Port of Cork CEO holds briefing with Minister of State Jack Chambers
Eoin McGettigan, CEO of Port of Cork was pleased to host a private meeting with Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers during which the Port’s strategic ambitions for the future were discussed.
The high level meeting underscored the critical role the port of Cork plays in driving economic growth, facilitating international trade, and its positioning as a key enabler to progress the offshore wind industry.
At the heart of the discussions was the Port of Cork’s pivotal economic role and its significance as a key international gateway for both imports and exports. As Tier 1 port, the Port of Cork serves as a vital link in the supply chain, connecting businesses to global markets and enabling seamless trade flows. Some 10 million tonnes of trade passed through the Port of Cork in 2022, a year which had a turnover of €48.4 million.
As the only Irish port with planning permission in place to facilitate the development of the Offshore Energy Renewable (ORE) sector, CEO Eoin McGettigan highlighted the port’s commitment to further enhancing its infrastructure and capabilities to meet the evolving needs of businesses and industries.
“There is a widely held desire to progress Ireland’s transition to a sustainable future. Port of Cork is poised and eager to support Government policy and to contribute to meeting Ireland’s energy targets,” Mr McGettigan stated. “I’m grateful to Minister Chambers for dedicating time in his diary for this important briefing meeting during which a range of topics were covered.”
The Port of Cork’s Masterplan 2050 which outlines the port’s strategic ambitions and investment plans for the coming decades was also discussed in greater detail. The launch of the Masterplan charts the course for the pivotal and historical period of change which the Port of Cork has embarked upon.
Minister Jack Chambers reaffirmed the government’s support for Port of Cork’s initiatives, acknowledging the pivotal role it plays in driving economic growth.
“It’s wonderful to meet with Eoin and Port of Cork again and to hear about its further business growth, developments and future ambitions,” Minister Chambers stated.
“The Port has proven itself to be dynamic and constantly evolving. The opportunity of supporting our ORE ambitions would be a fantastic addition to the function of the Port of Cork.”
About Port of Cork Company
The Port of Cork is the world’s second-largest natural harbour and a key international trade gateway. It is the key seaport in the south of Ireland and is one of the three Ports of National Significance (Tier 1) as designated by National Ports Policy.
The National Ports Policy mandates Tier 1 Ports to lead the response in meeting Ireland’s future port capacity requirements. In this capacity, the port is also central to the national economic growth given that national ports handle approximately 90% of all imported and exported tonnage in Ireland.
As a multi-model port it is only one of two ports in Ireland to service all six shipping modes – lift on/ lift off, roll-on/ roll-off, liquid bulk, dry bulk, break bulk and cruise.
The Port of Cork Company (PoCC) is a commercial semi-state company responsible for the broad range of commercial running of Cork harbour as well as the navigation and berthage in the port.
In 2022, the Ports of Cork and Bantry reported a total consolidated traffic throughput of 10.2 million tonnes. The PoCC’s direct workforce is 170 staff, however, it supports thousands of jobs through indirect employment through warehouses, hauliers and shipping agents.
PoCC is a hugely important catalyst for trade and employment, offering direct connectivity to a global supply chain, particularly for FDI. 35 of its top customers are from industries such as Med-Tec, Pharma, IT, chemical and Agri-Food accounting for €145 billion of manufacturing and supporting over 45,000 jobs directly in the southwest region.
