Dublin Port Yearbook 2026

DUBLIN PORT YEARBOOK 2026

02 MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

2025 was a landmark year for Dublin Port, the hardworking heart of Dublin, marked by major achievements that strengthen the Port for generations to come.

04 YEAR IN REVIEW

Highlights of 2025, including the launch of live stream cameras, giving a real-time insight into port life, a €9 million investment in the rail freight yard at North Wall, the visit of an iconic Peruvian tall ship, Dublin Port staff volunteering at the Capuchin Day Centre, National Port Safety Week & much more.

27 TRADE

28 DELIVERING ON MP2

Dublin Port’s Masterplan 2040 Project 2 (MP2) is one of the largest capital projects currently underway in the entire country.

32 REBUILDING ALEXANDRA ROAD

The upgrading of Alexandra Road commenced in summer 2025 and represents a major infrastructural investment for Dublin Port.

36 UN PORT LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

Thirty port managers from 10 nations graduated from the UNCTAD

38 BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE

Redevelopment work on Terminal 4 North at Dublin Port continued apace throughout 2025, with the successful completion of the second of three major development phases.

42 THROUGHPUT FIGURES

Dublin Port enjoyed a strong 2025, with overall volumes up on the previous year and record figures for LoLo (Lift-on, Loft-off) container cargo.

44 PORT FACILITIES & SERVICES

Dublin Port Company (Under The Harbours Act, 1996) Vested On March 3, 1997.

47 ENVIRONMENT

48 DUBLIN BAY BIOSPHERE

The Dublin Bay Biosphere celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025, a decade of conservation, collaboration and community.

52 ESG STRATEGY

Formalising the Port’s long tradition of sustainable and environmental practice will bring new clarity and focus in 2026, with the development of Dublin Port’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) strategy.

56 GREEN SHIPPING CORRIDOR

The Dublin-Holyhead ferry route has been identified as a leading candidate for a green shipping corridor, but geopolitical tensions may mean a delay to further progress.

61 COMMUNITY

62 A DECADE OF SOFT VALUES

It is 10 years since Dublin Port Company launched their Soft Values programme, which has brought the Port and the City closer together through a host of cultural, environmental, and heritage initiatives.

68 MAJOR AWARD WINS FOR DUBLIN PORT

Dublin Port Company took home a plethora of high profile awards across 2025, recognising their achievements in urban design and social impact.

72 PLAY THERAPY AT ST JOSEPH’S Dublin Port Company’s support has ensured that students at St Joseph’s School in East Wall have access to a full-time play therapist on-site.

78 RETROFITTING COURSE

The Retrofitting Skills course run by St Andrew’s Resource Centre, with the support of Dublin Port, has seen hundreds of successful graduates finding employment in the Irish construction sector.

80 THE MOST FAMILIAR FACE IN DUBLIN PORT

After 18 years of ensuring that day-today operations run smoothly, hugely popular Operations Manager Thomas Kavanagh retired at the end of 2025.

85 CULTURE

86 PORT ACTIVITIES GET NATIONWIDE EXPOSURE

in a three-part series in 2025, as the nation got an insider’s view into the hardworking heart of Dublin.

90 CAMPAIGN SUPERNOVA

Dublin Port Company used the highprofile Oasis concerts in Ireland to highlight the importance of maritime travel and the Port’s role in daily life.

92 TALL SHIPS IN DUBLIN

Dublin Port regularly plays host to magnificent tall ships from around the world, serving an important diplomatic function but also reminding Dubliners of their city’s strong maritime heritage.

96 THE SUBSTATION: A HUB FOR CULTURE & COMMUNITY

The Substation in Dublin Port had a packed programme of events during 2025.

100 BUS TOURS OF DUBLIN PORT

Dublin Port Company invited the public to see behind-the-scenes with a series of hugely popular guided tours of Dublin Port during 2025.

103 HERITAGE

104 RELOCATING FROM PORT CENTRE

Decanting from Port Centre to East Point meant that Dublin Port Company’s priceless documentary and cultural legacy had to be safely relocated.

110 DIVING BELL CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

Dublin’s smallest museum, the Diving Bell on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, recently celebrated its 10th birthday.

114 SWEENEY PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION

Pat Sweeney’s photographic collection has been digitised, with the support of Dublin Port Company, providing a lasting record of maritime life in Dublin.

116 200 YEARS OF THE NORTH BULL WALL & THE BULL ISLAND

Lar Joye, Heritage Director, Dublin Port Company, looks back over the history of Dublin’s North Bull Wall and its enduring impact on the city and Port of Dublin.

122 MAP OF DUBLIN PORT

TIDE TABLES

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Our vision remains to create a world-class commercial port, fully integrating the needs of our national economy, our surrounding environment, our neighbouring communities, and our team. In this, 2025 was a landmark year for Dublin Port, the hardworking heart of Dublin, marked by major achievements that strengthen the Port for generations to come.

The Alexandra Basin Redevelopment moved forward, with further work due to get underway this year. Some

of the project’s new marine infrastructure is now supporting daily operations.

Progress also continued on the ambitious MP2 Project, Ireland’s largest marine construction programme. This environmentally-led development remains on track to deliver new RoRo berths by 2028, additional LoLo capacity, and a new unified ferry terminal in the early 2030s.

Our third and final masterplan project, 3FM, is now in advanced stages of the planning process. It will be a balanced example of sustainable infrastructure development and will support international trade, while enriching the natural and community landscape. It will provide essential commercial capacity alongside major new public amenities, including a world-class Maritime Village, a new public park, and wildflower meadow.

Operationally, 2025 delivered exceptional performance. We recorded the highest level of container trade in the Port’s history, with strong growth across key routes. Vehicle trade volumes also performed robustly, reinforcing Dublin Port’s central role in Ireland’s worldclass route to market.

This was also a standout year for our community and cultural programmes. From large-scale public events to local collaborations, engagement with our neighbouring communities continued to grow. And importantly, 2025 marked the first full calendar year of the Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway, which welcomed tens of thousands of walkers and cyclists, quickly becoming one of the city’s most valued active-travel amenities.

People are at the heart of what we do, and the Yearbook showcases the good work of our colleagues across the Port and the strong collaboration we have with many partners from our local community through

to those operating in the political and governmental spheres. This effort was recognised externally too, and we’re particularly proud of the awards the team have achieved and our accreditation as bronze investors in diversity by the Irish Centre for Diversity.

Throughout the Yearbook, you will see the breadth of our progress across all strategic pillars - trade, environment, community, heritage, and culturefrom heritage initiatives and events to public-realm enhancements, celebrating major cultural events, and spotlighting exporters. These achievements reflect our commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth.

My thanks to everyone for their dedication and collaboration throughout 2025, and I look forward to building on this progress in the year ahead.

Barry O’Connell CEO, Dublin Port Company

YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025 JANUARY

SEALS IN DUBLIN BAY THRIVING AMIDST MAJOR PORT DEVELOPMENTS

A comprehensive survey reveals that Dublin Port’s local seal population remains healthy and thriving.

Seals are an integral part of Dublin Bay’s marine biodiversity, frequently observed along the coast from Sandycove to Bull Island and even within the Dublin Port area. As part of the large-scale marine construction works underway as part of the second phase of Dublin Port’s Masterplan 2040 (MP2), Dublin Port Company funded a major study of seals in Dublin

Haul-out sites are important for seals in Dublin Bay as it enables them to carry out essential functions such as resting, pupping and moulting. Knowledge of the location and use of these sites is important for conservation management to ensure they remain available and undisturbed during key times of the year.

A total of 10 seal haul-out sites were surveyed, mostly with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Overall, grey seals were more abundant than harbour seals, with maximum counts of 326 in October and 300 in July. Harbour seal numbers peaked at 117 in July.

Most grey seals were recorded on Dalkey, Lambay and

Island and North Bull Island, with small numbers recorded at Sandycove.

The same haul-out sites were used consistently throughout the survey period and are consistent with previous studies suggesting no changes in the use of haul-out sites has occurred. This is an important finding in view of the extensive work being carried out in Dublin Port and shows the mitigation and monitoring undertaken is proving effective.

“It is great to see a healthy and thriving seal population in Dublin Bay,” noted Dublin

environmental responsibilities seriously and seek to operate in harmony with the Dublin Bay Biosphere.

Dolphin Group, ensures that we responsibly monitor seal populations and can respond to any changes that occur.”

for implementing strict mitigation measures to ensure there is no impact on local marine mammal populations in Dublin Bay and adjacent waters, but that they support research and innovation which will assist in mitigating similar developments elsewhere, as well as contributing to our knowledge base.”

MARCH YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN INVESTED AS ADMIRAL OF DUBLIN PORT

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain took to the waters of Dublin Bay to perform the Casting of the Spear tradition to become the ceremonial Lord Admiral of Dublin Port, alongside Barry O’Connell, Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Historical records show that the maritime tradition of Casting the Spear dates back to 1488 when Thomas Mayler, who was then Lord Mayor of Dublin, rode out on horseback and cast a spear as far as he could into the sea. This was to mark the city’s boundaries eastwards. Centuries later, the re-enactment ceremony reminds us of Dublin’s position as a port city in medieval times and highlights Dublin Port’s remarkable history since its establishment as a trading post some 1,200 years ago.

The Casting of the Spear was part of a Dublin Port Community event with local water-based clubs at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. This gave the opportunity for the Lord Mayor to meet with representatives from eight different clubs, including Stella Maris and St

MARCH YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

HARBOUR2HARBOUR WALK

Over 3,000 enthusiastic walkers took part in the 18th annual Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk on St Patrick’s Day. The 26km challenge gives participants the option of starting from Howth Harbour or Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The walk takes participants along the scenic Dublin Bay route with a ‘Halfway Hooley’ hosted at Road.

“I wanted to get involved with the Aware do is so important for those struggling with depression and bipolar, but also because walking is just so good for our mental health!” said Dr Ciara Kelly. “I’m a keen walker myself and I do it as much for my head as way to support the vital work of Aware, whilst raising awareness and also being of huge benefit to the people who participate!”

The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk is a flagship fundraising event for Aware, the national charity supporting people impacted by depression and bipolar disorder.

“The Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk continues to grow each year,” said Stephen Butterly, Head of Fundraising at Aware. “This unique event on Ireland’s national holiday offers the opportunity to connect with friends and family and celebrate in a meaningful way by contributing towards raising awareness and vital funds for our free mental health services. We’re honoured to be an official event partner of St Patrick’s Festival for the third year running, and very grateful for the ongoing support of our sponsor Dublin Port.”

Dublin Port has partnered with the event since 2014, hosting a ‘Halfway Hooley’ for participants midway along the route. Speaking about their

Harbour2Harbour Walk is a highlight of the Dublin Port community programme. The Port provides Dubliners with a whole host of amenities that promote physical and mental health. Between the Great South Wall, our Distributed Museum, and the brand-new Dublin Port Greenway, we welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to Dublin Port annually, and we extend a particularly warm welcome to the Aware ‘Halfway Hooley’ walkers.”

APRIL YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

TIME INSIGHT INTO DUBLIN PORT

April saw Dublin Port officially launching two new live stream cameras, offering near real-time views of Dublin Bay and Dublin City.

The cameras provide the public with a unique insight into the daily operations of Ireland’s busiest port, with

“These live streams provide a real insight into our busy Port – the Hardworking Heart of Dublin,” noted Claire Percy, Head of External Affairs at Dublin Port. “No matter when you tune in, the Port is busy with activity

essentials to Ireland and supporting Irish exporters. You might spot ferries, container vessels, bulk ships, and car carriers – all vital activity that often goes unnoticed by the public.

per year in the Dublin Port shipping channel, which is now visible on the live streams.

During major weather events, avid weather watchers turned to the cameras with spikes seen during both Storm Darragh and Storm Eowyn.

“We have had great feedback from viewers so far, who even relaxing! Between the movements of the ships, cranes, water, weather and birds, there is always something to see.”

MAY

YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

DUBLIN PAINTING AND SKETCHING CLUB RETURNS TO THE DUBLIN PORT SUBSTATION

with Shorelines II, celebrating the sea, the city and the spaces where they meet.

Following the success of Shorelines in 2024, Shorelines II featured entirely new work created for this exhibition, offering fresh perspectives and approaches, reflecting the evolving relationship between Dublin Port and the artists who observe it. The exhibition marked the Club’s

Among the works on show were compelling scenes from Dublin Bay, ports, and harbours, capturing the light, motion, and atmosphere of the maritime environment. These pieces offer both personal reflections and collective insights into the city’s everchanging relationship with the sea.

Founded in 1874 by renowned maritime artists Dr William Booth Pearsall FRCSI and Alexander Williams RHA, the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club has counted Nathaniel Hone, John Butler Yeats, and Bram Stoker among its members.

Minister of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration Jim

that is unique and superbly curated by the Heritage Programme of Dublin Port Company and members of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club, reflecting Dublin’s special coastline. Dublin’s coastline is internationally recognised as one of Ireland’s most

testament to this. I congratulate the many painters,

are delighted to present Shorelines II in the Dublin Port Substation, with the valued support of Dublin Port Company. This exhibition, in its second year, celebrates the maritime heritage of the Dublin coastline that inspires the artists of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club.”

between the city and the sea has always been a fascinating subject for painters and artists, and the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club has featured some of the original visual storytellers of Dublin’s life as a

it is really important for us to bring this selection of maritime-inspired works to the Dublin Port Substation, our new interpretive space which aims to open the Port

JUNE

€9 MILLION INVESTMENT IN RAIL FREIGHT YARD AT NORTH WALL

Dublin Port, working with Irish Rail,

The facility is managing all rail freight operations during the works on Alexandra Road, and creates additional capacity for potential future rail freight volumes, subject to market demand.

rail freight investment at any Irish port

Dublin Port’s long-term commitment to sustainable transport and rail freight, as outlined in its Masterplan 2040.

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JUNE YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

PASSENGERS OF THE DORSET BOOK LAUNCH

Passengers of the Dorset, a new book by author and historical research, the book shines a spotlight on a Ireland, which made more than 300 journeys between Dublin and Britain from 1772 to 1804 under the command of Captain Sir Alexander Schomberg.

presence in the Liffey. Its decks hosted Lords Lieutenant, members of the aristocracy, artists, military officials, and occasionally colourful figures such as the infamous pickpocket George Barrington. Through these of the political and social life of its time, offering a distinctive insight into sea travel in the 18th century and its intersections with the social and political dynamics of the era.

as a museum curator in Canada, the USA, and Ireland, and brings a thoughtful and well-informed approach to this important piece of Ireland’s maritime history.

“One of the most common questions we are asked in the Archive is about passenger lists, and in this wonderful book we learn about the passengers who at Dublin Port. “Our aim is to make the Port’s heritage accessible and meaningful to the wider public, and

hosting book launches, talks, performances and exhibitions is an important part of that.”

The Dublin Port Archive provided additional research support for this publication. With over 300 years of records, the Dublin Port Archive is a key resource for understanding the Port’s role in Irish life and has supported a wide range of historical and academic

THE IRISH SEA’S LEADING FERRY COMPANY

Our network of 18 routes links key ports and road connections across northern Europe.

With more routes and sailings than any other ferry company, we offer the most convenient and reliable way to reach your destination.

At Stena Line, we’re committed to providing safe, comfortable and sustainable journeys.

daily departures Vessels 7 routes to Britain & France

JULY YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

DUBLIN PORT SPOTLIGHTS IRELAND’S EXPORTERS

July 2025 saw Dublin Port Company shining a spotlight on the vital role Ireland’s exporters play in driving economic growth and international trade. Dublin Port is highlighting a range of sectors over 2025 and 2026, beginning with Ireland’s thriving dairy industry and the global success of Irish ice cream.

founder of Ice Cream Treats, whose award-winning frozen desserts have been enjoyed in markets across Port to connect Irish produce with consumers around the world.

record LoLo (Lift-On, Lift-Off) container volumes in May 2025, marking the highest monthly container throughput in the Port’s history. For the first time ever, the Port handled over 800,000 tonnes of LoLo in a single month, underscoring the resilience and continued growth of Ireland’s export-driven economy.

of Irish entrepreneurship – innovative, resilient, and ambitious, even during times of global uncertainty.

Dublin Port is proud to support businesses like Ice Cream Treats by providing the infrastructure and connectivity needed to reach markets near and far,”

celebrate the stories – like Gerry’s – behind Ireland’s export success which underpin our economic success.”

As part of the campaign, Dublin Port released an cream being loaded onto a ship and departing the Port – designed to spotlight the journey of Irish dairy products from local producers to global consumers.

Gerry Sheridan, founder of Ice Cream Treats, noted: “From a small start in Cavan to shipping journey wouldn’t be possible without the seamless logistics and support provided by Dublin Port, its honoured to be part of this initiative and proud to represent Irish food producers on the international stage.”

Minister of State at the Department of Transport,

are the lifeblood of our economy and a source of pride on the global stage. Dublin Port provides our exporters from across the country with a worldclass route to market, enabling them to do business internationally. This initiative rightly shines a light

on the hard work, ambition, and innovation of businesses like Ice Cream Treats.”

As part of the campaign, Dublin Port has also launched a dedicated ‘Trade Hub’ on its website – offering resources, case studies, and real-time updates on trade performance. See www.dublinport.ie/trade/

AUGUST YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

SOFT VALUES EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE SUBSTATION

A new exhibition celebrating 10 years of Dublin Port’s cultural and heritage projects opened at the Dublin Port Substation in August. Then Minister for Finance and Dublin Central TD Paschal Donohoe officially launched Port Company CEO Barry O’Connell, Chairman Jerry Director Lar Joye. See full story on Page 62.

AUGUST YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

HERITAGE WEEK AT DUBLIN PORT

As part of Heritage Week, Dublin Port was proud to present a special programme of events throughout the week in the Substation, inviting visitors to reflect on the softer values that shape Dublin’s heritage and culture.

Events included artist Cliona Harmey exploring the evolution of maritime communication technologies, from the lighthouse and signal lamp to modern AIS tracking, and a special screening of Moira Sweeney’s work, and memories of Dublin Port workers. Theatre-

DUBLIN BAY BIOSPHERE BIOBLITZ

Members of the public were invited to explore, discover, and contribute to science in one of Ireland’s most ecologically rich areas in August, as the Dublin Bay

a full day of wildlife recording across the Dublin Bay UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

with Dublin Port, where immersive, site-specific performances have brought history vividly to life, while there was also a special screening of Fishamble’s play,

refusal to transport British munitions.

Playwright Gary Brown and singer George Murphy presented an evening of live music and storytelling playwright Lee Coffey and director Aaron Monaghan

Local historian Rob Goodbody explored the rich history of Bullock Harbour, Port Heritage Director and historian, Lar Joye, presented a fascinating journey through the rich history of Dublin Port. Another event showcased how Dublin Port’s support helped a conservation effort to recover precious records Ireland, including an almost complete set of revenue accounts for Dublin Port, dated April 1818, which present a snapshot of Dublin Port at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

Hosted by Dublin City Council, Dublin Port Company, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Trinity College Dublin, this event offered a unique opportunity to observe and document biodiversity at some of the Biosphere’s most iconic sites, including the Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway. Participants could record their sightings using the National Biodiversity Data Centre website or app.

SEPTEMBER YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

ICONIC PERUVIAN TRAINING SHIP

VISITS DUBLIN

PORT

Dublin Port welcomed one of the world’s most iconic public to visit at select times.

largest sail training vessel in South America and one of

As a sail training vessel she carries a crew of around Officers. Alongside her role as a training ship, she also travels the world, building stronger diplomatic relations

milestone in Peru–Ireland relations,” said Peruvian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Jamie Cacho Sousa. “This visit not only reflects the strong bonds of friendship between our two nations, but also opens new opportunities to share Peru’s culture, values, and maritime tradition with the Irish people.”

Dublin. These vessels are not only living reminders of maritime history, but also floating ambassadors for their home nations. This is an opportunity to welcome the Peruvian crew to Dublin, for them to experience Irish hospitality, and to have a warm cultural exchange.”

CULTURE NIGHT AT THE SUBSTATION

experience an exclusive viewing with Michael Hill from Temple Bar Gallery + Studios as he reflected on the making of ‘The Longest Way Round, Shortest Way Home’ in The Substation.

Then, visitors were able to enjoy ‘Poems and Songs from Dockers’, with powerful poems and soulful performances by Gary Brown, Gerry Lennon and Anthony Brannock.

Port Heritage Director Lar Joye brought visitors on special bus tours to uncover the rich history of Dublin Port.

DUBLIN PORT SCHOLARSHIP CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Dublin Port welcomed over 30 students from the local Docklands communities to attend for interview for the Scholarship Programme in September. Successful candidates receive a their educational expenses.

To date, the Dublin Port Scholarship Programme has supported over 1,400 local students on their third level educational journey.

