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Cork traffic dips but boxes up

[ January 27, 2020   //   ]

The Port of Cork’s total traffic took a dip of 5% from 10.6 million tonnes, to just over 10 million tonnes in 2019 but container business remained buoyant, it said. The minor decline was attributed to as fall dry bulk cargo through the port. Overall total imports decreased by 7% while exports decreased by 3%.

However, with the port’s new container terminal set to open in 2020, the port is looking forward to a continued increase in container traffic.  Over 240,000teu were handled in 2019, a 5% increase on the previous year.

Port of Cork chief executive Brendan Keating, said that 2020 would be: “A significant year for the Port of Cork as we prepare to complete and open the €86 million Cork Container Terminal development in Ringaskiddy, so seeing continued growth in container volumes through both Tivoli and Ringaskiddy is very encouraging.”

Once operational the new terminal will enable the port to handle up to 450,000teu a year. Cork already has  significant natural depth and the work in Ringaskiddy Port would allow the port to handle vessels of 5,500-6000teu, greatly increase the traffic potential, Keating added.

In 2019 oil traffic handled through Whitegate Oil Refinery owned by Canadian company Irving Oil, saw a decrease of 9% partially due to a planned maintenance shut down in August.

The Port of Cork jointly with Lanber Holdings purchased Marino Point in 2017 and following consultation with Belvelly Marino Development Company, stakeholders, residents and a design team, the Belvelly Port Facility Masterplan was developed. Marino Point is envisaged as accommodating a range of industrial and port related activities and could become a dynamic industrial hub for the area.

Brendan Keating said: “As part of the Project Ireland 2040 National Planning Framework, one of the key future growth enablers for Cork is to deliver large scale regeneration projects for the provision of new employment and supporting infrastructure in Cork Docklands, as integrated, sustainable developments, including relocation of sites from the City Docks. Belvelly Port Facility has been identified to enable this type of growth.”

 

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