy Port Redevelopment project, which includes a 200m-long berth and new container yard, operational by 2018.

“The overall project will facilitate, on a phased basis, the Port of Cork in transferring cargo handling activities from Tivoli and the City Quays in due course,” he said.