Sail Training Ireland, Google, National College of Ireland, Aware

OCTOBER

YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

VOLUNTEERING AT CAPUCHIN DAY CENTRE

In October, Dublin Port Company launched a food drive and followed it up with staff volunteering at the Capuchin Day Centre, helping distribute meals throughout the month. “This initiative allowed Dublin Port Company to make a real difference locally and strengthen our connection to the community,” noted Nicola McCarthy, Chief People Officer at Dublin Port.

DUBLIN PORT: PART OF DUBLIN FESTIVAL OF HISTORY

Dublin Port was excited to be a part

with a series of insightful talks and tours that delve into Dublin Port’s rich heritage and its role in the city’s history.

the Port’, an oral history of Dublin Port and the Dublin Port Memory

Tara Brady, a look at the Irish Lights

an illustrated lecture on maritime art and Dublin Bay from Cormac Lowth, while Karl Brady spoke about mapping, investigating and documenting historic shipwrecks off the Dublin coast.

OCTOBER YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

WATER SAFETY TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT IRISH PORT SAFETY WEEK 2025

fostering a culture of safety across the Port and its neighbouring community.

Organised by the Irish Port Safety Forum, highlights of

• A launch event for port users in partnership with the

•

• Guided boat tours showcasing the safety features

• A talk on mental health from bestselling author, comedian, and mental health advocate Rory O’Connor.

“This marks Dublin Port’s fifth year participating in Irish Port Safety Week, a collaborative initiative that unites Port Authorities across Ireland in a collective mission to elevate safety standards,” noted Harbour Master

a pre-condition for port operations and a responsibility upon everyone who works at the Port. Whether you’re a port worker, visitor, or customer, understanding and respecting the risks associated with working in a port is essential.”

Building on the Dublin SafePort initiative launched

DUBLIN PORT TOURS

As part of Open House Dublin invited the public to discover the scale and stories of Ireland’s busiest port on October 18, via a series of free tours on land and sea, including bus tours guided by Anthony Finnegan and boat tours from DPC Heritage Director Lar Joye.

experiences that allow port users to learn more about systems and infrastructure designed to keep people safe. From emergency response practices to the design of marine infrastructure, every element reflects Dublin Port’s dedication to continuous safety improvement.

“Water safety is fundamental to everything we do,” Michael McKenna added. “By bringing people out onto the water,

reinforcing the importance of awareness, preparedness, and respect for the maritime environment.”

Irish Port Safety Week serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility among all stakeholders to create a safe, resilient, and inclusive working environment.

Dublin Port extends its thanks to the Irish Port Safety Forum, the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland, the RNLI, Rory O’Connor, Dublin Bay Cruises, QCafe, their customers, and the wider Dublin Port community for their continued support.

NOVEMBER YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

JACK CHAMBERS TD VISITS MP2 PROJECT

Dublin Port was delighted to welcome Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform, and Digitalisation to the MP2 Project at the end of November to mark a major milestone in its construction, as the land and sea were connected for the first time.

“As Ireland’s economy grows, it is crucial that investment in major infrastructure continues to meet growing freight demand at Ireland’s largest port,” said Minister Chambers. “Dublin Port’s MP2 Project will help future-proof Ireland’s supply chain and provide the logistics sector with improved facilities to move goods

nationally critical infrastructure like MP2 reaching key milestones and making strong progress.”

“MP2 will represent a major step forward for both LoLo and RoRo operations,” said Dublin Port Chief Executive Barry O’Connell. “With innovative auto-mooring

efficient and future-focused ferry terminal – delivering greater capacity, resilience, and new opportunities for our economy. This project is a key component of the Dublin Port Masterplan 2040 and ensures Ireland maintains a world-class route-to-market system for the years ahead.”

See full story on MP2 on Page 28.

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DECEMBER YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

DUBLIN PORT’S WINDOW TO THE WORLD

Dublin Port has unveiled a new chapter in its digital presence with the launch of three high-performance webcams, offering real-time views of port operations and Dublin Bay, with the addition of a third camera on the iconic Poolbeg Lighthouse. What began as a simple concept has evolved into a substantial technical undertaking involving careful planning, complex engineering, and collaboration across multiple teams.

“The project began with identifying the port operations radar tower as the ideal location for the first camera,” explained Declan Kelly, Kelcom, the primary technology provider. “From

create a streamlined system capable of sending a direct live feed to YouTube without external equipment. To achieve this, specialised software was integrated within the cameras themselves, enabling them to transmit footage directly to YouTube over an internet connection. A built-in ten-minute delay serves as a critical safety feature, giving the Port’s required.

“Although the setup may look simple from the outside, delivering it required coordinated work across teams.

and extensive safety checks, with weather conditions dictating when work can safely take place.”

From a Dublin Port perspective, Lynette Harcourt,

distinctive views comes from the webcam installed at Poolbeg Lighthouse. Positioned at the end of the Great South Wall, the lighthouse has no mains power, so the system relies on a hybrid of solar and wind energy. A specialised power converter and a point-to-point radio link then transmit the footage almost four kilometres back to the Port. Before installation, every element was bench-tested in collaboration with the Port’s technical teams to ensure seamless performance once deployed at the lighthouse. This meticulous preparation was essential in an environment that is both remote and exposed to the elements.”

The cameras are engineered for harsh marine environments, using highly robust, energy-efficient,

long-term resilience.

Since launching in 2024, they have attracted more than 3.2 million views, with audiences watching from 107 countries.

Dublin Port’s YouTube channel has continued to grow since the first stream went live, with thousands of new subscribers discovering the Port’s operations in a fresh and engaging way.

DECEMBER

YEAR IN REVIEW: 2025

TIDE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

December saw Dublin Port Company Programme, a next-generation leadership development initiative designed to build a strong, sustainable leadership foundation for the future. Accredited by the Institute of Leadership, the programme includes 10 practical modules, interactive learning, 360° feedback, and one-to-one coaching. Sixteen leaders from across the business are taking part in the first cycle.

an Chontae, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Bhaile Átha Cliath

Would

TRADE

DELIVERING ON MP2

The largest marine capital project currently under construction in the entire country and one of the biggest in any sphere, Dublin Port Company’s Masterplan 2040 Project 2 (MP2) is progressing at pace.

The project includes the construction of a new quay wall at Berth 52 East and a significant new Roll-on/ Roll-off (RoRo) facility at Berth 53 to support growing freight and ferry traffic and introducing new technology for the safer berthing of ever larger vessels.

The works involve the installation of a combi-wall quay structure, a double-tier linkspan and modern bridge system for RoRo vessels, and extensive marine and landside infrastructure.

Berth 53 will feature a 290-metre open jetty with nine marine platforms (known in the industry as Dolphins), while the landside development includes a 400m

Dublin Port’s Masterplan 2040 Project 2 (MP2) is one of the largest capital projects currently underway in the entire country.

access road, electrical services, CCTV, and an asphaltpaved operational yard.

“The interesting thing about Berth 53 is that it’s comprised of two distinct marine structures; an open deck-on-pile Jetty and a linear series of Dolphins, both providing their own challenges during the design and construction phases ,” explains Tom O’Dwyer, Project Manager, Programme Management Office, Dublin Port Company.

Dolphins are essentially stand-alone marine ‘strong points’ along the linear structure to provide the berthing face for Berth 53. Each Dolphin is founded on nine large diameter steel tubular piles ,which will be capable of berthing 240-metre-long vessels.

The quay wall at Berth 52 East will extend the existing reclaimed land 40 metres into the river, providing a

structural connection to the Berth 53 jetty. The combiwall design, consisting of large-diameter tubular and sheet steel piles, was installed using rotary boring and vibration piling techniques.

Malachy Walsh & Partners are consultants on the project, with Wills Bros as the main contractor. Dublin Port’s MP2 project received €73.8 million in funding from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility for Transport programme in 2024.

MARINE PILING

The first part of the project involved filling out the platform at the Port’s north-eastern edge, using imported quarry rock and building an embankment, which then enabled the main contractor, Wills Bros, to use land equipment to install the combi-wall piles for Berth 52, with piling beginning on-site in summer 2024.

Environmental compliance is central to the project, with construction activities adhering to strict licensing conditions and seasonal restrictions to protect the River Liffey’s ecosystem. In particular, no piling occurs in the river during the peak salmon smolt migration period from March to May, while dredging is confined to

“Because you can’t use an impact hammer or a vibro hammer in the marine environment during the peak salmon smolt season, you effectively have two piling seasons for this project, one from June to February 2024, and another from June 2025 to the end of February 2026,” explains Tom.

The first ‘piling season’ saw the team encounter a number of challenges in relation to local ground conditions and learning curves for work methods, with the result that approximately 40 marine piles were driven during this period.

“The consultants carry out pre-site investigations and assessments of borehole data and create a model to understand as best they can how the ground will react, which for the most part has been accurate,” Tom notes. “But until you commence the works, you can’t be 100% sure of the ground conditions. We encountered some weak spots, which meant doing more work to lengthen piles, which takes more time

“That caused some initial delays, but once piling recommenced in June 2025, the team have really excelled. They’ve learned a lot of lessons from the

first season. They have mobilised additional plant and productivity is currently better than they expected, and they are on course to finish piling by the end of the second season.”

Berth 53 will be the first in Ireland to utilise automooring technology of this type, whereby vacuum pads are used to quickly and safely secure a vessel to a dock, replacing the need for manual lines. Auto-mooring increases efficiency by reducing turnaround times and improves safety by reducing hazardous manual operations and the risk of snap-back injuries.

The system can also compensate for vessel movement from waves or tides in real time, which will be particularly effective at Berth 53, given its position at

Dublin Port Company are working with Wills Bros and Cavotec, who are experts in auto-mooring, on the bespoke design for Berth 53.

“There are three mooring units on each of the first six Dolphins, with a suction pad powered by hydraulics holding the vessel in place,” Tom explains. “Berth 53 is adjacent to the channel and is the most open to the elements in the entire Port and in particular to passing vessels, so the auto-mooring has a restraining effect on the vessel in terms of movement. The speed of passing vessels can have an impact on a moored vessel hydrodynamically, and the auto-mooring system has a dampening effect, so the effects of environmental factors and passing vessels are minimised.”

The Jetty at Berth 53 will also house a structurally mounted double-tier linkspan and modern bridge system so RoRo traffic can load on and off using upper and lower tiers simultaneously, and the Dublin Port project team are working closely with MacGregor on the design and supply of the linkspan.

The new linkspan system is engineered to accommodate a wide range of Ro-Ro vessels, with hydraulically operated ramps that enable access to upper and lower tiers of the vessel at berth.

“It’s a structurally mounted solution, powered by hydraulics, whereby the upper tier moves independently of the lower tier, and it’s also geometrically suitable to accommodate the significant variance in size and the

width of the ramps over a number of vessels covered by the design,” Tom notes. “Both the auto-mooring and the double-tier linkspan are highly bespoke solutions, based on our functional requirements.”

The Berth 53 Jetty’s design includes a 9-metre environmental screen north of the Dolphins to protect the nearby Special Protection Area (SPA) from vessel wash and a 1.2-metre high visual barrier.

“The project is adjacent to the Special Protection Area in Dublin Bay, with the Tolka Estuary just behind the main site, so the design of the project has incorporated structures to limit the environmental impact on the SPA,” Tom notes. “The main one is an environmental screen, otherwise known as a propeller wash screen, which will nullify the impact from vessel thrusters at the berth on the bed levels within the SPA. It’s essentially a wall of horizontal precast concrete units, supported on steel piles, located seven metres or so north of the Dolphins on the SPA side which follows the Dolphins linearly all the way eastward.

“It is designed to redistribute hydrodynamic forces from vessels berthing in order to protect the bed levels and to ensure we do not have excessive flows into the Tolka Estuary, which could have an effect on the environment. The main screen is made up of narrow diameter marine piles with a jacket structure sitting over them, and subsequently infilled with concrete.”

The crest of the slope at the SPA needs to be maintained, so a sheet pile wall of steel is being installed along the slope to act in combination with the Dolphin piles to protect from erosion.

As part of the environmental work on-site, Dublin Port Company have to comply with various regulations regarding industrial emissions, which involves air and water testing on a monthly basis.

“We carry out regular testing of surface water, including samples from the Liffey, and we test the outfall water samples from the perimeter drain around the IED bund, which is treated dredge material that’s been stockpiled but will eventually be used to fill the basin,” Tom explains.

There is also a marine mammal observation requirement for marine piling, so there is an employee from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) on-site at all times during marine piling to ensure that marine mammals are not adversely impacted by the work.

“If a seal is observed within a certain radius of the location of the piling, you have to stop piling immediately,” Tom notes.

Dublin Port Company carried out additional underwater noise monitoring, surplus to what was required as part of the planning process, to obtain more data on the impact of the piling work in the marine environment, so as to improve our understanding and make evidencebased allowances for future works.

With a project of this size, there are multiple milestones en route to completion. The first was the commencement of piling on-site in 2024, while the project team recently completed the first concrete pour on the jetty up to finished deck level. The completion of the marine piling (estimated for the end

of February 2026) will be another major watershed in the project’s life-cycle.

“That will be a significant milestone for the team because the vast majority of the ground risk will then be eliminated,” Tom notes.

Of course, there will still be a huge amount of work to be done, including the transportation of pre-cast concrete, which will be lifted into place from floating barges to form the Dolphin structures. These blocks, created by Banagher Precast Concrete in Co. Offaly, are up to 40 tonnes in size, and will be brought to the Port on trailers, before being lifted off on transport barges out to the floating crane barge adjacent to Berths 52 and 53 and hoisted into position from there.

“That makes it sound easy, but there’s a lot to it,” Tom smiles. “There’s a huge amount of sequencing and temporary works engineering to make sure that what you are doing, lifting these concrete structures into place, won’t have any degrading or negative effects on the permanent structure. That’s why there’s extensive collaboration between Wills Bros and Malachy Walsh & Partners, in terms of planning and installing temporary works to ensure you can load the structures safely. I’m sure, similar to the piling, we will learn lessons as we go along. It could be slow and difficult at the start but when we have the first few Dolphins complete that will be a real milestone.”

Another milestone will be in summer 2026 with the installation of the double-tier linkspan, which is currently being fabricated in Poland and is expected to be floated to Ireland by barge next July.

Like every project within Dublin Port, one of the biggest challenges is that the Port has to remain operational during any work, and for MP2, this means that all construction work doesn’t impact on traffic in and out of the channel.

“We are working adjacent to the channel and there are limitations on how close we can come to the channel,” Tom admits. “The interface between the contractor’s quayside load-out operations at existing Berth 53 and the operational Berth 52 is crucial. Obviously, Wills Bros have a fleet of vessels, and their barges, for example, move regularly from the work site to existing Berth 53 to get material and equipment on and off-site.

“It is challenging, but it’s really just about having open communication channels between all the various stakeholders and having the right processes in place; in particular, the contractor’s day-to-day communication with VTS is essential to keep things moving forward.”

With any project of this size, there are many moving parts, but Tom feels that the project team, involving Malachy Walsh & Partners, Wills Bros and Dublin Port Company, are working extremely well together.

“Collaboration really is the key to this project,” Tom explains. “There were a few new lessons to be learned

on this project and to be fair, everyone has had a great attitude, everyone listens, and are willing to work together safely.”

When complete, MP2 will provide a Unified Ferry Terminal at Berth 52 and 53, which will also have a shore-side electricity supply for any vessels.

“The project is future-proofing for onshore power supply (OPS) due to upcoming requirements,” Tom says. “We are making provision for the vessels at future Berths 52 and 53 to be powered from shore side.”

To allow for the additional power requirements, they have increased the size of the electricity substation, adding an equipment room purely for onshore power supply, as well as allowing for duct-runs in the Dolphin topsides, the jetty and behind the combi-wall to provide pop-ups for future electricity demand.

Michael McKenna, Dublin Port Harbour Master, is the project sponsor. “This is a critical investment in Dublin Port’s capacity and resilience,” he explains. “The Berth 52/53 project not only enhances our ability to handle next-generation RoRo vessels but also reflects our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. By delivering this infrastructure, we’re ensuring the port continues to serve as Ireland’s largest and busiest Port, facilitating over €165 billion worth of trade each year and growing.

“Construction is being carried out under carefully controlled conditions, with respect for designated environmental windows and marine habitat protection standards,” he concludes. “As we operate inside the UNESCO Dublin Bay Biosphere, it is crucial that all construction activities work in harmony with the

REBUILDING ALEXANDRA ROAD

The upgrading of Alexandra Road commenced in summer 2025 and represents a major infrastructural investment for Dublin Port. The project requires the closure of this key arterial route for an 18-month period to facilitate comprehensive reconstruction works.

Alexandra Road is a critical component of Dublin Port’s internal road network, providing access to multiple LoLo (Lift-on/Lift-off) and RoRo (Roll-on/ Roll-off) terminals within the Port estate. Over time, both the road surface and the integrated rail infrastructure deteriorated significantly, presenting health and safety risks for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, and necessitating continual maintenance.

In recent years, Dublin Port Company has delivered major upgrades to its internal road network, including the extension of Promenade Road and the construction

of new roundabouts. With these works complete, Alexandra Road is now being fully reconstructed from the ground up.

“We knew the condition of the road and rail infrastructure was deteriorating and that it needed to be addressed, but it made sense to complete the rest of the internal road network first,” explains Howard Costelloe, Senior Project Engineer. “Once the majority of the other roads were upgraded, it was time to tackle Alexandra Road.”

The redevelopment of Alexandra Road is essential to improving safety, enhancing operational efficiency, and supporting the long-term sustainability of Dublin Port’s transport infrastructure.

A VITAL ARTERY INTO THE PORT

Alexandra Road is one of the two principal access routes into Dublin Port, alongside Promenade Road, and also provides rail access to the Port estate. Once upgraded, Alexandra Road will continue to play a vital role and will ultimately form part of the SPAR route, linking the northern Port to the 3FM lands on the south side of the River Liffey.

As with all large-scale capital projects within the Port, extensive collaboration with multiple stakeholders has been required to ensure that port operations remain fully functional throughout construction. Given Alexandra Road’s importance to daily operations, this project has been particularly complex.

“It has taken a number of years to reach this point due to the extensive engagement required with external stakeholders such as Irish Rail, Dublin City Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and ESB,” says Kenny Hayes, Project Manager, Dublin Port Company. “However, the most challenging aspect was knowing that, to deliver the first phase of the project safely and effectively, the road would have to be closed.”

Early engagement with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Dublin City Council (DCC) was critical in planning the closure.

“Closing the road was one of the biggest challenges, but from both a logistics and safety perspective, there was no alternative,” Kenny adds. “To date, the closure has operated successfully, with only minor disruption reported.”

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND GROUND CONDITIONS

Traffic management measures were implemented on Alexandra Road in June 2025, allowing works to commence on the southern side of the carriageway. The road was fully closed on July 19, 2025, and will remain closed for approximately 18 months. The project involves the complete reconstruction of both the road and rail infrastructure, which were in poor condition and required frequent maintenance.

Alexandra Road is constructed on ground subject to significant settlement, with layers of sand and gravel overlying soft clay approximately three metres below ground level. These challenging ground conditions required careful mitigation strategies.

Allowing sufficient time within the programme enables the majority of settlement to occur following construction of the road surface, reducing the risk of long-term defects.

“Settlement is continuously monitored throughout the project,” notes Howard. “Regular on-site testing allows us to understand how the ground responds as construction progresses.”

“The use of engineered geofabrics, geotextiles, and geogrids plays a key role in controlling and managing settlement and in how we build the pavement structure,” adds Kenny Hayes.

MAJOR UTILITY SERVICES

The redevelopment also includes the installation of major utility infrastructure. This includes new EirGrid ducting to support the Powering Up Dublin initiative, along with additional electrical ducting to facilitate Dublin Port’s transition to shore-to-ship power capabilities.

“One of the major challenges is reconstructing the road and rail while protecting existing services,” explains Howard. “Along this section of road are two of the main electrical feeds for the entire city of Dublin. The 220 kV cables are located directly within our excavation zone, alongside extensive fibre optic cabling serving the Port terminals. Ensuring the safety and protection of this infrastructure is critical throughout construction.”

The Alexandra Road redevelopment will be delivered in a number of phases. Detailed design work has recently commenced on the second phase, Alexandra Road

Central. Construction of this phase will be carried out under traffic management arrangements and will not require a full road closure.

RAIL, CYCLE, AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE

The project will also deliver significant improvements to the Port’s rail infrastructure, including new rail turnouts. These upgrades support Dublin Port’s commitment to maintaining rail connectivity and dedicated rail sidings, ensuring the Port remains rail-enabled, an essential requirement for a Tier 1 port.

Irish Rail has been closely involved throughout the design process. Upon completion, the corridor will include a single rail line, replacing the previous two lines. This configuration will reduce maintenance requirements, while maintaining operational efficiency.

