Failure to expand Dublin Port 'may cost 40 million a year'

A study by a leading economist has concluded that a failure to expand Dublin Port will cost the economy 40 million euros annually within the next decade and that constraints on space may have "cost millions in the past 10 years."

The study reveals that in 2003 limited space in the load-on, load-off (lo-lo) area was costing almost 5 million euros a year in delays, and was projected to rise to 5.5 million in 2007.

The study was commissioned last year by Dublin Port as part of its plan to reclaim 21 hectares to accomodate terminals for lo-lo and roll on, roll off (ro-ro) freight at the eastern end of the estate.