Drogheda Port Company
Bremore deepwater port

The Drogheda Port Company proposes to develop an integrated 24-hour, state of the art, deepwater port and logistics centre away from the existing congested hub of Dublin city at Bremore in North County Dublin. The site is already rail linked and adjacent to the M1 motorway, 20 minutes from Dublin.

The Port will have 24 hour marine access with facilities to accommodate new short sea shipping services to the United Kingdom, Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic states, to include Lo-Lo, Ro-Ro and passenger traffic (the port only being 25 minutes by rail from Connolly station).

The project is proposed in three phases with Phase 1 catering for up to 5 million tonnes of freight (to include 250,000 TEU Lo-Lo units, 350,000 Ro-Ro units and general and bulk cargoes). The first phase development will provide circa 500 metres of linear quay for container and general cargo handling, two Ro-Ro and one high speed ferry berth for road freight, car and foot passenger traffic. The depth alongside will be in the order of 10.5m below CD, with a potential for future deepening to 12.0m.

In the medium to long term, and given the unique nature of the Bremore site, the location has a total potential capacity (following on phase 3 of development) of up to 20 million tonnes plus. Such a large traffic volume would constitute a significant share of total Irish port traffic.

The Bremore site, given its unique attributes (deepwater, low residential density, good intermodal access, strategic north-south location, etc.) represents most probably the last remaining opportunity for a significant and sustainable new port development along the east coast of Ireland.

The company has negotiated the purchase of the 150 acre site at Bremore for Phase 1 of the port development. In addition there is an immediate availability of a further 250 acres minimum for port development, logistics and related activities.

HR Wallingford, one of Europe’s premier hydraulic modelling and port design companies, following an initial assessment report has prepared a port masterplan for the development of the Bremore deepwater port. Wallingford’s report concludes that the Bremore site is an excellent location for a new deepwater port, both in terms of it’s maritime characteristics and the character of the hinterland, particularly connections to road and rail routes.

It is evident from successive Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources sponsored reports (notably the High Level Review in April 2003 and the Baxter Eadie Port Capacity Study update Report 2004 etc.) that Ireland is facing future port capacity shortfalls along, although not confined to, the east coast central sea corridor (Dun Laoghaire-Dublin-Drogheda). This new port development will significantly address and alleviate some of this capacity shortfall.

Bremore Deepwater Port will be the first purpose designed and built total logistics port in Ireland and will produce an efficient and competitive logistics platform for Ireland's importers and exporters and will be a key node in the European Community Trans European Motorway of the Sea.