In addition, a new fully segregated pedestrian and cycle route will be delivered, significantly improving Active Travel connectivity for those accessing the Port from East Wall Road.

“This redevelopment will deliver a much safer road, extend Alexandra Road’s design life, and future-proof it for integration with the SPAR route as part of the 3FM project,” concludes Kenny.

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UN PORT LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME HELD IN DUBLIN

Thirty port managers from 10 nations graduated from the UNCTAD TrainForTrade programme in Dublin, which offered insight and expertise in sustainable port development.

Port leaders from right around the world graduated from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) TrainForTrade programme at a celebration hosted by Dublin Port in May 2025.

The TrainForTrade programme, supported by Irish Aid, brings together maritime professionals from across the globe to develop essential port management skills.

30 port leaders from Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, the Maldives, Namibia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Serbia, the Solomon Islands and the United Republic of Tanzania

of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rails and Ports Seán Canney TD.

“The TrainForTrade programme enables us to exchange expertise with port professionals who are leading change in their countries,” explained John Fairley, Head of Land Operations at Dublin Port. “We have much in common with our port peers around the world, who are driving growth in their economies, tackling the impact of climate change, and making a contribution to their communities – all key priorities for us at Dublin Port.”

EXPERTISE IN IRISH PORTS

Since 1996, the UNCTAD TrainForTrade programme has equipped thousands of professionals in developing nations with the expertise needed to efficiently operate and manage ports, while fostering international knowledge exchange.

Dublin Port has played a significant role in the capacitybuilding work of UNCTAD across Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe since 2007, with staff travelling as far as Indonesia to contribute to the important work of TrainForTrade.

On the island of Ireland, Belfast Harbour and the Port of Cork are also longstanding UNCTAD partners, with the Port of Shannon Foynes joining in 2025. UNCTAD also collaborates with numerous other ports and associations around the world.

“This UN programme highlights the expertise that sits in Irish Ports and shows the contribution our country makes to the global trade system,” said Minister Canney. “As a small, open trading economy, it is vital we help other ports around the world to grow their professionalism and expertise in this critical sector. I commend the work of the TrainForTrade programme, its participants from all over the world, and the Irish ports whose staff contribute their knowledge and skills to it.”

critical topics such as:

• Strengthening relationships between port companies and shipping lines;

• The roles of shipping and freight forwarding sectors;

• Promoting workplace safety for port workers;

• Addressing climate change and implementing sustainable practices;

• Managing large-scale infrastructure projects for growing freight capacity;

• Integration of UN SDGs into port strategies for sustainable and resilient ports.

CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL PROSPERITY

“Our counterparts can relate to much of what we do here at Dublin Port as Ireland’s largest and busiest port, operating within a compact urban footprint and a UNESCO Biosphere reserve, managing a full range of freight types efficiently,” explained John Fairley. “It’s a meaningful way to contribute to global prosperity and the long-term well-being of communities and to bring international expertise into our thinking here in Dublin.”

Additional programme contributors this year include the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and its World Port Sustainability Programme, International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA), Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Doyles Shipping and CLdN.

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE AT DUBLIN PORT

Redevelopment work on Terminal 4 North at Dublin Port continued apace throughout 2025, with the successful completion of the second of three major development phases.

As Ireland’s principal gateway for trade, Dublin Port continues to expand its capacity to meet the growing freight needs of the city and the country. Central to this ambition is the development of additional Roll-on/Rolloff (RoRo) infrastructure, ensuring the Port remains fit for purpose well into the future.

Phase Two of Terminal 4 North opened during the summer and autumn of 2025, delivering 160 new trailer spaces and increasing the Port’s operating land capacity. This expansion supports more than 100,000 additional truck movements annually and follows an €11.7 million investment by Dublin Port Company.

Terminal 4 North will be operated by Doyle Shipping Group (DSG), which works closely with shipping lines across all cargo types, facilitating the movement of containers, trailers and dry goods between Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe.

“The opening of T4 creates much-needed new capacity for our RoRo land operations, and it’s great to see it coming into effect,” said Senior Project Engineer Howard Costelloe. He also praised the main contractor, Wills Bros Ltd, for delivering “a high-quality infrastructure project that will be a key asset to the Port.”

ENGINEERING CHALLENGES AND SUSTAINABILITY WINS

The project presented significant engineering challenges. The site’s long industrial history revealed substantial underground obstacles, including concrete slabs and deep trenches dating back to fertiliser plants that operated there in the 1950s.

Due to historical contamination, innovative design solutions were required to minimise off-site disposal and reduce the project’s carbon footprint. Excavated material was carefully sorted, with reusable material processed on-site and incorporated back into the development.

Large volumes of concrete from earlier uses of the yard were crushed, reclassified as engineering fill and reused, a process that greatly enhanced the project’s sustainability credentials.

From an environmental perspective, the project achieved its ‘reuse’ target set at the outset. Over half of the excavated ground material was reused, a testament to the ingenuity and collaboration of the design team at DBFL and the main contractor, Wills Bros Ltd.

OPTIMISING PORT LAND FOR CORE OPERATIONS

The land now occupied by Terminal 4 North was previously used for empty container storage. These operations have since been relocated to the Dublin Inland Port and other facilities as part of a long-term strategy to prioritise scarce port land for core activities. As a result, land used for non-core activities at Dublin Port has reduced dramatically, from 40 hectares in 2018 to just 8 hectares in 2025.

“This development follows the principle of moving non-core operations away from the Port to create additional RoRo capacity,” explained Project Manager Kenny Hayes. “It aligns with the objectives of the Masterplan 2040 in supporting future sustainable growth of the Port.”

SUPPORTING THE GROWTH OF UNACCOMPANIED RORO

Terminal 4 North plays a key role in supporting unaccompanied RoRo trade, which now accounts for approximately three-quarters of all RoRo freight through Dublin Port.

Larger vessels regularly call at the Port, some carrying up to 8 kilometres of unaccompanied trailers. These trailers are loaded in ports such as Zeebrugge and Rotterdam, shipped to Ireland, and then temporarily stored at facilities like Terminal 4 North before being collected by local hauliers.

This system improves efficiency, increases vessel capacity and removes the need for drivers to remain on board during sea crossings.

WORKING WITHIN A LIVE PORT ENVIRONMENT

Delivering major infrastructure projects within an operational port brings unique challenges. Throughout the redevelopment, careful planning ensured that dayto-day port operations continued uninterrupted.

Temporary roads were constructed to maintain access for tenants, while permanent access routes were upgraded. Close collaboration with land operations teams, designers and terminal operators ensured that works were carefully phased and coordinated.

Regular engagement with DSG also ensured the final layout was optimised for efficient terminal operations from day one.

The project included extensive utility upgrades, with new electricity, water, lighting and drainage services installed around the site perimeter. Pedestrian walkways were incorporated, and the entire yard was designed to drain into an underground attenuation tank capable of accommodating future climate conditions.

Retaining walls were constructed around the elevated yard, allowing services to be integrated efficiently while consolidating existing infrastructure and maximising operational space.

A LASTING ASSET FOR THE PORT

Both engineers expressed pride in the project’s progress and impact. “The finished product will be a hugely valuable asset for the Port,” Howard noted. “It significantly enhances RoRo capacity and supports future growth.”

Kenny added that opening the project in phases allowed teams to see their work in operation: “Despite challenging ground conditions and the need to work

around live operations, the result is a new RoRo yard delivered through strong collaboration.”

LOOKING AHEAD

For Doyle Shipping Group, Terminal 4 North unlocks new opportunities. “This additional capacity provides muchneeded space to support growing trailer volumes from mainland Europe,” said DSG Manager Shane Morgan. “RoRo traffic has increased significantly since Brexit, and this development is extremely welcome.”

Overall, €127 million has been invested in Terminal 4, fully self-financed by Dublin Port Company and delivered on time and within budget. Phase One opened in 2023, officially launched by then Minister of State Jack Chambers TD. Phase Two was completed in 2025, and detailed design work on the third and final phase is now underway, with construction expected to begin in 2026.

Together, the redevelopment of Terminal 4 represents a major step in future-proofing Dublin Port, strengthening Ireland’s trade infrastructure for decades to come.

THROUGHPUT FIGURES FOR DUBLIN PORT

Dublin Port enjoyed a strong 2025, with overall volumes up 2.3% on the previous year and record figures for LoLo (Lift-on, Lift-off) container cargo and the highest number of trade vehicles since 2007.

2025 was a significant year for Dublin Port, with overall volumes growing by 2.3% to 36.02 million gross tonnes*.

Imports were up by 2.3% to 22.4 million tonnes, with exports growing by 2.4% to 13.6 million tonnes.

In terms of unitised trade LoLo enjoyed a record year, with gross tonnage up by 9.3% to 8.84 million, while RoRo saw a modest increase in gross tonnage of 0.3% to 20.8 million tonnes. This was mainly driven by a modal switch by one of our customers, as well as the impact of the closure of Holyhead in January.

Total units handled were up by 2.8% to 1.47 million units, with LoLo units up 8.4% to 0.53 million units, while RoRo units were flat at 0.94 million units. LoLo freight TEUs grew by 8.1% to 0.96 million TEU’s

Bulk liquid was down marginally by 0.9% to 4.59 million gross tonnes with an increase in jet fuel and a decline in diesel.

Bulk solid grew by 2.3% to 1.72 million tonnes – bulk solid includes a range of commodities such as lead and zinc ore concentrates, animal feed, cement products, peat moss, scrap metals etc. This was driven mainly by the reopening of Boliden Tara mines

Trade vehicles were up by 11.3% to 119,200 vehicles; the highest number of vehicles handled since 2007.

After a slow start due to the closure of Holyhead in January, tourism numbers also grew in 2025, with passenger numbers up 3.8% to 1.70 million , while tourist vehicle numbers were up 3.5% to 0.48 million.

* Gross tonnage includes the weight of goods, their immediate packaging and (for the unitised modes) the tare weight of containers and freight trailers. Gross weight is derived from ships’ manifests and differs from the weight of goods shown by the CSO in its statistics. CSO tonnages for the unitised modes do not include the tare weights of containers and freight trailers

PORT FACILITIES & SERVICES

Dublin Port Company (Under The Harbours Act, 1996) Vested On March 3, 1997.

LIMITS OF DUBLIN PORT

Under the 1996 Harbours Act, the limits of Dublin Port consist of the waters of the River Liffey commencing from Matt Talbot Memorial Bridge and extending to an imaginary straight line drawn from the Baily Lighthouse on the north in the County of Dublin and extending through the North Burford Buoy and thence through the South Burford Buoy and thence to Sorrento Point on the south, including all bays, creeks, harbours and all tidal docks within such area.

ANCHORAGE

Dublin Bay Anchorage is centred on 53°18.’81N 006°04.’98W with a 0.5nm radius, the anchorage is divided into four quadrants, numbered 1-4. Depths range from 12 to 18m CD with a seabed of sand over stiff marl. Attention is drawn to the proximity of a submarine cable passing close north of the anchorage and the proximity to the seasonal yacht racing marks. The anchorage is very exposed and untenable during strong gale force winds and particularly in easterly gales; during these conditions shelter must be found elsewhere.

APPROACH AND BERTHAGE

All vessels intending to visit Dublin Port or transit the jurisdiction should refer to the Dublin Port Notices to Mariners, Admiralty Chart 1415 / 1447 and relevant nautical publications for the area. Here they will find all relevant information relating to the safe navigation within the jurisdiction.

The approach to the harbour of Dublin is well lit and of easy access. There is a buoyed channel marking the entrance to the Port which is currently declared at a depth of 9.3 metres; this declared depth extends up to VTS. West of VTS, the depth decreases to 7.8 metres and continues to decrease further beyond berth 36. For further information on depths refer to NTM 12. Vessels arriving into the jurisdiction should proceed via the Traffic Separation Scheme. This Scheme comprises of two elements, an inward and outward lane at the North Burford and similar at the South Burford. All craft are required to follow a Traffic Separation Scheme to stay within the lanes.

Dublin Port operates a Vessel Traffic Service; all vessels arriving into the jurisdiction should contact VTS on Ch 12.

TIDES

Mean H.W. Springs Dublin Bar 4.1m. Mean H.W. Neaps, 3.4m. Prevailing winds are S.W.

All depths refer to chart datum. This datum is referred to as C.D. and is 2.51m below Ordnance Datum Malin Head.

VERIFICATION OF DEPTHS

The latest declared depths on each berth and in the channel are listed in the Notices to Mariners on the Dublin Port Company website.

PILOTAGE

Dublin Port Company is the pilotage authority for the Dublin Pilotage District. The limits of the compulsory Pilotage District are the waters of the River Liffey below Matt Talbot Memorial Bridge and so much of the sea westward of the sixth meridian West longitude as lies between the parallels of latitude passing through the Baily Lighthouse on the North and through Sorrento Point on the South, including all bays, creeks and harbours and all tidal and enclosed docks within such area and this includes Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The pilotage service is based in the Port Operations building, situated on the Eastern Breakwater Road, and is operated by two different type of Pilot Cutter with speeds ranging between 20 -25 knots. All boats are fuelled by HVO. Dublin Port VTS operates VHF channel 12.

To request a Pilot, the Ship’s Agent/Representative should submit the request for a pilot to the Shipping Desk via the Port Management Shipping Information System.

TOWAGE

Dublin Port Company operates two tugs, the Shackleton and the Beaufort, with twin Voith propellers and are 53 tonne bollard pull. The tugs also have a fire fighting capacity.

To request towage, the Ship’s Agent/Representative should submit the request for a tug to the Shipping Desk via the Port Management Shipping Information System. One tug is available at short 15-minute notice in case of emergency.

Towage is also offered by Purple Water Towing Ltd who have a LR Escort Fi Fi 1 Azimuth tug, the Giano. For more information, visit www.purpletowing.com, or call +353 (0) 83 1191137 (0:800-20:00) or Master of the Giano Tug +353 (0) 83 0110056 (24 hours).

STEVEDORING

Seven private companies are licensed by Dublin Port Company to provide stevedoring services in the Port.

CLdN RoRo LtdMarine Terminals Ltd

Stena LineDoyle Shipping Group

Irish FerriesDublin Stevedores Ltd.

Dublin Ferryport Terminal

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ENVIRONMENT

10 YEARS OF DUBLIN BAY BIOSPHERE

The Dublin Bay Biosphere celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2025, a decade of conservation, collaboration and community.

Summer 2025 marked 10 years since Dublin Bay was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The Dublin Bay UNESCO Biosphere Partnership is a collaborative initiative that brings together key stakeholders committed to the protection and sustainable management of Dublin Bay. The partnership includes Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Dublin Port Company, Fáilte Ireland, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Together, these organisations work alongside community groups, NGOs, academic institutions, and volunteers to ensure that biodiversity conservation, education, and sustainable development are integrated into the heart of one of the

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection

To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015 to cover Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km². Over 300,000

A DECADE OF SUCCESS

The Dublin Bay Biosphere’s 10th birthday was marked with a special cruise around the bay aboard the St Bridget to celebrate a decade of progress and partnership, bringing together more than 80 partners, stakeholders, and supporters from across the Biosphere, to experience the stunning beauty and biodiversity of Dublin Bay from the water.

Guests on the cruise enjoyed engaging talks from experts working within the Biosphere, covering topics such as marine mammal research, seabird conservation, sustainable tourism, urban biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of Dublin Bay. The collaborative spirit that defines the Biosphere was showcased, highlighting the collective efforts of local authorities, academic

“The Dublin Bay Biosphere is a remarkable example of how a vibrant urban environment and a thriving natural landscape can coexist,” noted Ray McAdam, Lord Mayor of Dublin. “With over 300,000 people living within the Biosphere boundaries, it demonstrates how cities can lead the way in protecting biodiversity in a respectful and responsible manner, integrating nature into the heart of daily Dublin life.”

A LIVING, LEARNING LANDSCAPE

Dr Pauhla McGrane, Dublin Bay UNESCO Biosphere Coordinator, said that the 10-year celebration was a

testament to the dedication of everyone involved in making the Biosphere “a living, learning landscape”.

Reflecting on the journey so far, she said, “Over the past decade, we’ve built a strong foundation of research, conservation, and community engagement. Our current strategy focuses on practical conservation measures and expanding our understanding of the marine environment.”

Cllr. Declan Flanagan, Chair of the Climate Action and Urban Resilience Strategic Policy Committee, explained how the Biosphere “plays a vital role in building urban resilience and addressing climate change. It’s a model for how we can integrate biodiversity into city life and to ensure that nature-based solutions are at the heart of our planning and policy.”

Dublin Port Engineer, Eamon McElroy, commented on the Port’s contribution to the Biosphere: “Dublin Port Company has been a partner in the Biosphere project since its inception 10 years ago. Over the last decade, we have ensured that we protect and enhance the marine environment through a range of measures, including installing tern nesting pontoons and guillemot

nesting boxes, sponsorship of the Dublin Bay Birds Project and a close partnership with Irish Whale and Dolphin Group on marine mammal monitoring.

“New port infrastructure puts environmental protections at the forefront, including specially designed wharfs and tidal eco-structures that give marine wildlife safe habitats, even within a working port. We are proud of our work in the Biosphere, and look forward to supporting it into the future.”

DUBLIN PORT DEVELOPS INAUGURAL ESG STRATEGY

Formalising the Port’s long tradition of sustainable and environmental practice will bring new clarity and focus in 2026, with the development of Dublin Port’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) strategy.

Dublin Port Company is set to launch its ESG strategy in 2026, outlining its ambition for sustainable port operations while maintaining its crucial role in Ireland’s economy.

This comprehensive strategy addresses critical areas including climate change, pollution control, resource management, biodiversity protection, and social responsibility.

The whole idea of ESG is nothing new to Dublin Port Company. Even though the name may have been different, the ideas of caring for the environment, of caring for the communities surrounding the Port and of ethical leadership have formed an intrinsic part of how the Port operates for decades. The ESG Strategy is really formalising a system that has long been in place.

“Dublin Port has been doing a lot of this for years, particularly in terms of the social and community side, and also in terms of our environmental commitments,” admits Marie Porter, Head of Finance & ESG Reporting, Dublin Port Company. “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was the foundation of ESG, but it tended to be more charitable in nature, but the idea of ESG and having an ESG Strategy in place formalises the whole area.”

DPC’s environmental initiatives already include adaptations for climate change, such as protecting quay walls to cope with storm damage and rising sea levels, and adopting renewable energy sources, as well as continued support for biodiversity within the Port estate, and embracing circular economy principles in every aspect of their business, from waste recycling to reuse of treated dredge materials on capital projects.

Their social responsibility record is second to none, with a long history of community engagement, from support for local sports, arts and heritage initiatives to capital projects like the creation of the Dublin Port Greenway.

In terms of Governance and Leadership, DPC have an ESG steering committee, who meet regularly to monitor progress, as well as a comprehensive ESG risk framework.

The initial driver for a formal ESG Strategy was the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and listed entities to report in detail on their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impacts and risks. It aims to increase the transparency and comparability of sustainability information, placing it

Company was initially in scope for CSRD but changes

proposed in February 2025, and recently agreed within the European Parliament, mean that the company will fall out of scope for mandatory reporting under EU legislation. However, DPC recognised the existence of ESG risks and continued to finalise its ESG Strategy, getting Board approval for the strategy in July 2025.

“My only concern was that, once we were deemed to be out of scope for CSRD reporting that we would lose momentum, that we would lose executive and Board support. But we certainly haven’t,” Marie insists.

“We continue to have a commitment under the Climate Action Framework for Commercial State Bodies (CSBs), aside from EU reporting legislation,” Marie explains. “That means that we have committed to reporting on ESG, specifically climate-related disclosures. We also have to raise a significant amount of finance for ongoing capital projects as part of Masterplan 2040. Securing finance increasingly comes with an ESG component, so we have to look at ESG as part of that process. You certainly don’t want to narrow your investor pool by not having the right ESG strategies in place.”

This is where Marie’s dual roles as Head of Finance and of ESG dovetail neatly: “My role has always been in finance but because legislation has started to put non-financial reporting on things like climate and emissions etc on the same footing as financial reporting, our Board felt that the responsibility for reporting should fall within Finance. And they were right.”

While some of the complexity of ESG reporting has been removed with DPC no longer falling in-scope for CSRD, Marie believes that they can now focus on the ‘doing’ rather than the ‘reporting’: “Now we can focus on what’s important for Dublin Port Company.”

Dublin Port Company has a number of ongoing ESG workstreams this year: green procurement (from a supplier code of conduct to a sustainable procurement policy and training in green public procurement), policy development (including codes of conduct for employees and directors, a diversion and

inclusion policy and a draft sustainability policy) and sustainability training for new and existing staff.

While describing the volatility of the last few years, where DPC were initially in-scope and then decreed outside CSRD, as “quite a bumpy road”, Marie is adamant that DPC’s ESG Strategy is a vital part of the company’s ethos going forward.

