Rosslare Europort outlines vision to become offshore renewable energy hub

Rosslare Europort has announced plans to establish the port, its hinterland and the southeast region as Ireland’s offshore renewable energy (ORE) hub.

The ORE hub scheme represents an investment estimated at €200m ($216.6m), which would include building a purpose-built quay and berth, quayside storage and pre-construction area, and dredging a navigable channel to a minimum of 9 m of depth. The project also involves setting up a management control centre and management offices and facilities.

Ireland’s top port for direct ropax sailings to the Continent said it has already made several moves towards becoming the country’s renewables hub with the appointment of expert consultants to bring the project to planning and has also brought in financial consultants to develop the detailed business case and funding options.

The port is also said to have engaged potential developers to understand the industry’s requirements and is looking to set up a potential startup facility that could be available as late as 2023 at Fisherman’s Quay in the port on a limited basis. It said this would offer the industry some port capacity while the transition to the main facility is completed.

The ORE-specific works would be in addition to those already outlined in the €150m Rosslare Europort infrastructure masterplan, which is expected to transform the port’s physical infrastructure. The plan involves new passenger and freight facilities, storage, export and import facilities, as well as digitilisation of the port’s operations. The area is also going to see a new permanent border control post within the port and a new access road, which will take trucks out of the village and improve access and connectivity to the port.