The fact that the Port is located within the UNESCOprotected Dublin Bay Biosphere and adjacent to a Special Protection Area has to be taken into account, making ESG even more vital for DPC.

“Dublin Port is a hugely important piece of infrastructure to the economy,” she insists. “Climate change is real. Sea level rise is real. Some of our very important infrastructure, like the Great South Wall, is at risk due to sea level rise, so our infrastructure has to be resilient. Therefore, anything we do in terms of infrastructural development has to be environmentally led.”

One only has to look at the damage Storm Eowyn wreaked on the Port of Holyhead for confirmation of the importance of keeping Dublin Port’s infrastructure safe from climate change.

Considering the scope of the capital projects currently underway as part of Masterplan 2040, including Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) at €230 million, the €320 million MP2 project, and 3FM (€1.1 billion), having the right ESG Strategy makes not just environmental sense but commercial sense as well.

“It makes complete commercial sense,” Marie agrees. “When you talk about any of those projects, Alexandra Basin Redevelopment, MP2 or 3FM, because we are operating in a Specially Protected Area, we have had to carry out extensive environmental impact assessments already, so this is really about formalising that process and reporting on it so that you can access funding.”

The ESG Strategy utilises the same pillars as the overall corporate strategy and will continue to do so going forward, Marie notes: “you should have

one vision, one set of values, one strategy. And every single aspect of the company then ties in with that.

“I think we’ve approached it very practically and sensibly,” Marie adds. “A lot of companies spent a lot of money on CSRD preparation and we did as well, but we started in the right place, by developing a draft of the ESG Strategy.”

Marie believes that one of the benefits of a formal ESG Strategy will be in terms of letting the wider public know about some of the amazing work that DPC already does in terms of its social and community engagement, from the scholarship programme to its sponsorship of various sporting and cultural organisations within the areas surrounding the Port.

“There’s so much we do that people don’t know about,” she says. “This is an opportunity now to formalise it a bit more, to have clear KPIs and targets, but also to publicise the fact that we are doing all this great work, particularly on the social side.”

Marie’s work on ESG saw DPC win an ESG Finance Champion Award at the 2025 Irish Accountancy Awards, which was hugely gratifying. “It wasn’t about the award, as such,” Marie says, “but it was about validation, confirmation that we’re doing something right.”

DPC recognises that implementing the new ESG Strategy will require significant investments, new partnerships, and a transformation of its workforce capabilities. While it will be challenging, Marie believes that the journey will not only mitigate risks but also unlock new opportunities for growth and value creation. Indeed, the area of ESG is one which Marie is passionate about and one which she believes will only gain in importance over the coming years.

“My role still is primarily in finance. But now I’m looking at our financial projections and how we are going to fund the capital programme, so this role merges the two together,” she concludes. “I have my finance hat and my ESG hat, but this role now links them all together, which makes perfect sense.”

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GREEN SHIPPING CORRIDOR IDENTIFIED

The Dublin-Holyhead ferry route has been identified as a leading candidate for a green shipping corridor, but geopolitical tensions may mean a delay to further progress.

The ferry route between Dublin Port and the Port of Holyhead could serve as one of Europe’s first dedicated green shipping corridors, according to a recent study, although geopolitical tensions may delay further progress, according to Ken Rooney, Head of Engineering & Sustainability, Dublin Port Company.

The study, ‘Greening the Irish Sea – The Central Corridor’, explored the feasibility of establishing a lowemission shipping route, a “green corridor”, between Holyhead and Dublin, and found that it was a strong candidate for a green corridor trial. The study was led by Ricardo, a global environmental consultancy firm, working in partnership with ferry operators, Irish Ferries and Stena Line, as well as Dublin Port, the Port of Holyhead, and additional support from EDF UK R&D and Maynooth University.

However, the International Maritime Organization’s recent decision to delay implementation of its Net Zero Framework by at least another year has cast doubt on a whole raft of sustainability initiatives in the maritime industry. Described by the influential Lloyds List as “a masterclass in diplomatic sabotage” by the United States and Saudi Arabia, the two nations’ “blistering campaign of trade threats, deft procedural trickery and an appeal to countries’ unease over the global carbon price” led to the decision to delay.

“There’s even less certainty on the target now, which is a real shame,” Ken Rooney sighs. “When there’s certainty, that allows for investment into research and development and sustainable solutions can then become scalable. They can prove concepts and

get to a point where it starts to make economic and commercial sense.”

While admitting that the EU is the most proactive trading block when it comes to sustainability, the international nature of the shipping industry means that Europe cannot act alone, independently of other global partners.

“As a busy Port, we’re here to provide infrastructure for shipping lines and terminal operators to use. It’s really important that as an industry we have strategies to decarbonise that make sense, so we can provide the infrastructure to help the decarbonisation process. If one of our operators has 20 tugs to pull trailers on and off RoRo vessels and they want to change them to electric power, there needs to be enough power there to provide for the charging infrastructure. So our role is to make sure we have line of sight as to where the Port operators are going on their decarbonisation strategy or their net zero strategy. Once we can see where they’re going, we can then at least plan to provide infrastructure for them to help them decarbonise. But with the current uncertainty, it’s very difficult for us to provide infrastructure, or you risk ending up with stranded assets.”

GREEN METHANOL

The study into the Dublin-Holyhead route identified green methanol as the most practical alternative fuel for this route, offering the possibility of retrofitting existing vessels and benefitting from established bunkering and handling experiences compared with other emerging fuels. The adoption of e-methanol could reduce emissions by between 71-80%.

While additional safety measures are required, methanol presents fewer operational challenges compared to ammonia or hydrogen. Battery-electric solutions were also explored but deemed infeasible due to the high energy demand, vessel size and operational flexibility needed on this route.

The Holyhead-Dublin trade route is the busiest Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) route between the UK and

than 70% of all ferry passenger movements between serve as key economic gateways, with Dublin Port alone handling almost 80% of Ireland’s unitised freight. The study aimed to advance the decarbonisation of this critical trade artery.

“This study shows that the Holyhead–Dublin corridor offers strong potential as an early green shipping route in Europe,” revealed Matthew Moss, Ricardo’s Maritime Sustainable Transport Principal Consultant Research. “The combination of high traffic volumes and vessel suitability means it is a realistic location to trial alternative fuels at scale. While additional infrastructure investment will be required, methanol offers a pathway that can be enabled in the near term through vessel retrofits and established handling practices. To build on this work, clear policy signals and government support will be essential in creating the conditions for investment and deployment, helping accelerate the wider decarbonisation of the maritime sector.”

Dr Patrick Rigot-Müller, Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain at Maynooth University, one of the partners in the feasibility study, said: “DublinHolyhead is one of the main northern European ferry corridors in terms of potential for CO reduction. It is well-suited to serve as a demonstration project for Green Shipping Corridors in Europe. We’ve been delighted to be able to contribute to the understanding of green corridors for this busy route.”

Johan Edelman, Stena Line’s Irish Sea South Trade Director, described the study results as incredibly encouraging: “Sustainability is a strategic priority for Stena Line and as part of our long-term vision for a greener future, we commissioned two new freight ships for the Irish sea, both equipped to operate on methanol fuel. These ships have been purposebuilt for the Belfast-Heysham route. We welcome government support to allow us to continue to offer cleaner more efficient transport solutions across our Irish Sea network.”

Irish Ferries Managing Director, Andrew Sheen, said: “We see a clear pathway toward operating a green corridor, but significant infrastructure development is needed across the supply chain to make alternative fuels cost-competitive with conventional options. We strongly urge our governments to reinvest the substantial revenues generated through carbon taxes into research, development, and the scaling of alternative fuels and their supporting infrastructure.”

CERTAINTY ON FUEL TYPE

Ken Rooney, Head of Engineering & Sustainability,

is looking forward to taking this to the next stage: “One of the major challenges for critical infrastructure providers such as Dublin Port is the emergence of on green methanol as one of these options gives us

impact on marine emissions in the Irish Sea and gives us a better understanding of the needs of the sector, particularly in relation to energy supply. We are ready to work with our partners and customers to build upon the work of this initial study.”

While Ken is delighted that the report identified e-methanol as the right fuel for the route, the amount of alternative fuel choices being mooted in general is not helpful for anyone in the shipping industry to plan for the future. He cites the example of Stena

the busy Belfast–Heysham route, which as well as being methanol-ready is also equipped with hybrid propulsion systems, including battery capability and shore power connectivity.

“It’s essentially multi-fuel ready,” Ken explains. “It can run on diesel. It can run on biofuel. It can run on methanol. It’s got batteries and it’s got wind propulsion. All in the one ship. All of that comes at a cost but that’s a very real example of the uncertainty that’s out there. They’re trying to future-proof a ship base.”

Ken still believes in the Green Shipping Corridor and was particularly impressed by the collaboration on the project. “The highlight for me on it was the fact that it was a post-Brexit cross-border initiative, whereby the consortium had both UK and Ireland partners working in it. I think it has highlighted to policymakers, to Government and even to ourselves the challenges with trying to decarbonise a route like Dublin-Holyhead.

This is a high-volume, high-frequency route and it’s the shortest route that we have out of Dublin, so if you can’t make it on a high-volume, high-frequency short route, what are the chances on other routes? It was a really good test case.”

“Our role is to make sure we have line of sight as to where the Port operators are going on their decarbonisation strategy or their net zero strategy. Once we can see where they’re going, we can then at least plan to provide infrastructure for them to help them decarbonise. With the current uncertainty, it’s very difficult for us to provide infrastructure.”

COST CHALLENGES

Ken insists that while the Green Corridor certainly can work, the study has emphasised the challenges it needs to address, including the costs involved and the availability of e-methanol. “To produce e-methanol, you have to have 100% renewable energy. and 100% renewable CO . Without those, then the potential to create e-methanol is very challenging and that doesn’t exist at scale anywhere at the moment. The logic would be that a wind farm or solar farm provides renewable energy to an electrolyser, which produces hydrogen which is then combined with renewable carbon dioxide in a reactor to create liquid e-methanol.”

While there are some pilot projects in Europe looking at this very issue, they are dealing with small volumes, and the amount of e-methanol that would be needed for the Dublin-Holyhead route is huge by comparison.

“It would take a significant investment,” Ken predicts, “and without the certainly from the IMO on targets, investors might consider it a risky sector to invest in. That then creates stagnation in shipbuilding because individual shipping lines will try to get another few years out of existing vessels, rather than invest. So it creates a contagion effect across the sector.

“So that IMO target or strategy not being agreed affects shipping lines, shipbuilders, ports and multiple commercial companies that have plans to decarbonise and rely on logistics lines.”

Rebecca Rosling, EDF’s Head of Future Energy Systems R&D, said “The energy transition demands action across all sectors, and maritime transport remains one of the most challenging and carbonintensive. At EDF UK R&D, we are proud to have contributed our technical expertise to the Holyhead–Dublin Green Corridor initiative. This project exemplifies how targeted innovation - such as the adoption of e-fuels like e-methanol, produced using low-carbon electricity - can accelerate decarbonisation in high-impact areas. At EDF R&D UK our mission is to help build a brighter energy future for the UK, and we see green corridors like this as a vital step toward a sustainable, low-carbon society.”

ONSHORE POWER SUPPLY

One decarbonisation element that can be delivered immediately is Onshore Power Supply (OPS), with a legal requirement to have OPS in place for certain shipping modes by 2030.

“OPS is tried and tested in lots of different ports across the world for different maritime traffic, including LoLo, RoRo and cruise ships,” Ken says. “While this is very achievable and will reduce a ship’s emissions, it’s not going to put a significant dent in the global transport emissions.”

The provision of OPS is contingent on having the power capacity needed to meet the demand of plugging in ships. Dublin Port Company are working closely with ESB Networks on the provision of additional power within the Port to support the delivery of OPS infrastructure, by the 2030 deadline.

Indeed, Dublin Port Company have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainability, due to the Port’s position within the capital, and this is something they are very proud of.

“Anything that we do, we have to be conscious of both the environment and the communities that we work around, so it makes sense for us to look at everything we’re doing through a sustainability lens,” Ken summarises. “We have an ESG Strategy 2025-2030 and we’re going to deliver and implement that strategy, even with the global uncertainty that exists at the moment.”

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COMMUNITY

A DECADE OF SOFT VALUES

It is 10 years since Dublin Port Company launched their Soft Values programme, which has brought the Port and the city it serves closer together through a host of cultural, environmental, and heritage initiatives.

Dublin Port is committed to achieve closer integration between the Port and people of Dublin through artistic, historic, built heritage, cultural, community, environmental and heritage initiatives that enhance the

August 2025 saw a new exhibition open at the Dublin Port Substation, celebrating 10 years of Dublin Port’s cultural and heritage projects.

“As someone with a longstanding connection to Dublin Port, I’m delighted to open this exhibition, celebrating

10 years of Dublin Port’s positive cultural impact,” noted then Minister for Finance and Dublin Central TD Paschal Donohoe, at the official opening of the Soft Values of Dublin Port is, not only to the city, but to the country as a whole.”

The exhibition marks a decade since the restoration of the Diving Bell and highlights Dublin Port’s cultural initiatives in theatre, film, heritage, literature and education.

“The projects celebrated in the Soft Values exhibition reveal the evolving relationship between Dublin Port and the people who live and work around it, capturing stories of place, memory, change and continuity,” explained Lar Joye, Port Heritage Director. “This exhibition celebrates that decade of work, while also looking ahead. It speaks to the Port’s evolving identity, shaped not only by trade and infrastructure, but by its people, stories and shared spaces.”

DISTRIBUTED MUSEUM

The ‘Distributed Museum’ is an initiative by Dublin Port Company to promote awareness and public engagement with physical elements of Port heritage and amenity assets of the Port. The first part of the ‘Distributed Museum’ was the Diving Bell Museum, which opened on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in 2015, followed by Maritime Garden and Crane 292 in 2017, The Pumphouse in 2021, The Substation in 2023 and Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway in 2024.

DUBLIN PORT ARCHIVE

Preserving the Port’s 300-year heritage, the Dublin Port Archive spans from the early 18th century to the present day, including minute books, engineering drawings, photographs, shipping registers, and maps. It reflects the evolving functions of the port - from the Ballast Board and the Dublin Port and Docks Board to the modern semi-state company, offering unparalleled insight into Dublin’s maritime, industrial, and urban development.

Recognised as a collection of national significance, the Dublin Port Archive is an essential resource for researchers, historians, and the wider public interested in understanding how Dublin grew as a port city.

CONSERVATION STRATEGY

Launched in 2024, the Dublin Port Conservation Strategy is an ambitious document that maps the layers of Dublin Port, including findings on the floor of Dublin Bay, discoveries underground from archaeological digs and the industrial history of the built environment still standing on the Dublin Port estate. This is the first time Dublin Port’s heritage has been mapped on this scale in its 300-year history.

A key pillar of the Strategy is Port-City Integration, the framework through which all aspects of Dublin’s maritime heritage, from structures as significant as the Great South Wall to the historic photographs, maps and drawings of the priceless Port Archive, can be preserved and celebrated.

The Strategy sets out 12 Policy Aims to place the Conservation Management of the Port estate and the protection of its significance at the heart of Port policies.

SUMMARY

“These initiatives reflect the Port’s broader commitment to reconnecting with the city and its communities as outlined in Dublin Port’s current strategic vision, Masterplan 2040,” explains Lar Joye.

Today, that vision is structured around five key pillars; Heritage, Environment, Community, Trade, and Culture – which guide the Port’s ongoing efforts to balance hard infrastructure with soft values and shape the next chapter of its development.

“Port-City Integration is not just a guiding principle, but a strategic objective for Dublin Port,” Lar concludes. “It underpins our efforts to balance trade with cultural, environmental and community engagement.”

TIMELINE

2015

Dublin Ships

A public art installation unveiled at the Scherzer Bridges beside the Convention Centre on North Wall Quay - where Dublin city, Dublin Port and the docklands meet.

Created by the artist Cliona Harmey, this public artwork brought to life the movements of ships entering and leaving Dublin Port daily, creating a digital log of the Port’s activities in full view of the city.

Diving Bell

The historic Diving Bell on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay was repurposed into a small interpretive museum, enhancing the city’s maritime heritage offerings.

2016

Opening Up Port Centre

A flagship Soft Values project aimed at making the Port more physically and symbolically accessible, including new pedestrian routes, a heritage crane, landscaped public space, and the creation of a new public plaza with monumental corten steel turnstile gates.

Starboard Home

Commissioned by Dublin Port Company, Starboard Home was a unique collaboration featuring 12 of Ireland’s foremost songwriters, who created new songs inspired by the relationship between the Port, the river and the city of Dublin itself, with an album and two unique performances in the National Concert Hall.

2017

Eugeen Van Mieghem: Port Life Exhibition

The works of the acclaimed Belgian artist, Eugeen Van Mieghem, were on display to Irish audiences for the first time at Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane.

Port Perspectives Programme

A series of site-specific public artworks in response to Dublin Port and its relationship with the City, including new works by Sheelagh Broderick, Silvia Loeffler and AEMI & Cliona Harmey, unveiled at sites and on structures within Dublin Port. As part of Port Perspectives, Dublin Port Company also ran a community-based initiative titled Drawing Clubs, bringing together more than 30 aspiring artists from across Dublin’s inner city.

2018

MV Celine Christening

The christening ceremony for MV Celine, the world’s largest short-sea RoRo vessel, included specially commissioned music performed live by John Sheahan and Colm Mac Con Iomaire. Dublin Port also partnered with the National Museum of Ireland and Dublin City Council to present a programme of public lectures exploring the Port’s historical and social impact.

2019 A Year of Theatre

2019 saw Dublin Port Company engaging in a Year of Theatre, with three theatre companies commissioned to create original work based around the history and legacy of Dublin Port: In Our Veins at the Peacock, Last Orders at the Dockside in the Abbey and the Port also partnered with Lir Academy and Anu Productions to spread the magic of theatre.

Dublin Port Diaries

A book celebrating the stories and wit of Dublin’s legendary dockers, in a collaboration between Dublin Port Company and Fighting Words.

200 years of Bullock Harbour

A special exhibition in association with the Bullock Harbour Preservation Association and DLR LexIcon, hosted at the Lexicon Library in Dún Laoghaire.

2020

Pumphouse Presents

During the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020, Dublin Port partnered with Axis Ballymun, Anu Productions, and Fishamble: The New Play Company to film five theatre shows in the Victorian-era Pumphouse and screen them online.

2021

The Pumphouse

Originally built to power the gates of Dublin Port’s graving docks, the 19th-century Pumphouse was transformed in 2021 into a unique cultural and heritage venue at the heart of the operational Port, opening this industrial structure to artists, students, and the public for the first time.

The Book of Names

Two of Ireland’s leading theatre companies, Anu Productions and Landmark Productions, combined forces for The Book of Names, a critically acclaimed theatrical experience which ran at The Pumphouse in Dublin Port, as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.

2022 Outrage

Fishamble’s Outrage at the Pumphouse was a play that explores the true nature of women’s role in the Irish revolutionary wars, in particular the Civil War in 1922.

Saving the Records of 1922

Dublin Port Company partnered with the National Archives of Ireland to conserve records damaged in the 1922 Public Record Office fire. Five parcels relating to Dublin Port were restored, preserving vital fragments of maritime history.

Back Home to a Wonderful Time

On December 14, 2022, Anu Productions staged a site-specific performance at Dublin Port to commemorate the centenary of the final withdrawal of British troops from Ireland on December 17, 1922.

The Peculiar Sensation of Being Pat Ingoldsby

A documentary capturing the essence of the iconic Dublin poet and TV presenter, part-funded by Dublin Port Company.

2023

Connections: the Port, the City, Arts & Education

The 2023 art and engagement programme was themed ‘Connections: The Port, the City, Arts and Education’.

The Substation

A beautifully restored early-20th-century red-brick former ESB substation located on the corner of East Wall Road and Alexandra Road, which now serves as a focused cultural venue, hosting exhibitions, talks, performances and community events.

Soft Values of Seaports at Dublin Port 2015–2025

2024

Little Museum of Dublin

Dublin Port’s partnership with the Little Museum of Dublin began in 2020 with the launch of The Dublin Port Short Film Prize and extended into exhibitions at Dublin Port’s Substation venue, including Solidarity: The Dockers of Dublin Port (2023), and The Bridges of Dublin (2024).

Temple Bar Gallery + Studios

In summer 2024, Dublin Port partnered with Temple Bar Gallery + Studios to host a four-month artist residency at The Pumphouse.

Dublin Port Greenway

The Dublin Port Greenway Phase 1 is a 2.2km dedicated cycle-and-pedestrian route tracing the northern edge of the Port along the Tolka Estuary, opening up a previously inaccessible part of the Port for public enjoyment, with spectacular views across Dublin Bay.

Shorelines

A landmark exhibition by the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club to mark its 151st anniversary at The Substation.

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MAJOR AWARD WINS FOR DUBLIN PORT

Dublin Port Company took home a plethora of high profile awards across 2025, recognising their achievements in urban design and social impact.

2025 proved a hugely successful year for Dublin Port Company in terms of award wins, with the company recognised across a number of areas, from urban design to the social impact of its community programme.

ESG Awards, recognising its significant contributions to local communities and ongoing commitment to creating a lasting positive social impact.

The award celebrates Dublin Port’s diverse community initiatives, which include long-term support for local schools, sports clubs, and community groups, as well as substantial investments in public amenities that open the port to the wider public.

Dublin Port has a deep-rooted connection to its neighbouring communities - many of whom have generational ties to the Port - and this recognition reflects decades of partnership, respect, and shared history.

The ESG Awards submission highlighted four key initiatives that showcase the Port’s commitment to community: the Dublin Port Greenway, the Dublin Construction Skills and Retrofitting Programme, delivered in collaboration with St Andrew’s Resource Centre and the Inner-City Renewal Group; the Dublin Port Scholarship, which has been supporting up to 30 students per year since 2001; and the Digital Education Investment at St Joseph’s Primary School, which saw Dublin Port investing €140,000 through its MP2 Community Gain Fund to provide state-of-the-art digital whiteboards for every classroom at St Joseph’s Primary School.

The award underscores the importance of maintaining and deepening relationships with local communities

“We are incredibly proud of our strong connections with & Finance ESG Awards is a great honour,” said Edel

good neighbour is fundamental to our social license; it’s about ensuring communities see and feel the benefits of living alongside Ireland’s busiest port.

“Seeing the real, tangible impact of our programmes on students, sports clubs, and community members

developments, we remain committed to growing our social contributions.

“I’d also like to thank the tireless volunteers who lead the clubs and groups we support. Their dedication makes our work meaningful. This award belongs as much to them as it does to us.”

Dublin Port Company was also shortlisted for

Awards for its work with UCD on restoring marine habitats and providing safe habitats for birdlife in the

CSR & ESG WINS

In May 2025, Dublin Port were announced of the winners of the Corporate Social Responsibility Award at the All Ireland Marketing Awards for their work with

the Docklands communities and the provision of public amenities such as the Dublin Port Greenway.

The same month saw Dublin Port winning the ESG award at the Irish Accountancy Awards, which recognised the finance team’s work in delivering new Environmental, Social, and Governance outcomes to prepare the Port for new the new EU Corporate Social Reporting Directive.

DUBLIN PORT GREENWAY WINS RIAI AWARD

In June, the Dublin Port Greenway, one of the city’s newest public amenities, was honoured by the Royal Institute of the Architects and the public of Ireland (RIAI) as a winner of the Urban Design Award, alongside Church Square in Monaghan.

This prestigious award highlights the Greenway’s

serving both the surrounding port communities and the wider city. As part of Dublin Port’s Masterplan 2040, the Greenway is a core with the city and ensuring sustainability

Co-designed by Darmody Architecture and TTT (thirtythreetrees), the Tolka Estuary Greenway at Dublin Port is a 2.2km long public realm shared surface route that has delivered dramatic views of the city, bay and port activity from lands that were previously inaccessible marginal lands. The Greenway design links a series of three distinct spaces, three discovery points on the edge of Dublin City, with a layer of interpretation celebrating the Port’s industrial heritage and history – accessible to all.

In addition to the Urban Design Award,

RIAI Public Choice Awards, chosen from more than 50 entries—a testament to its popularity with the public.

“This is Ireland’s most prestigious architectural awards and it reaffirms our commitment to making Dublin Port a

Lar Joye, Port Heritage Director. “We’re incredibly proud of our partners at Darmody Architecture and TTT, whose tireless work on this challenging brief has made

The Dublin Port Greenway also won in the Public Realm with the award shared between Dublin Port Company vicinity.

OTHER AWARDS

Investors in Diversity accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity, a milestone that reflects their already on the path to Silver Accreditation, further demonstrating our dedication to diversity and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive,” noted Nicola McCarthy, Chief People Officer at Dublin Port.

In October, Dublin Port struck again at the Digital Marketing Awards, taking home the prestigious DMA

digital agency, idea. This focused on the rebranding strategy of Dublin Port into ‘The Hardworking Heart of Dublin’.

been a very positive year, with awards recognising the effective work of our teams across the Port. Each award is testament to Dublin Port’s continued commitment to Port-City integration, the environment, and working closely with our neighbouring communities.”

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PLAY THERAPY AT ST JOSEPH’S: WHERE ‘AMY’S ROOM’ IS THE STUDENTS’ FAVOURITE PLACE

Dublin Port Company’s support has ensured that students at St Joseph’s School in East Wall have access to a full-time play therapist on-site. Byron Terris, Dublin Port Company, investigates the quiet power of play therapy.

Walk down the corridor in St. Joseph’s School, East Wall, and you’ll find a door that promises something a little different from your usual school day. Just a warm welcome, a table covered in art supplies, a punch-bag in the corner, slime, and a sign saying ‘Amy’s Room’ on the door.

While the activities may look like just another playdate, the outcome is far more powerful, as play therapy is the magic that happens inside, whereby children can learn to understand their feelings, to trust themselves, and find healthier ways to cope with what life throws at them.

Thanks to Dublin Port Company’s sponsorship, Play Therapy at St Joseph’s has gone from a once-a-week possibility to a full-time support option for students.

“WHAT HAPPENS IN AMY’S ROOM?”

Play therapy at St Joseph’s begins before a student enters Amy’s Room. There’s a careful referral and intake process: a teacher notices a child might need extra support, or a parent asks for help. Amy O’Flaherty, play therapist, brings the parents in first, they meet her, step into the playroom, and hear how it all works.

“I explain the process,” says Amy, “and then I gather as much context as I can; what the child has experienced, how feelings are talked about at home, what they like to play with, any diagnoses so that I can tailor the support.”

A core piece of the intake is psychoeducation for parents. If a child is experiencing panic attacks, for example, Amy walks through what that means, what it looks like in a child’s body, what triggers might be present, and how a parent can respond in the moment.

“The parent is going to be there long after I am,” Amy explains. “So, helping them feel confident and equipped is huge.”

Only after that groundwork is done do sessions start, with the child in the lead. “It’s not ‘you’re a problem and I’m here to fix you’,” Amy explains. “It’s a gentle, childcentred space where they can be themselves.”

Children choose their play medium for the day: art, sand trays, memory boxes, feeling jars, sensory play, even a punch-bag. Where adults might struggle to speak, children can show: ask ‘How was your day?’ and you might get a polite ‘grand’; ask ‘Can you draw your day?’ and you’ll see the real story.

That story might arrive in colourful layers: a tiny figure drawn in the corner (“Why did you draw yourself so small?”), a family sketched around a missing grandparent, or a jar filled with glittering colours chosen to represent anger, sadness, relief, or pride. These are visual languages for feelings that children can grasp and discuss, often more clearly than words will allow. “With play, you can go much deeper than just a conversation,” Amy notes.

SLIME, SAND & SOOTHING THE NERVES

One element that readers may find surprising is the effective use of that messy substance beloved of children the world over: slime.

“Believe it or not,” Amy laughs, “slime is a traumainformed form of play. It’s sensory integration. The pulling, kneading, stretching, combined with a calming scent, can help soothe the nervous system.”

Once a child settles into the rhythm of sensory play, their guard lowers and difficult conversations become possible. “With older kids, especially,” Amy says, “the best talks often happen while they play with the slime!”

Other sensory tools show up too: stress balls the children make themselves; sand for the tactile feel; and, for strong feelings like anger or frustration, a punchbag used with safe boundaries. “They can’t hurt me or break anything,” Amy smiles, “but they can punch the bag while thinking about the thing that made them angry. In a confidential space, they can get that energy out and then we reflect on what it felt like.”

Reflection is the heart of the therapy. Amy describes herself as “a mirror”, noticing and naming what the child is doing and feeling, gently building introspection. “Throughout the therapy, the subconscious becomes conscious; children begin to understand their internal world. Within the safety of play, we can acknowledge feelings and notice how those feelings show up in the body,” Amy comments. Over time, things become less overwhelming and children begin to manage behaviours in a healthier, more intentional way.

CONFIDENCE IN THE RESULTS

At first, some parents are understandably sceptical. There’s the usual worry: ‘What might come out?’ But the combination of psychoeducation, partnership, and visible progress turns caution into confidence.

“Parents are very engaged after,” explains Mark Staunton, Home School Community Liaison Officer

at the school. “They miss it when it ends - it’s like a security blanket.”

This year, the team has added restorative attachment sessions, inviting parents to join so the bond between parent and child strengthens in the room and then continues into home life.

“Kids don’t come with manuals,” Amy says. “Sometimes families just need time together with support. The goal is that the ways we help here become part of everyday life.”

Ending therapy is handled with care. Some children need booster sessions later, especially if a big life change happens. That responsiveness is part of what makes the programme feel safe, not just for children, but for the parents and families around them.

‘AMY’S ROOM’ AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING LOCAL

One of the nicest details is simply the name on the door: ‘Amy’s Room’. To the children, she isn’t ‘Ms O’Flaherty, the authority figure’. She’s Amy, a trusted grownup who doesn’t discipline or punish; that difference matters. For children who’ve had a run of ‘bad days’, who are used to being ‘the one in trouble’, walking into Amy’s Room means being greeted with a smile no matter what. “I’m always neutral, but delighted to see them; they know I’m on their side,” she smiles.

The feeling is mutual. “They all love going,” Mark adds. “You can see it in their positivity.” Children knock on the door in the mornings just to wave. It sounds simple, but in school, simple gestures like a smile and wave can make all the difference.

Dublin Port Company’s sponsorship has made a massive difference. Before the Port got involved, play therapy was available one day a week, serving up to four children. Referrals meant prioritisation. Need outweighed capacity, and children could wait months for help.

Now, Amy is full-time, and 20 children receive play therapy every week. The school can respond immediately when something urgent happens. In a local landscape where public and private therapy waiting lists can stretch to 12 months, that agility is transformative. “To have it here is massive,” Mark says. “It’s not a luxury - it’s needed.”

For Amy, the change is personal. She grew up in East Wall, attended St Joseph’s, and came back “full circle” to build the support she wished had existed. “It’s fantastic,” she says. “Seeing these services in the school I once attended… it’s a privilege.”

WHOLESCHOOL RIPPLES

Play therapy at St Joseph’s doesn’t sit in isolation. Amy is part of the staff-room, and her presence matters. Teachers can quickly flag concerns, ask questions, and align approaches. In care team meetings, the conversation shifts from scarcity (‘Who needs it most?’) to priority and planning: ‘Who needs it next, and how do we sequence support?’

The visibility also reduces stigma. Instead of whispers, ‘Where’s Billy going?’, it’s simply ‘He’s off to Amy’s’. In Mark’s words, there’s less fear now, and more familiarity. Families approach sooner and with clearer requests. In

other schools Mark has seen, therapy provision is often limited and funding fragile. At St Joseph’s, thanks to Dublin Port, there’s consistency and that is everything when you’re trying to help children feel safe in their school and home life.

There’s no play therapy exam, and that’s the point. The skills children practice in Amy’s Room show up quietly and steadily:

• Naming feelings (“I felt scared in my tummy and hot in my hands.”);

• Choosing responses (using the punch bag, asking for a break, telling a grown-up);

• Self trust (believing “I can handle this” and “My feelings make sense”);

• Connection (feeling seen by a caring grown-up, then bringing that safety home);

• Confidence (the moment the child realises, “I did that. I calmed down.”).

These are life skills. They help with maturing, friendships, family life, learning and all the challenges that sit beyond primary school.

“I trust the kids, and they start to trust themselves. I believe in them, and they begin to believe in themselves.”

— Amy O’Flaherty

With the Port’s sponsorship, the school doesn’t have to choose between urgent cases or push support to “next term.” They can address concerns immediately and wrap care around a child the moment they need it.

Amy’s Room is now a core part of St Joseph’s. Teachers notice changes sooner; children know it’s okay to ask for help; parents feel supported. The whole school can breathe easier.

A THANK YOU, FROM EAST WALL

Port-Community partnerships are built on a simple premise: be a good neighbour. Dublin Port Company’s is proud to support St Joseph’s School to deliver this valuable therapy for the students of East Wall.

Amy’s gratitude says it best: “As an ex-pupil, getting to do this work here feels like coming full circle. To see something so needed become part of everyday school life, that’s special.”

Mark echoes those sentiments: “If there’s one thing to put resources into, this is it. It’s relevant, it’s vital, and we’re seeing the difference every day.”

DPC SUPPORTING FUTURE-PROOFING THROUGH RETROFITTING COURSE

Based out of Dublin Port, the Retrofitting Skills course run by St Andrew’s Resource Centre has proved a huge success, with hundreds of successful graduates finding employment in the Irish construction sector.

A Retrofitting course, supported by Dublin Port Company, was born out of the East Docklands Local Employment Service Construction Skills programme in Dublin Port, run by St Andrew’s Resource Centre, which began in 2018 and has seen over 3,000 students graduate.

“As we aim to become Carbon Neutral by 2030, we recognised that retrofitting has become a key skill for

access to many residential and commercial projects,” explains Jim Hargis, Manager of the HUB Education and Training Project at St Andrew’s Resource Centre.

The Retrofitting side was originally incorporated into the original Construction Skills Course, but given both the specialist skills involved and the employment opportunities in this growing market, it was subsequently separated into a distinct 10-day course

in its own right at Level 4, available to the top graduates from the Construction Skills course.

“When we started, the only course available was a Level 5 Retrofitting course, which was quite complicated, involving calculating the amount of solar gain and heat loss through walls,” reveals Jim. “We saw an opportunity to develop a Level 4 course for the operatives rather than at that higher engineering level, because there are specialist skills involved in doing retrofitting, so along with our colleagues in Laois/Offaly Education & Training Board, we did just that.”

PRACTICAL SKILLS

The resultant course is very practical, Jim stresses, dealing with how to insulate properly around a house or commercial property, from attic insulation to pipe insulation, dry-lining interior walls, and installing external insulation, always ensuring that moisture does not penetrate the new insulation.

“One of the big aspects of the course is learning how to seal up pipes, vents to the outside etc, so that they are protected from vapour, so that the property owner doesn’t have a problem behind the insulation board five or ten years down the line,” Jim notes.

The course runs up to 15 times each year, with 12 people on each course, meaning that there are in the region of 150 graduates each year. Jim estimates that 80% of those who have completed the Retrofitting course have found employment in the sector, many with SMEs who specialise in insulating existing homes.

“A lot of the companies in this sector are small businesses and we want to be able to stand over our graduates so that if a small business owner, who maybe has two or three vans on the road, asks ‘is this guy any good?’, we can say that for the five weeks they were with us, they were great, and that they learned the skills they’ll need to be part of a team,” Jim reveals.

businesses up seem to be doing well. There is a lot of retrofitting work out there and a lot of it is grant-aided, which many of them are able to take advantage of, and are doing very well,” Jim notes.

SUPPORT FROM DUBLIN PORT

The origins of the programme came from a joint initiative between the Department of Social Protection, Eastside Docklands Local Employment Service (LES) and Dublin City Council when there was a requirement to provide local labour to work on the incinerator site in Ringsend in 2016. St Andrew’s was asked for its assistance in finding a way to deliver local workers onto that site.

On foot of this, a developing labour shortage in the construction industry was identified locally in the context of large-scale development in the Docklands area. Eastside and Docklands LES, which is funded by the Department of Social Protection, recognised an opportunity for long-term unemployed people to benefit from increased employment in the construction sector. They identified a skills gap among long-term unemployed people precluding them from taking up employment in this rising sector and developed a pilot programme in response.

The project initially received support from Dublin Docklands and Dublin City Council. Eastside and Docklands LES approached the Department for funding to support continuation of the training course under the Activation and Family Support Programme.

Dublin Port Company came on board from the outset as a course supporter and their assistance has been invaluable.

Jim and the team at St Andrew’s are currently looking to develop a third programme, specialising in Modern Methods of Construction (Level 4), which would be another add-on for graduates of the Construction Skills course.

Indeed, some course graduates have even gone on to form their own companies and are potential employers for future graduates of the course.

“The graduates who went out and set their own

The Retrofitting course, in particular, is relatively expensive to run, due to the cost of materials involved, which is where the support of Dublin Port really makes a difference.

“Neither the Retrofitting nor the Construction Skills courses would be possible without the support of Dublin Port,” Jim acknowledges. “We have the space and the expertise, but it is thanks to Dublin Port facilitating it that this happens, and it’s making a big difference to communities locally, from East Wall to Ringsend, and to the wider area of Dublin and beyond.”

THE MOST FAMILIAR FACE IN DUBLIN PORT

Operations Manager Thomas Kavanagh is known wherever he goes within Dublin Port. After 18 years of ensuring that day-to-day operations run smoothly, Thomas retired at the end of 2025. He discusses his amazing career and what he’ll miss about the Port.

Wherever you go within Dublin Port, people know Thomas Kavanagh, ’Trampas’ to those that know him best. The always-smiling Operations Manager has been one of the most familiar faces throughout the Port Estate since he started working in the Port in 2007, always stopping for a chat if he has time or a quick smile and wave if he’s on the clock, which he usually is.

Indeed, Thomas’ face has become as familiar as the ferries making their way through the Port over the years, so the decision to retire at the end of 2025 was one that he didn’t make easily and one that will reverberate through every department within Dublin Port Company.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Thomas smiles from his office in East Point, weeks before his impending retirement. “Although I’ve got a tinge of sadness because I adore this job and I love the people who work throughout the Port.”

Thomas is convinced he knows “everyone in the company”, his work having taken him to every corner of the Port estate over the years. Many of them have become friends for life, he insists.

The temporary move to East Point has resulted in colleagues seeing much more of each other than before, as the open plan office layout means that departments who may previously have had little contact with each other are now in far closer proximity. “I get a great buzz from walking through and causing mayhem,” Thomas laughs, “having a bit of craic with each department.”

MILITARY BACKGROUND

Thomas’s working life began in the Irish army, where he spent 23 years, including tours of duty in Lebanon, Somalia and Honduras. He comes from a military family: “My brother, my cousins, my uncles, my dad, my granddad were all soldiers. We were born in the kit.” His father served in the Congo and his brother in Lebanon, Eritrea, Kosovo, and Liberia: “There was a massive overseas tradition in the family”.

After leaving the army in 2000, Thomas worked in private security for around seven years, time which saw him protecting some of the biggest stars in the world.

“I didn’t realise when I left the military, how much I missed it,” he says. “It was only when I wasn’t in a team that I realised how much I’m a team player. When I came back into the Port, I realised how much I value a team.”

Thomas hadn’t planned on working in Dublin Port at all, however. He had spent the first half of 2007 in the Caribbean, followed by month-long stints in Madrid and Munich, and two months on a film shoot in Belfast, and planned take the last few months of the year off, with another private security job lined up for Barbados in early 2008.

“Out of the blue, towards the tail end of the year, I got a call from a company called Federal Security,” he remembers. “A man called John Fairley, who was the Head of Security, asked me would I be interested in coming in for a chat. At the time, Dublin Port were changing their security operation. They had previously had 24 Harbour Police officers, but a big reshuffle saw 21 of those guys take redundancy, leaving only three guys, and Federal Security were taking over the security operation. They needed someone to recruit new staff and train them up. So I came in and met John. There was no office interview; we drove around the Port in his old Renault Clio and we immediately gelled. So they offered me the job. My intention was to stay until April 2008, and so I had about a month to recruit 20 guys. This was early 2008, when the slump really started so I was getting fellas who were tradesmen - plumbers, painters and printers – who couldn’t get work; there was a good pool to pick from.”

MAKING DIFFICULT CHOICES

When the time came for him to take the Barbados job in April 2008, Thomas sat down with his wife and discussed their options. It was a difficult choice, as the whole family were due to fly to the Caribbean with Thomas, but ultimately, Dublin Port won out. “My wife, Mary, pointed out that it was the first time since we met in the 1970s that we slept in the same bed every night – I was always flying off here and there for weeks at a time – and I liked working with John, Mark, Thomas and Paddy, and we had kids going to college, so we decided to stay.”

Thomas pays tribute to colleagues Paddy Rooney and Thomas Michalski, who were invaluable in helping him to train the new security staff, one of whom was Mark Nathan, a former printer, who joined as a security guard and is now an Operations Manager, alongside Thomas and Keith Halpenny.

“We have been absolutely blessed with the people we work with,” Thomas stresses. “Sometimes I think it’s by accident, but maybe it’s not. If you’re not good, rigorously good, with John Fairley at the helm, you don’t last long here.”

Thomas feels that the Operations team complement each other very well, admitting that his particular skillset equips him to deal with events when something goes awry. “I love putting out fires,” he laughs. “That’s when I’m in my element, and that’s probably what I’ll miss more than anything else. I have 5,000 numbers in my phone, so if something goes wrong, no matter where it is, somebody will call me, because I have contacts in every department. If I don’t know the answer, I will know somebody who does.”

In the hour or so we spend together, Thomas’s phone rings on average every five minutes or so. “I would get, on average, 80 to 90 phone calls a day on that phone, and that’s before we start counting emails, landlines, and texts. But I like that,” he smiles. “It sounds very pretentious, but I like being needed. I’m a firm believer there are two types of people in the world: there’s the person that says, ‘what do you want?’ and there’s the person that says, ‘what can I do for you?’ I’m a big

believer in the ‘what can I do for you?’ My father always used to say if you want something done, ask a busy man.”

A CHANGING PORT

Throughout our conversation, Thomas insists on paying tribute to the team around him, from those already mentioned to those who have already left the Port ahead of him and those who took their place, guiding the development of the Port in line with Masterplan 2040.

“The people at the helm know what they’re doing,” he insists. “I was thinking back recently about the people that have gone, like Gerry Barry, Conor Farrell, Michael Sheary, all big people in this Port, people like Eamonn O’Reilly, Enda Connellan, Dave Dignam, Fergus Britton. These people were great stewards of this Port. But the people that have stepped in haven’t dropped the ball. They’ve made a huge difference.

“Dublin Port has changed dramatically over the years, and as it has grown, our role has grown with it. Everyone has raised the bar. And now Barry O’Connell (CEO) has taken the baton and is building it even further. We have so many projects going on now at the moment that they’d make your head spin.”

The growth of the Port has seen a corresponding expansion of Thomas’s duties and in the size of his team. “When we started, our team was made up of 21 new security officers and three Harbour Police. Today, we could have 40 officers working when we have certain ships in, like cruise liners, and a regular run-of-the-mill day would see around 15-20 security staff on site.”

The job description has changed too, as have the responsibilities, Thomas stresses: “In the early days, we mainly looked after the control room, mobile patrols, issuing out keys, opening gates, closing gates. Nowadays, there is far more responsibility. We’re the engine for a lot of moving parts within the Port; if somebody has a problem, they call the control room and straight away we’re dealing with it.”

One of the biggest changes Thomas has recognised during his career is perhaps not as obvious as the major capital projects changing the face of the Port but is just as important: the broad recognition of how crucial Dublin Port is to the country. “If we have a problem in the channel, the airport doesn’t fly its planes after

seven days because all aviation fuel comes through Dublin Port. A huge proportion of new cars coming into the country come through here, and pretty much everything else, from the shoes on our feet to the TV in our living room. Here in the Port too, we have learned that we have a role to play in keeping the wheels running in this country. Every single person in this company has a role to play in running the country; no matter how small your role is in Dublin Port, it’s vital to somebody else’s role, and the whole jigsaw finally builds something that’s bigger than all of us.”

REELING IN THE YEARS

Thomas’s most vivid memories of his time within Dublin Port are of moments when something went wrong and he and his team had to step into the breach: “Those events were few and far between, but they were significant.”

One of Thomas’s fondest memories is of Christmas times in Dublin Port. For many years, he spent the weeks leading up to the festive season growing a big white beard that made him the perfect candidate to play the big man in red.

“I always loved playing Santy,” he grins. “That was the highlight of my year, meeting all the kids. I knew all the staff already but meeting their children and watching them grow up was amazing; one of the security officers we have now was one of the kids who came to see me many years ago. I absolutely loved the kids and the craic with them was great, and now some of them have grown up and are starting their own families now.”

Thomas’s own children, now grown up, also have a deep connection to Dublin Port: “Both of my sons worked their way through college by working in the port as Port Security Customer Service Officers (CSO’s), and to this day they will say that working in the Port gave them great grounding for their work life!”

CHALLENGING TIMES

Thomas has had a challenging couple of years, with some health issues taking their toll. While he is on the mend now, the experience definitely had an impact on his decision to retire. It was around Christmas time a couple of years ago when Thomas realised something was wrong.

“As a family, we always get in for a swim on Christmas day and I just didn’t feel up to it,” he admits, “which wasn’t like me. I also usually have an arm-wrestling challenge with my youngest lad, and he had never beaten me until then.

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Luckily, one of Thomas’s sons is a doctor, who realised something was wrong and brought his Dad to hospital, where they discovered a number of blood clots. Just months later, Thomas was rushed to hospital again when he speech started to slur, and this time the experts found he had micro-bleeds on the brain.

When those issues were in the rear-view mirror, he had to have both knees replaced: “I’ve always had dodgy hinges,” he laughs.

Thomas gets emotional when talking about how the Dublin Port team treated him around this difficult time, upon his return to work: “They minded me so well. They knew I wasn’t well and they looked after me. I really can’t tell you how much they did, and I’m eternally grateful for that.”

He starts to name the people who were particularly kind to him, but is forced to give up after about 15 names: “I could name names all day, but it’d be unfair because I know I’d leave out a dozen more.”

He’ll miss them all. “I will, yeah, but I think I’ll be practical about it, because it’s time to let the younger lads have a run around.”

Thomas doesn’t want a big fuss made when he finally walks out the door for the last time: “I’d be very uncomfortable if there was a do for me or something like that. I’m happier just going around on the day I leave, shaking hands and giving people a hug and maybe shedding a few tears.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO RETIREMENT

So what will he do when he’s not on top of operations in the Port? Thomas’s youngest son, Jordan, recently bought a house close to his parents that needs some TLC. “I’m looking forward to putting a bit of time in there,” he grins, “and I’m also looking forward to spending time with my grandkids in Castleknock.”

He’ll also get to spend more quality time with his wife, Mary, who he insists is his rock. They met for the first time on December 20, 1978, and got engaged within 24 hours: “I said to her the next day, ‘I’ve something to ask you’. She says, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Will you marry me?’ She says, ‘What took you so long? I was hoping you’d ask me yesterday.’ So we got engaged that day. And then we got married five years later.”

While acknowledging that it will be strange not clocking in to the Port every day, Thomas is ready for retirement, and believes that whoever takes over from him will be stepping into a fantastic working environment.

“It’s the nearest thing to the army that I’ve ever seen. In the army, we have a parade in the morning; for us in the Port, it’s a briefing where we inspect the officers’ notebooks, making sure they’ve noted the briefing for the day, what vehicles are coming in or if there are any special things to note.

“This is a wonderful job and an amazing place to work,” he concludes with a grin. “If you’re willing to put a few hours in, willing to be flexible, willing to accept a bit of chaos now and again, this is the job for you.”

CULTURE

PORT ACTIVITIES GET NATIONWIDE EXPOSURE

RTÉ Nationwide explored Dublin Port in a three-part series in 2025, as the nation got an insider’s view into the Hardworking Heart of Dublin.

Dublin Port opened its gates to the cameras of and intimate look at one of Ireland’s most important

EPISODE ONE: DUBLIN PORT IN OPERATION out of the harbour. The operators behind the screens

of port operations. From part of ensuring compliance underscored the importance of Irish Whale and Dolphin Group’s positioned in all marine monitored in the harbour.

EPISODE TWO: HISTORY

The second episode shifted the focus from modern operations the engineering triumphs that monumental projects that protected the harbour from silting. Standing on these historic

life on screen. Pigeon House Harbour and its historic

EPISODE THREE: COMMUNITIES AND including a construction skills programme designed to ensuring Irish goods reach global markets and that

CAMPAIGN SUPERNOVA

Dublin Port Company used the high profile Oasis concerts in Ireland to highlight the importance of maritime travel and the Port’s role in daily life.

Dublin Port moves €165 billion of trade each year, but numbers that large can feel abstract to the wider public. A core aim of the Port’s communications strategy is to show how the Port underpins everyday life. The Oasis reunion tour in 2025 created a moment where that message could genuinely land.

The concerts in Ireland provided a cultural entry point, supported by a major freight operation that moved 26 staging trucks from the docks to Croke Park. ‘Poolbeg Lighthouse in a Parka’ became the spark, giving the story character and a strong sense of place for an audience who ‘definitely, maybe’ had never looked behind the scenes before. It made the unseen world of trade visible and showed how it drives everything from daily routines to major cultural events.

When Oasis confirmed their long-awaited reunion shows at Croke Park, it created the perfect platform to bring the Port’s story to life. Behind the excitement sat a substantial logistics effort: 26 articulated loads travelling 570km from Wembley

to Dublin, carrying everything from lighting rigs to merchandise. All of it passed through Dublin Port, just like the €165 billion of trade that moves through the Port every year.

By linking the movement of goods to a cultural phenomenon, the Dublin Port team turned logistics into part of Ireland’s biggest entertainment story. The campaign showed that culture runs on the same supply chains that stock shops, fill fridges and keep the country moving.

THE IDEA

At the heart of the campaign was a single, instantly recognisable image: Poolbeg Lighthouse in a parka jacket, long associated with Oasis and the Gallagher brothers.

Created in CGI, it transformed a well-known Dublin landmark into a cultural symbol. The image anchored the campaign and made freight and trade feel relatable, shareable and human.

EXECUTION

The campaign rolled out across social media, video channels and traditional media, including RTÉ News, Newstalk, national newspapers and international fan pages. The conversation grew further when Bonehead and Noel Gallagher’s daughter Anais joined in. Overall, the campaign reached more than 10 million people –the largest share of voice of any Irish brand in the Oasis conversation.

The work, delivered in partnership with Idea, Gibney Communications and The Coop, was shortlisted for Best Creative Video for a Local Business Advertiser at the Shark Awards 2025. It followed the ‘Supporting Exporters’ ice cream activation with Ringers, continuing Dublin Port’s mission to bring trade closer to the people it serves.

“Our ‘Campaign Supernova’ aimed to help the general public understand the relevance of Dublin Port to their everyday lives,” said Claire Percy, Head of External Affairs at Dublin Port. “It was rooted in a simple fact –that huge cultural moments like the Oasis gigs would not be possible without the work we do in the Port. This forms part of Dublin Port’s ongoing strategy to tell the unseen story of Ireland’s trade, highlighting the essential yet often overlooked role the Port and its customers play in Dublin’s cultural and economic life.”

TALL SHIPS: A REMINDER OF OUR RICH MARITIME HISTORY

Dublin Port regularly plays host to magnificent tall ships from around the world, serving an important diplomatic function but also reminding Dubliners of their city’s strong maritime heritage.

Dublin Port has been lucky to host some of the world’s most magnificent tall ships over the years, from naval training vessels to vessels taking part in spectacular tall ships races, attracting thousands of visitors keen to feast their eyes upon these beautiful sailing ships.

Many of these iconic vessels open their decks to the public, offering guided tours to those who wish to glimpse a slice of maritime history up close.

Tall ship visits to the Port of Dublin hold a significance that goes well beyond their visual appeal. They serve as a powerful reminder of Dublin’s rich maritime heritage and its historic role as a gateway for trade, migration, and cultural exchange. For many visitors, these vessels create a tangible connection to the city’s seafaring past, while reinforcing the Port’s identity as a living, working harbour that continues to engage with the public in a meaningful way.

ACCOMMODATING THESE SPECIAL VISITORS

From a port operations perspective, accommodating tall ships presents a unique set of challenges. Compared with modern commercial vessels, tall ships are generally less manoeuvrable, often relying on traditional propulsion and steering systems that demand careful handling and a high level of expertise. To ensure safe navigation, Dublin Port’s Marine Pilots embark these vessels, providing essential local knowledge and guidance to the ship’s master.

The ships’ length and draft can complicate berth allocation. When tall ships are assigned the city quays at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, they require careful transits through the Thomas Clarke (East Link) Bridge. Coordinating their movements with commercial shipping and routine port operations must be meticulously planned to maintain safety and minimise disruption.

CAPTURING THE IMAGINATION

Tall ship visits to Dublin always capture people’s imagination and curiosity about life on board these spectacular vessels. Many of the tall ships are used as naval training vessels, playing a really important step in trainees’ career at sea, while they also have a diplomatic purpose.

One recent visitor to Dublin, the BAP Unión, for

America and one of the largest in the world, works as a floating embassy, travelling the world building stronger diplomatic relations between Peru and host nations.

These vessels are not only living reminders of maritime history, but also floating ambassadors for their home nations.

quays to admire the ships, engage with their crews, and take part in associated cultural and educational activities. These visits foster a strong sense of pride and curiosity, offering the public a rare opportunity to experience maritime history up close.

In 2025, Dublin Port welcomed several notable tall ships, including Maybe, Pelican of London, Sørlandet, and Alexander von Humboldt II, while previous visitors included Gorch Fock BAP Unión

Looking ahead, the tall ships scheduled to visit Dublin in 2026 include the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, a sail training vessel due to arrive in April, and the Santa Maria Manuela, a commercially operated sailing vessel with two planned calls in May and June. Additional visits may be added as the year progresses.

THE SUBSTATION: A HUB FOR CULTURE & COMMUNITY

The Substation in Dublin Port had a packed programme of events during 2025.

The Substation continued to build momentum as Dublin Port Company’s cultural and community venue in 2025, delivering a varied programme of film, exhibitions, talks and festivals, and creating new ways for audiences to engage with the Port’s heritage, history and culture.

The year began with the magic of cinema, as the Dublin International Film Festival brought a strong programme of screenings to The

WHEELS IN MOTION

Spring saw The Substation turn to everyday mobility

exhibition from the National Museum of Ireland tracing the story of cycling in Ireland - from early walking machines and high-wheelers to the safety bicycle that transformed daily life.

Using historical images, stamps, personal recollections and vintage advertisements, it showed how bicycles became central to work, leisure and community across rural and urban Ireland. The exhibition also connected this national story back to Dublin Port, linking historic images of cycling in and around the Port to the present-day shift towards active travel through the Tolka Estuary Greenway, and reflecting

how cycling continues to shape daily movement and shared public space in the Docklands and beyond. The display was complemented by a selection of vintage Maintenance and Services).

“Dublin Port plays a really important part in terms of the culture life of Dublin”

STRONG PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

The programme also made space for books, ideas and

Productions) and historian Catríona Crowe, reflecting on Lowe’s contribution to immersive and socially engaged theatre and her impact on Irish performance.

PART OF DUBLIN’S CULTURAL CALENDAR

vessel of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland - and drawing on passenger records to reveal the social, political and maritime histories tied to the Port.

The programme also welcomed the return of Shorelines II for its second year at The Substation. The exhibition showcased maritime-inspired works by members of the Dublin Painting and Sketching Club

linked into the wider rhythm of Dublin’s cultural calendar. Heritage Week brought a rich series of talks and screenings, including contributions from Clíona

also hosted the two-day conference, welcoming international delegates as part of the annual meeting

Issues.

The year continued with the Dublin Festival of History, featuring a programme of talks exploring port and maritime heritage, including a very special event on the Dublin Port Memory and Story Project that brought together port pensioners, despite the bad weather delivered

The programme also included collaborations such of Ireland), Mapping Historic Shipwrecks off the with local historian Cormac Lowth.

Culture Night followed with an evening programme performance Poems and Songs from Dockers, and and Marta Lopez.

programme of experiences, including behind-theand cycling tours along the Tolka Estuary Greenway

fluidity across water, language, information and

Siobhán McDonald, whose works combined art, technology and scientific perspectives to reflect on ocean listening, speculative ecologies and Dublin Port’s shifting identities in an era of change.

Finally, a special thanks to the Port Heritage and Special Projects 2025 interns, Genevive Carolan, Ciara their support, energy and commitment throughout the year, and for the invaluable support they provided behind the scenes across The Substation programme.

CYCLING THE COUNTRY

This panel exhibition from the National Museum of Ireland traced the story of cycling in Ireland; from the earliest walking machines and high-wheelers to the safety bicycle that transformed daily life. Through historical images, stamps, personal recollections, and vintage advertisements, it highlighted how bicycles became central to work, leisure, and community life across rural and urban Ireland.

By the 1930s, bicycles had become the main mode of transport in every parish in Ireland, reshaping rural and urban life alike. The exhibition brought this history to life with personal stories and photos, from learning to ride to late-night cycles. Visitors discovered tales of milk deliveries by bike, holiday journeys, first bicycles bought with confirmation money, and even late-night rides without lights (and the risky business of avoiding the law!).

Whether you’re a cycling enthusiast or curious about how bikes shaped Irish society, this was a journey through history not to miss.

BEHIND THE VEIL

Dublin Port Company invited the public to see behind-the-scenes in the Port with a series of hugely popular guided tours of Dublin Port opening to the public during 2025.

For decades, the only glimpse most people got of the inner workings of Dublin Port was if they passed through on their way to catch a ferry, and even then it was only a snatched glance at a small portion of the Port estate.

Since the advent of Dublin Port Company’s plan to reintegrate the Port with the City over a decade ago, Dublin Port Company (DPC) have been opening up the Port to the citizens and tourists of Ireland’s capital city, via a number of projects, called the Distributed Museum

which includes the Diving Bell, Substation, Pumphouse and Tolka Estuary Greenway.

For the last number of years, there have been regular walking tours of Dublin Port to coincide with events like Culture Night, Heritage Week, Open House etc. but in 2025, Dublin Port partnered with Acams Tours to provide regular guided bus tours of the Port. Bus tours are more suited to busy and industrial ports like Dublin that prioritise safe access to operational areas.

A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

Anthony Finnegan, National Tourist Guide with Acams Tours, has a unique perspective on Dublin Port, having worked there for almost 30 years, initially serving his time as an apprentice fitter/turner, before becoming a shore engineer, servicing the pilot boats. When he left Dublin Port, Anthony set up his own business, training people to fix their own boats, while also volunteering with special needs organisations, and eventually working as a manager with a special needs service for people with a range of intellectual disabilities, which was “very rewarding”.

Anthony has a long background in the Irish Scouts and was used to leading groups on hikes, tours etc, and had often been asked to lead tours. So when he moved on from his last role, he began running occasional walking tours of Dublin, as well as bus tours slightly further afield. “I have a large bus license as well, so as well as the walking tours I got involved with the gang at Wild Wicklow Tours, which was great fun,” he recalls.

operations that keep Dublin City – and our country –connected to the world, ensuring Irish goods reach global markets and essential imports arrive on our shores.

In 2023, the Port Heritage and Special Projects team set out to improve access to the Port for visitors. Marta Lopez carried out exhaustive research of how port tours were carried out in other European Ports. Previously, port bus tours in Dublin had been done on an ad hoc basis and it was decided, based on Marta’s research, to make them more regular and to advertise them nationally. The team approached Anthony, who had led walking tours of the Port during Heritage Week and Open House, and the partnership was created for 2025.

Dublin Port is Ireland’s busiest port, handling €165 billion worth of freight and 1.6 million passengers annually. This unique bus tour offered visitors an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the vital

From towering container ships to bustling freight terminals, you uncovered the hidden histories, landmarks, and rich heritage that have shaped the port and Dublin City over the past 300 years. Attendees also got to learn how Dublin Port supports local communities, protects Dublin Bay’s biosphere, and plays a crucial role in Ireland’s economic success.

Anthony’s first-hand history of working in the Port gives him, and his visitors, a unique perspective. “I spent most of my working life in the Port around the dry docks and the Pumphouse,” he smiles. “The shore engineer’s name is still over the door of it. So I can relate to so much and I have old photos of different things from my time there. So they were lovely walking tours, giving people a look at stuff that they had no idea about, like the fact that there was a munitions factory in the Port.”

If anything, the bus tours throughout 2025 have proven even more popular that the walking tours that preceded them. There were 54 bus tours in total, allowing 1,745 people, including 599 visitors from schools and charities, a previously unavailable view into the inner workings of Ireland’s busiest port.

“It has really opened up people’s interest in the Port,” Anthony admits. “The public are really starting to own the space, especially with projects like the Tolka Estuary Greenway. We have had a huge eclectic mix of people on the tours, from retired port workers to local Dubliners who had never been in the Port before, men’s sheds, school tours. And they’re just blown away. Even people who worked here often

didn’t realise how much work had been done on the Greenway. I would say that maybe 5% of visitors have an idea of what’s behind the walls, some were semiterrified about going behind the walls and then when they get to come into the Port, they are amazed.”

Stops en route included Epic, the Irish Emigration Museum, The Substation and the Greenway, as well as access to hitherto restricted areas like Ocean Pier and the Oil Zone.

Anthony feels that one of the reasons why the tours are so successful is that there is buy-in from right across Dublin Port Company: “From the Port Heritage team to the Harbour Police and security staff, they all really row in to make it the best experience for people.”

Anthony is quite literally a mine of information on the Port. Mention the Epic Museum and he’s off, explaining how when it was built in the 1800s, it was Dublin’s first ever fireproof building, and before you know it we’re discussing 8,000 year-old fish traps that were discovered in the old river-bed close to where the Royal Canal is located, and are now in the National Museum of Archaeology on Kildare Street.

“There is so much history here,” Anthony laughs. “When you start, you can end up going down so many rabbit holes, from the Tom Clarke Bridge to the old Odlums Mills. It’s just such a buzz.”

Anthony’s passion for the history and people of the Port is evident from every sentence he utters. “It’s just so much fun,” he sums up. “As a country, we have amazing natural and built heritage, and Dublin Port has it in spades. When you talk about the munitions factory and the fact that they were producing shells in 1916, people are absolutely amazed. My biggest problem is trying to keep the tour to an hour and a half, and we often end up going over time, because there is just so much amazing history within the Port.”

HERITAGE

SAFETY FIRST: RELOCATING FROM PORT CENTRE

Decanting from Port Centre to East Point meant that Dublin Port Company’s priceless documentary and cultural legacy had to be safely relocated, writes Marta Lopez, Cataloguer and Conservator, Dublin Port Company.

In 2025, Dublin Port Company moved from Port Centre to East Point Business Park, in order to prepare for an extensive programme of refurbishment of their headquarters. The building, in continuous use since the early 1980s, required modernisation to meet contemporary standards of accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability.

Before construction could begin, every office, archive, and display area had to be cleared, encompassed all floors and departments and represented one of the most complex logistical and heritage operations ever carried out by the

The decant extended over several months and demanded a structured, methodical approach to reviewing and managing decades of accumulated material. Alongside the practical challenges of moving staff and equipment, the process required safeguarding large volumes of paper records, artworks, and heritage

while protecting the company’s documentary and cultural legacy.

Over time, Port Centre had become a repository of both administrative and historical material. Engineering plans, pilotage logs, personnel registers, and corporate publications were found alongside

examine the building’s contents in their entirety and

Each floor was systematically reviewed. Files were assessed, stabilised, and prepared for relocation according to their format and condition. This structured review improved oversight, reduced duplication, and enabled the secure transfer of historically the preservation of key elements of Dublin Port’s

The fifth floor of Port Centre had, over time, become the main storage area for a mixture of historic and administrative material, including ledgers, pilotage logs, engineering drawings, correspondence files, personnel registers, and photographs dating from the late nineteenth century to the early 2000s. The volume and diversity of this material required a systematic process of assessment and packing.

and documented for transfer to secure off-site storage. While formal appraisal and cataloguing will take place in

Work on this floor began well before the full Port Centre

the gradual decanting, cataloguing, and stabilisation of historical records and associated materials stored there. Their contribution was instrumental in reducing the volume of unprocessed material and ensuring

• catalogued and preserved (oldest dating from the 1770s);

• Over four tonnes of archival and museum material move;

• Total archive holdings now occupying

Dublin Port Company holds a significant art collection that reflects its maritime heritage and enduring connection with the city. Paintings, prints, and sculptures depicting port life, vessels, and the surrounding landscape have been displayed throughout Port Centre since the building’s opening, contributing to its distinctive character and sense of place.

During the 2025 decant, all artworks and heritage items were documented, stabilised, and prepared for relocation. Each piece was photographed where possible, labelled, and packed using protective materials appropriate to its size and condition.

A specialised art-handling company was engaged to manage these complex moves of oversize items, providing bespoke crating, lifting, and transport under controlled conditions. instruments. These required careful packing and stabilisation to prevent vibration or mechanical stress during transit. The combination of robust and delicate materials demanded tailored solutions, ensuring that both monumental and finely engineered pieces were

All items were transferred to secure, environmentally stable storage for the duration of the refurbishment. The process safeguarded Dublin Port’s cultural assets continued management, conservation, and display in

In addition to company records and artworks, the retired signage, promotional materials, and personal items left behind over the years. Each discovery

clearance and a process of rediscovery. Together, these fragments revealed traces of the company’s working past that had been hidden in plain sight.

ARCHIVE LEGACY

Beyond its logistical scope, the Port Centre decant offered an opportunity to take stock of Dublin Port’s

much larger body of records tracing the evolution

The decant presented a range of challenges, from the sheer variety of materials uncovered to the logistical complexity of handling different formats and conditions.

directly to Dublin Port’s long-term archival management strategy and to compliance with Section management, custody, care, and conservation of

preservation of heritage material. The fifth floor, like most office environments, was never designed for

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long-term storage, presenting challenges such as fluctuating temperatures, limited space, and restricted access.

storage has, therefore, been an essential step in aligning Dublin Port’s archive management with international standards for the storage of archival documents. The move not only safeguards the material from physical and environmental risks but digitisation.

WHAT COMES NEXT

While physically demanding, the decant was registers, and correspondence offered an extraordinary cross-section of the company’s institutional memory.

century engineering plans to 1970s architectural layouts of Port Centre itself, from early computer printouts to photographs capturing the transformation of the Port through decades of modernisation. Every

Dublin Port evolves and redefines its place

Following the completion of the move, the Port appraisal of the extensive material uncovered files, spanning over a century of Port history.

is ongoing to prioritise and catalogue these holdings, with the first phase focusing on making key series accessible, beginning with the Dublin Port & Docks Board Accounts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

This next step will transform the results of the decant into an enduring resource, ensuring that the documentary heritage of Dublin

approximately four kilometres of shelving. Work

DIVING BELL CELEBRATES 10 YEARS

As Dublin’s smallest museum, the Diving Bell on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, recently celebrated its 10th birthday, it’s important to reflect on what was the first in a series of capital projects which have helped to reintegrate Dublin Port with the city and people of the capital.

Reconfiguring the former Diving Bell as part of the Distributed Museum to allow public access wasn’t the biggest project in Dublin Port Company’s mission to reintegrate the Port and the city, but it was a very important one, kickstarting a programme of investment and community involvement that is still progressing very strongly today.

“After centuries of interdependence, the link between Dublin Port and Dublin City had weakened over decades,” explains James Kelleher, Head of Special Projects with the Port Heritage Team. “Where once there was no physical or perception barrier between the Port and the City, one emerged, and it was a problem for the Port and a cultural loss for the city.”

Dublin Port Company set out on an ambitious plan to rebuild what had been a natural connection through what it termed Soft Values, utilising cultural and heritage assets to re-integrate the Port and the people of Dublin.

The reconfiguring of the Diving Bell was the first major capital project as part of this programme. It required a multi-disciplinary approach by an architect-led design team of experts to realise a unique cultural and heritage installation on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, including MOLA Architecture and main contractor, Weslin Construction, who together created a unique installation which has added significantly to Dublin’s public realm.

The Diving Bell itself, dating from the 1870s, weighs more than 90 tonnes. It was an almost forgotten artefact from a previous era of massive Port expansion, a curiosity on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, which ironically, was one of the quay walls it was instrumental in building in the 19th century.

The Diving Bell was designed by a brilliant engineer, Bindon Blood Stoney. Men, mostly drawn from local communities, would climb the funnel from a purposebuilt barge, enter an air lock, with pickaxe and shovel, labour in the chamber below water level to prepare the river bed in advance of the lowering into place of massive 350 tonne precast concrete blocks. This was an innovative construction technique that Stoney pioneered.

The reconfiguration design raised the Diving Bell above ground level, allowing public access into a space below, giving visibility of the bell’s chamber. Sloping walkways in the cobble ground-scape guide a visitor downwards into a space beneath the bell’s chamber no bigger than a typical living room. This space is a mini museum with high quality interpretative panels that tell a fascinating narrative, animated with a water floor feature underfoot.

Besides the discovery of uncharted cables during excavations, one of the big challenges of the construction management was the careful lifting of all 90 tonnes of the Bell adjacent to a busy city thoroughfare, requiring crane lifts with road closures into the early hours. The funnel was removed and the Bell Chamber set aside within the site for sand blasting in-situ and decorative treatment of the cast iron chamber.

The local community around Pearse Street and Ringsend were involved in the scheme to reconfigure the Diving Bell, having initially been involved, along with Dublin Port Company staff, in saving the Diving Bell from disposal and scrappage and placing it on display in 2000 as part of a community project on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. “As a port community, we have a duty to preserve local history for future generations,” noted Betty Ashe of St. Andrew’s Resource Centre, Pearse Street, at the time. “I thank Dublin Port Company for sharing that vision and giving the Diving Bell a prominent place in the history books for this community and our city.”

The Diving Bell also formed the first part of Dublin Port’s Distributed Museum, which now includes the Maritime Garden and Crane 292 at Port Centre, The Pumphouse, and the Dublin Port Tolka Estuary Greenway.

“It’s still the jewel in the crown of our Distributed Museum,” James says, “and it’s still getting approximately 10,000 visitors every month.

“The Diving Bell was like a catalyst project, because it gave us confidence to try for more,” James continues. “Compared to the projects we deliver these days, it was very modest in terms of budget, but at the time, it was put through a lot of scrutiny. When it proved really successful with key stakeholders, especially with the communities around the Port, it in many ways paved the way for opening up Port Centre a couple of years later and all the other things that have happened since.”

James believes that the success of the Diving Bell gave DPC good ‘bona fides’ with state stakeholders, which has then grown with subsequent elements of the ‘Distributed Museum’.

“I think its project benefits have been wider than anybody ever anticipated,” he smiles. “The success of the Diving Bell brought a lot of goodwill, which then provided confidence, both externally with stakeholders and internally within Dublin Port Company, that the Port could be trusted with our industrial and built heritage.”

Indeed, James describes the Diving Bell as “the project that keeps giving”. While he admits that working on it was “probably the most intense six months

of my life in Dublin Port”, it was also a huge personal milestone, being the first Port related heritage scheme he project managed through all stages from inception to completion and aftercare.

“I had delivered plenty of projects before that, but none as interesting as that one, which combined heritage with community, with architectural flair and a great design ethic” he notes, admitting that the success of the Diving Bell project led directly to his becoming a key cog in Dublin Port Company’s Heritage Team in 2018, with the established of a new function in the organisation.

James recalls that a piece from Frank McNally in The Irish Times on September 4, 2015, played a key role in alerting the wider public to the existence of the Diving Bell, when he wrote that it packed “more fascination per square metre” than most of the other museums in the capital. The fact that it still receives upwards of 120,000 visitors each year is testament to its enduring appeal for Dubliners and visitors alike.

Originally used to build the city’s quay walls in the 19th century, the Diving Bell is a unique piece of engineering history that is now celebrating a decade as Dublin’s smallest museum, offering visitors a glimpse into the working life of the river and Port.

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A DIGITAL RECORD OF PORT LIFE

Pat Sweeney’s photographic collection has been digitised, with the support of Dublin Port Company, providing a lasting record of maritime life in Dublin.

Dublin Port Company supported the digitisation of the Sweeney photographic collection, a significant maritime archive bequeathed by Pat Sweeney to the National Maritime Museum of Ireland. Completed in 2025, Dublin Port funding enabled the scanning and indexing of 3,200 photographs, preserving an important legacy and opening it up for research and public access.

Pat Sweeney was a photographer, author and lifelong maritime enthusiast whose work captured the ships and dockside life that shaped Dublin’s waterfront. Born in Greenock, he grew up watching the River Clyde and sketching vessels in detail. After the Second World War, he settled in Dublin with his

mother, and Dublin Port became a point of reference in both his working life and routine.

Alongside his photography practice, Pat built up a substantial body of work documenting vessels and the changing port landscape. He was involved with the Maritime Institute of Ireland, serving as President and producing its newsletter, and he published Liffey Ships and Shipbuilding (Mercier Press, 2010), launched in Dublin Port Company’s offices.

Pat’s bequest of photographic negatives, slides and log books to the National Maritime Museum of Ireland now stands as a lasting record of maritime life, and a foundation for research, interpretation and public access.

A RICH VISUAL RECORD

Pat Sweeney’s photographs form a rich visual record of ships, shipping, and port-related life. Rooted in traditional film photography and built over years of close observation, the collection captures not only individual vessels but also the wider maritime world that surrounded them: working quays, changing waterfronts, the movement of people and goods, and the everyday rhythms that defined the docks.

As a body of work, it offers an invaluable resource for anyone interested in maritime history, industrial heritage, and Dublin Port’s relationship with the city and the sea.

Digitisation is a practical investment in both preservation and access. High-quality scanning creates durable digital surrogates, reducing the need to handle original negatives and slides, while indexing makes the content discoverable, turning thousands of images into a usable, searchable resource rather than a hidden archive. In short, this work helps ensure the collection can be used confidently by curators, researchers, educators, community historians, and members of the public, now and into the future.

PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM OF IRELAND

This project also sits within a wider, ongoing partnership between Dublin Port Company and the National Maritime Museum of Ireland, built around a shared commitment to safeguarding and activating Ireland’s maritime heritage.

Over time, Dublin Port has supported the museum across multiple initiatives, with the Sweeney digitisation project representing one of the most substantial recent examples. That broader collaboration has included support for other heritage priorities and collection-focused projects, such as the Caption Robert Halpin exhibition (2022), celebrating

the legendary master mariner from Wicklow who played a critical role in the laying of the first transatlantic cable from Valentia Island to Newfoundland, and the ‘RMS Leinster WW1’ art exhibition (2018) in collaboration with local artist Philip Murphy.

THE 200 YEAR HISTORY OF THE NORTH BULL WALL & THE BULL ISLAND

Dublin’s North Bull Wall celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2025. Lar Joye, Heritage Director, Dublin Port Company, looks back over its history and enduring impact on the city and Port of Dublin.

In 1795, the Great South Wall was finally completed after 80 years of construction but the challenges of Dublin Bay, the sand bar at the mouth of the Liffey and ships getting into Dublin Port in bad weather continued, which led to the establishment of Dublin Port’s Lifeboat Service. This service operated stations at Clontarf (1801), Sandycove (1803), Sutton (1805), Pidgeon House Harbour (1815), and at Howth (1816), until taken over by the RNLI in 1862.

Also, from 1817 to 1842, a shelter or refuge harbour for ships to go to in bad weather was built in Dun Laoghaire, which was renamed Kingstown in 1820 after the visit of King George IV.

In 1801, The British Government created a new government body called the Directors General of Inland Navigation to see how Dublin Port could be improved and be better integrated with the Grand and Royal Canals at a national level. The new Directors asked engineers Thomas Hyde Page, Captain Daniel Corneille, John Rennie and surveyor Captain William Bligh for their advice.

In the final report in 1801, which is in the Dublin Port Archive, there were different solutions to the age-old problem of Dublin Port’s shallowness and silting. Hyde Page proposed (Figure 1) that a ship canal be built from the Grand Canal to Sandycove, along with a series of breakwaters around Dublin Bay.

Bligh was against a canal and suggested (Figure 2) that a long sea wall be built in parallel to the Great South Wall. Often, when we give tours of the Port, visitors will tell us that Bligh built the Great South Wall and the North Bull Wall; however, he did neither. After facing the infamous munity on the Bounty, he returned to London, serving on various Royal Navy Ships and then spent three months in Dublin, were he expertly surveyed Dublin Bay, the map of which is also in the Port Archive. After leaving Dublin, Bligh returned to Australia as Governor of New South Wales in 1806, where his

management skills were tested again. Sadly, while he was an expert surveyor, he faced another mutiny when the colonists rose up against him in 1808.

John Rennie warned in his report, making reference to the 1798 Rebellion, that unless the problem of silting in the Port was fixed “the spirited inhabitants of Dublin will be prevented from sharing the commercial advantages of the British Empire” and suggested a ship canal to Sandycove (Figure 3) .

Finally, Captain Daniel Corneille proposed building a pier or embankment from Clontarf (Figure 4)

WORK BEGINS UNDER GEORGE HALPIN

Despite such a detailed report, nothing happened and like many such reports today, it remained on the shelf and it was not until the Dublin Port Authority, then known as the Corporation for Preserving and Improving the Port of Dublin, was able to sell the Pidgeon House Harbour to the British Army as a fort, that they had the funds to build a new wall.

George Halpin had been appointed the Port’s Inspector of Works, essentially the Port Engineer, in 1800, a role he held until his death in July 1854. In 1810, for some unknown reason, the British government decided that Dublin Port was now responsible for Lighthouses in Ireland and Halpin, in addition to his role in Dublin Port, was to be involved in the designing or supervising the

construction of 58 lighthouses around Ireland. The responsibility for lighthouses was taken over in 1867 by the Commissioners of Irish lights.

In 1818, Halpin proposed that they look at Corneille’s proposal again and he commissioned surveyor Francis Giles to carry out a new survey and based on this survey, the Port authorities approached the local landlord, the Vernon family of Clontarf Castle, to purchase foreshore that would be needed to build the wall. John Vernon, as Quartermaster General of Oliver Cromwell’s army, had been awarded the land in 1649, with the family living there until 1933 and indeed, Clontarf Castle is now a popular hotel and conference centre.

In September 1819, work began on the wooden bridge to connect the new wall to Clontarf, which was completed in 1821. Then, using many local quarries in Howth, the North Bull Wall was built in stages, with a total length of 2,743 metres (9,000 feet) finally completed in 1825. The last 610 metres was built at a lower level to prevent damaging the wall during spring tides, when the weight of water held to the west of the wall could have damaged it.

CREATING A TIDAL SCOUR

Almost immediately, the wall proved to be successful; as Halpin had planned, the effect of the two sea walls created a tidal scour, which increased the depth of the channel, something that our modern Port still relies upon today. An assistant engineer at Dublin Port John Mann wrote a book in 1881 entitled ‘River Bars’ where he showed that the effect of the two walls had increased the depth of water by 3 metres and had moved the sand bar further into the bay (Figure 5) . Today, the walls are protected National Monuments, along with the Poolbeg Lighthouse.

Very quickly, the North Bull wall accumulated sand on the seaward side of the wall, which became known as the Clontarf bank in the 1830s and eventually Dollymount Strand. The first trams arrived in 1873, turning Dollymount into a weekend destination for Victorian

swimmers, and bathing boxes appeared on the beach to allow swimmers to change. Over time, Dollymount Strand grew into Bull Island and in 1880 a lighthouse at the end of the wall was lit for the first time.

Bull Island was ideal for sporting events and in June 1880, an Irish rifle team lost against a US rifle team on the 1,000 metre rifle range and according to the New York Times, it appeared that the whole population of Dublin “had transferred itself in one mass to the range at Dollymount”. In 1899, Royal Dublin Golf Club moved to the island from Phoenix Park and in 1921, a second gold club, St Annes, was founded, named after the nearby Guinness family’s estate.

DURING THE WARS

During World War One (1914-1918) and the Emergency (1939-1945), the North Bull Wall was taken over by the military. The British Army had a training camp there, with rifle ranges and a school of musketry, while the Irish Army established a camp and placed a 12-pounder coastal artillery gun at the end of the wall, which fired on a number of ships that had not been precleared to enter the Port during the war.

In 1972, the statue of Our Lady Star of the Sea was built by a committee of port workers at the same position. In 1931, Bull Island was designated a bird sanctuary and in 1981 UNESCO declared the island a Biosphere, with Dublin City Council opening an interpretive centre in 1986, now

closed. In 2015, the Biosphere was expanded to cover Dublin Bay, spreading out over 300 square kilometres, and Dublin Port, along with the local county councils around Dublin Bay, developed the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Strategy.

The building of the North Bull Wall 200 years ago has had a dramatic impact on the City, the Bay and Dublin Port and is an essential part of our national infrastructure.

Keeping supply chains flowing

In a world of change

TIDE TABLES

Dublin (North Wall)

JANUARY 2026

1 Thu 09:25 21:48 3.86 3.91 02:45 15:11 1.02 1.02 08:4016:16

2 Fri 10:18 22:45 4.03 4.00 03:41 16:07 0.92 0.81 08:3916:17

3 Sat 11:09 23:37 4.17 4.04 04:30 16:58 0.84 0.62 08:3916:19

4 Sun 11:554.2605:16 17:47 0.80 0.49 08:3916:20

5 Mon 00:26 12:41 4.02 4.28 05:59 18:33 0.80 0.45 08:3916:21

6 Tue 01:13 13:27 3.94 4.25 06:42 19:21 0.86 0.49 08:3816:22

7 Wed 02:00 14:14 3.83 4.16 07:27 20:09 0.96 0.60 08:3816:24

8 Thu 02:48 15:03 3.69 4.03 08:14 20:57 1.09 0.77 08:3716:25

9 Fri 03:38 15:53 3.54 3.87 09:05 21:48 1.25 0.97 08:3716:27

10 Sat 04:31 16:48 3.42 3.69 10:00 22:41 1.41

TIDE TABLES

(North Wall)

MARCH 2026

1 Sun 10:09 22:44 3.85 3.72 03:35 16:00 1.15 0.69 07:1318:02

2 Mon 10:57 23:27 4.02 3.79 04:19 16:43 0.92 0.48 07:1118:04

4 Wed 00:02 12:12 3.80 4.12 05:31 17:57 0.64 0.34 07:0618:07

5 Thu 00:30 12:42 3.77 4.08 06:03 18:32 0.59 0.41 07:0418:09

6 Fri 00:57 13:15 3.74 4.00 06:37 19:06 0.61 0.53 07:0118:11

7 Sat 01:29 13:52 3.70 3.88 07:12 19:42 0.69 0.71 06:5918:13

8 Sun 02:04 14:31 3.64 3.72 07:51 20:19 0.82 0.92 06:5718:15

9 Mon 02:42 15:14 3.54 3.52 08:33 21:00 1.01 1.16 06:5418:17 10 Tue 03:24 16:03 3.40 3.28 09:21 21:47 1.23

0.96 1.18 06:4520:10

8 Wed 03:52 16:34 3.49 3.25 09:51 22:10 1.15 1.41 06:4220:12

9 Thu 04:41 17:34 3.32 3.06 10:52 23:13 1.34 1.63 06:4020:13

TIDE TABLES

Dublin (North Wall)

MAY 2026

1 Fri 00:13 12:31 3.67 3.82 05:48 18:08 0.81 0.70 05:5120:53

2 Sat 00:38 13:00 3.70 3.77 06:23 18:40 0.78 0.77 05:4920:55

3

4 Mon 01:34 14:06 3.74 3.64 07:31 19:44 0.84 0.95 05:4520:58

5 Tue 02:09 14:45 3.73 3.55 08:07 20:18 0.92 1.07 05:4321:00

6 Wed 02:48 15:27 3.68 3.43 08:47 20:59 1.01 1.21 05:4121:02

7

8 Fri 04:19 17:08 3.46 3.18 10:27 22:43 1.22 1.51 05:3721:05

10 Sun 06:18 19:24 3.26 3.12 12:371.27

POWERING IRELAND’S OLYMPIC SUCCESS

TIDE TABLES

Dublin (North Wall)

JULY 2026

1 Wed 00:57 13:30 3.84 3.59 07:00 19:03 1.04 1.09 05:0021:56

2 Thu 01:30 14:04 3.87 3.60 07:31 19:35 0.99 1.06 05:0121:55

3 Fri 02:06 14:42 3.89 3.60 08:03 20:11 0.95 1.06 05:0221:55

4 Sat 02:46 15:22 3.88 3.59 08:41 20:51 0.91 1.07 05:0321:54

5 Sun 03:30 16:05 3.87 3.57 09:24 21:35 0.89 1.11 05:0321:54

6 Mon 04:15 16:51 3.83 3.53 10:10 22:23 0.89 1.16 05:0421:53

7 Tue 05:03 17:42 3.78 3.48 11:00 23:16 0.93 1.22 05:0521:52

8 Wed 05:56 18:39 3.71 3.45 11:551.00 05:0621:52 9

Fri 08:02 20:47 3.63 3.53 01:20 14:03 1.29

1.33 1.33 05:5321:06

1.48 1.53 06:1920:33 25 Tue 11:04 23:05 3.47 3.76 04:38 16:43 1.26 1.33 06:2120:31 26 Wed 11:42 23:40 3.60 3.89 05:12 17:15 1.05 1.13 06:2220:29 27 Thu 12:133.71 05:39 17:43 0.87 0.95 06:2420:27

28 Fri 00:10 12:41 4.00 3.78 06:04 18:10 0.71 0.80 06:2620:24

29 Sat 00:39 13:09 4.09 3.85 06:30 18:39 0.59 0.69 06:2820:22

30 Sun 01:10 13:40 4.15 3.90 07:00 19:12 0.51 0.63 06:2920:20

31 Mon 01:46 14:16 4.18 3.91 07:35 19:48 0.50 0.64 06:3120:17

TIDE TABLES

(North Wall)

SEPTEMBER 2026

1 Tue 02:26 14:57 4.15 3.88 08:15 20:30 0.57 0.72 06:3320:15

2 Wed 03:10 15:42 4.06 3.80 08:59 21:18 0.72 0.87 06:3520:13

3

4 Fri 04:56 17:31 3.70 3.52 10:48 23:22 1.21 1.29 06:3820:08

5 Sat 06:06 18:47 3.48 3.4212:021.46 06:4020:05

6 Sun 07:40 20:17 3.37 3.47 00:47 13:31 1.40 1.56 06:4120:03

7

8 Tue 10:20 22:33 3.63 3.90 03:34 16:00 1.05 1.23 06:4519:58

9

TIDE TABLES

Dublin (North Wall)

NOVEMBER 2026

1

2

3

5

6

7

8

9 Mon 11:27 23:41 3.91 3.95 04:50 17:05 0.77 0.90 07:3716:38 10 Tue 11:543.9205:24 17:42 0.84 0.91 07:3916:37

DECEMBER 2026

1.07 1.09 08:2516:07

9 Wed 11:373.9405:06 17:31 1.08 1.06 08:2716:06

10 Thu 00:00 12:09 3.74 3.96 05:40 18:08 1.10 1.05

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

JANUARY 2026

1 Thu 09:16 21:39 4.79 4.86 03:11 15:43 1.00 1.00 08:4416:13

2 Fri 10:09 22:36 5.01 4.97 04:19 16:49 0.88 0.73 08:4416:14

3 Sat 11:00 23:28 5.19 5.03 05:14 17:43 0.78 0.50 08:4316:16

4 Sun 11:46 5.30 06:01 18:31 0.72 0.34 08:4316:17

5 Mon 00:17 12:32 5.00 5.34 06:42 19:13 0.73 0.28 08:4316:18

6 Tue 01:04 13:18 4.90 5.29 07:21 19:55 0.80 0.33 08:4216:19

7 Wed 01:51 14:05 4.75 5.18 08:00 20:35 0.93 0.47 08:4216:21

8 Thu 02:39 14:54 4.57 5.01 08:39 21:15 1.09 0.68 08:4116:22

9 Fri 03:29 15:44 4.39 4.80 09:22 21:58 1.28 0.94 08:4116:24

10 Sat 04:22 16:39 4.22 4.57 10:08 22:45 1.48 1.21

FEBRUARY 2026

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

MARCH 2026

1 Sun 10:00 22:35 4.78 4.61 04:12 16:41 1.16 0.59 07:1418:01

2 Mon 10:48 23:18 5.00 4.70 05:02 17:28 0.88 0.32 07:1218:03

3 Tue 11:28 23:53 5.11 4.71 05:42 18:06 0.66 0.18 07:1018:05

4 Wed 12:035.13 06:15 18:40 0.52 0.15 07:0718:07

5 Thu 00:21 12:33 4.68 5.08 06:46 19:12 0.47 0.23 07:0518:09

6 Fri 00:48 13:06 4.63 4.97 07:16 19:42 0.49 0.39 07:0218:11

7 Sat 01:20 13:43 4.58 4.82 07:47 20:12 0.58 0.61 07:0018:13

8 Sun 01:55 14:22 4.50 4.62 08:20 20:43 0.75 0.87 06:5818:15

9 Mon 02:33 15:05 4.38 4.35 08:55 21:17 0.98 1.18 06:5518:17

10 Tue 03:15 15:54 4.20 4.05 09:35 21:57 1.27

06:4420:11

8 Wed 03:43 16:25 4.31 4.01 10:10 22:26 1.17 1.48 06:4220:13

9 Thu 04:32 17:25 4.09 3.76 11:02 23:20 1.41 1.76 06:3920:15

Fri 05:33 18:51 3.87 3.6212:091.56 06:3720:17

Sat 07:01 20:12 3.78 3.70 00:33 13:25 1.91 1.54 06:3520:19

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

1 Fri 00:04 12:22 4.55 4.74 06:33 18:53 0.74 0.60 05:4920:56

2 Sat 00:29 12:51 4.58 4.67 07:08 19:24 0.70 0.69 05:4720:58

3 Sun 00:54 13:23 4.62 4.60 07:40 19:54 0.71 0.79 05:4521:00

4 Mon 01:25 13:57 4.64 4.50 08:11 20:23 0.77 0.92 05:4321:01

5 Tue 02:00 14:36 4.63 4.39 08:43 20:52 0.87 1.07 05:4121:03

6 Wed 02:39 15:18 4.56 4.24 09:17 21:27 0.99 1.24 05:3921:05

7 Thu 03:21 16:05 4.44 4.08 09:55 22:05 1.13 1.43 05:3721:07

8 Fri 04:10 16:59 4.27 3.91 10:40 22:54 1.26 1.61 05:3521:09

9 Sat 05:05 18:04 4.11 3.81 11:36 23:54 1.33 1.72 05:3321:10

10 Sun 06:09 19:15 4.03 3.8412:371.31 05:3221:12

1.08 1.45 04:5521:53

8 Mon 05:30 18:18 4.38 4.08 11:491.07 04:5521:54

9 Tue 06:27 19:18 4.37 4.13 00:05 12:45 1.47 1.03 04:5421:54

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

JULY 2026

1 Wed 00:48 13:21 4.77 4.44 07:43 19:46 1.03 1.08 04:5722:00

2 Thu 01:21 13:55 4.81 4.45 08:11 20:15 0.97 1.05 04:5722:00

3 Fri 01:57 14:33 4.83 4.46 08:39 20:46 0.91 1.05 04:5821:59

4 Sat 02:37 15:13 4.82 4.45 09:12 21:20 0.86 1.06 04:5921:59

5 Sun 03:21 15:56 4.80 4.42 09:48 21:57 0.83 1.11 05:0021:58

6 Mon 04:06 16:42 4.75 4.37 10:26 22:37 0.84 1.17 05:0121:58

7 Tue 04:54 17:33 4.68 4.31 11:08 23:22 0.89 1.25 05:0221:57

8 Wed 05:47 18:30 4.60 4.26 11:580.97 05:0321:56

9 Thu 06:46 19:32 4.53 4.27 00:16 12:57 1.32 1.06 05:0421:55 10 Fri 07:53 20:38 4.50 4.37 01:20 14:08 1.33 1.10 05:0521:55

5

16:54 4.84 4.45 10:35 22:50 0.83 1.11 05:4421:16 6 Thu 05:12 17:51 4.66 4.31 11:23 23:44 1.05 1.30 05:4621:14 7 Fri 06:14 18:59 4.46 4.2212:221.29 05:4821:12 8 Sat 07:33 20:18 4.32 4.28 00:54 13:42 1.43 1.43 05:4921:10 9 Sun 08:57 21:30 4.36 4.50 02:23 15:16 1.39 1.38 05:5121:08

Thu 12:044.59 06:23 18:28 0.81 0.91 06:2320:29

Fri 00:01 12:32 4.97 4.69 06:49 18:55 0.61 0.73 06:2520:26

Sat 00:30 13:00 5.08 4.78 07:14 19:23 0.46 0.59 06:2720:24

Sun 01:01 13:31 5.17 4.84 07:43 19:54 0.36 0.52 06:2920:21

Mon 01:37 14:07 5.20 4.86 08:15 20:26 0.35 0.53 06:3020:19

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

SEPTEMBER 2026

1 Tue 02:17 14:48 5.17 4.82 08:49 21:02 0.44 0.63 06:3220:17

2 Wed 03:01 15:33 5.05 4.71 09:27 21:43 0.63 0.82 06:3420:14

3 Thu 03:51 16:23 4.85 4.54 10:09 22:29 0.91 1.07 06:3620:12

4 Fri 04:47 17:22 4.58 4.35 10:58 23:28 1.24 1.33 06:3720:09

5 Sat 05:57 18:38 4.30 4.2212:041.54 06:3920:07

6 Sun 07:31 20:08 4.16 4.29 00:47 13:32 1.48 1.67 06:4120:04

7 Mon 09:00 21:24 4.26 4.54 02:25 15:12 1.37 1.55 06:4320:02

8 Tue 10:11 22:24 4.50 4.85 03:57 16:29 1.04 1.27 06:4520:00

9 Wed 11:06 23:15 4.71 5.11 05:07 17:27 0.65 0.97 06:4619:57

10 Thu 11:51 23:57 4.85 5.26 06:00 18:13 0.34

TIDE TABLES

Dundalk (Soldiers Point)

NOVEMBER 2026

1

5

6

7

8

9 Mon 11:18 23:32 4.86 4.90 05:35 17:50 0.68 0.86 07:4016:37 10 Tue 11:454.8706:09 18:26 0.77 0.86 07:4216:35

DECEMBER 2026

Wed 11:28 23:51 4.89 4.63 05:51 18:15 1.08 1.05 08:3116:03

Thu 12:004.92 06:24 18:50 1.10 1.03 08:3216:03

Thu 05:09 17:26 4.37 4.72 10:46 23:28 1.51 1.14 08:4416:12

HEAVY LIFTING ENGINEERS

Gabriel O’Brien Crane Hire Ltd is Ireland’s largest and longest-running crane hire company, with over 50 years of experience. We combine modern engineering expertise with decades of industry knowledge.

Our fleet includes mobile, crawler, and lattice boom cranes, trucks, trailers, and Ireland’s only SPMT. We provide full lift-and-shift solutions across Ireland and the UK. We offer:

• Mobile cranes (35–1200 tonnes)

• LG1750 lattice boom crane

• Crawler cranes (60–600 tonnes)

• 3.5 tonne spider cranes

Available 24/7, we deliver end-to-end service, from free site inspections to detailed lift planning with fully qualified staff and unmatched attention to detail.

Trusted by some of Europe’s top contractors, we’re ready to support your next project - any time, anywhere.

Paddingstown, Clonee, Co. Meath, D15 X4EY Tel: 01 - 459 5500 | E: info@gobriencranes.ie www.gobriencranes.ie

RO-RO TERMINALS

T1 Irish FerriesBerth No.49

Length 210m

Depth at L.A.T. 9.1 standard

T1 Irish FerriesBerth No. 51A

Length 180m

Depth at L.A.T. 7.7m standard

T1 Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

No. 5 ramp

Two Tier Ramp

Upper Deck

Length of Shore Ramp 43m

Width of Shore Ramp 10.8m

Maximum Vehicle Load 40 tonnes

Lower Deck

Length of Shore Ramp 40m

Width of Shore Ramp 20m

Maximum Vehicle Load 180 tonnes

No. 9 ramp

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 45m

Width of Ramp 20m

Maximum Vehicle Load 180 tonnes

1 607 5700 www.irishferries.com

Details as aboveDetails as above00 44 8722 992992* www.steam-packet.com

T2 Stena LineBerth No. 51

Length 200m

Depth at L.A.T. 7.8m standard

Ramp No. 1

Two Tier Ramp

Upper Deck

Length of Shore Ramp 49m

Width of Shore Ramp 12m

Maximum Vehicle Load 40 tonnes

Lower Deck

Length of Shore Ramp 46m

Width of Shore Ramp 20m

Maximum Vehicle Load 180 tonnes +353 1 704 7131 www.stenalinefreight.com

* Calls to this number are charged at 11 pence per minute, plus your telephone company’s access charge.

Note: Depths must be verified against latest Harbour soundings on DPC webpage. For more information please see: https://www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/soundings/

RO-RO TERMINALS

T4

CLdNBerth No. 26

Length 240m

Depth at L.A.T. 6.8m Standard Depth

T4

CLdNBerth No. 27

Length 240m

Depth at L.A.T. 6.8m Standard Depth

Ramp No. 7

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 60m

Width of Shore Ramp 30m at ship end

Maximum Vehicle Load 220 tonnes

Ramp No. 8

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 60m

Width of Shore Ramp 30m at ship end

Maximum Vehicle Load 220 tonnes

+353 1 823 0492 www.cldn.com

+353 1 823 0492 www.cldn.com

T5

CLdNBerth No. 52

Length 200m

Depth at L.A.T 7.9m Standard Depth

T5

Stena LineBerth No. 52

Length 200m

Depth at L.A.T. 7.9m standard

Ramp No. 7

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 35m

Width of Shore Ramp 20m at ship end

Max Vehicle Load 180 tonnes

Ramp No. 7

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 35m

Width of Shore Ramp 20m at ship end

Maximum Vehicle Load 180 tonnes

+353 1 823 0492 www.cldn.com

Ocean Pier

CLdNBerth No. 36/37

Length 200m

Depth at L.A.T. 10.3m Standard Depth

Ramp No. 2

Single Tier Ramp

Length of Shore Ramp 60m Floating Linkspan

Width of Shore Ramp 31m

Maximum Vehicle Load 200 tonnes

+353 1 704 7131 www.stenalinefreight. com

+353 1 856 1608 www.cldn.com

Actual depths for all berths will be less than standard depths and these latest sounded depths are available from the Harbour Masters office

Note: Depths must be verified against latest Harbour soundings on DPC webpage. For more information please see: https://www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/soundings/

LO-LO TERMINALS

TerminalOperatorBerthDetailsFacilityDetailsContactDetails

Dublin Ferryport Terminals

Marine Terminals Ltd

DFTBerth No’s 50 & 50A

Total Berth Lengths 530m

Depth at L.A.T. 9.50-11.00m standard

MTLBerth No’s 41,42,43,44,45

Total Berth Lengths 630m

Depth at L.A.T. 8.50-11.00m standard

Cranes

3 x 40 tonnes STS gantry cranes

Secondary Handling equipment

12 x 40 tonnes RTG cranes

2 x 45 tonnes Reachstacker

4 x 18 tonne Empty Container Handlers

325 Reefer points

Cranes

3 x 40 tonne Ship to Shore Gantry

Second-handling equipment

4 x 40 tonne RMG

Reefer Points 330

4 x Empty Container Handler

1 x Reachstacker

1 607 5713 info@dft.ie

Ocean Pier Doyle Shipping Group (DSG)

Berth No.’s 32,33,38,39,40

Total Berth Length 770m

Depth at L.A.T. 8.9-10.3

9 Shunts & Trailers +353 1 618 5400 www.peelports.com

Cranes

1 x STS 45 Ton Panamax Capacity

3 x 400 mobile (104 tonnes SWL)

2 x 250 mobile (65 tonnes SWL)

12 x RTG’s

Second-handling equipment

4 reachstackers

48 Terminal Tractors

18 Novatech Flexmasters

Reefer points 336

Warehousing 300,000sq feet

+353 1 819 2600 www.doyleshipping.ie

Note: Depths must be verified against latest Harbour soundings on DPC webpage. For more information please see: https://www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/soundings/

OVER 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND INTEGRITY IN THE PROCESS AND ENERGY SECTOR

Solutions tailored to your needs

BULK

South Bank Quay

Liquid Bulk

Alexandra Basin East

2 x 400 mobile (104 tonnes SWL) 1 x 420 mobile (120 tonnes SWL) 2 x 250 mobile (65 tonnes SWL)

User Berth 46 & 47Cranes

1 x 250 mobile (65 tonnes SWL) 1 x 280 mobile (84 tonnes SWL)

User Berths Oil No’s 1, 2, 3 & 4 30 Hectare oil zone storage capacity 330,000 tonnes facilities for handling oil products, bitumen and liquid petroleum gases linked to a common user pipe line system.

User Berths 38, 39, 40Cranes

2 x 400 mobile (104 tonnes SWL)

1 x 420 mobile (120 tonnes SWL)

2 x 250 mobile (65 tonnes SWL) 1 x Container Gantry (40 tonne SWL)

CRUISE

Cruise Tourism VariousBerth 18 Length 200m Depth 6.5m Smaller vessels can berth West of Tom Clarke Bridge close to the city.

1 887 6000 www.dublinport.ie

Note: Depths must be verified against latest Harbour soundings on DPC webpage. For more information please see: https://www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/soundings/

RO-RO SCHEDULE

IRISH FERRIES

Ulysses (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 (0)818 22 15 60

Swift *seasonal (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 (0)818 22 15 60

Isle of Inisheer (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 (0)818 22 15 60

W.B. Yeats (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 (0)818 22 15 60

STENA LINE

Holyhead2Visit www. irishferriesfreight. com Visit www. irishferriesfreight. com

Holyhead2Visit www. irishferriesfreight. com

check website for schedule (As Inisheer operates a hybrid schedule)

Cherbourg check website for schedule (As W.B. Yeats changes scheduled days during the summer)

1

Stena Estrid (Passengers & Freight)

Freight Tel: +44 870 8503535

Passengers Tel: +353 1 907 5555

Stena Adventurer (Passengers & Freight)

Freight Tel: +44 870 8503535

Passengers Tel: +353 1 907 5555

Stena Horizon *temporarily

Freight Tel: +44 870 8503535

Passengers Tel: +353 1 907 5555

Terminal 1 Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 P3K2

Terminal 2 Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 WD28

Terminal 4

Tolka Quay Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 Y6X8

Terminal 5 Alexandra Road Extension, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 AC93

Ocean Pier Branch Road North, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1

The above schedules are subject to change and should be checked with the ferry company at the time of booking

RO-RO SCHEDULE

ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET COMPANY

Fast Craft Tel: 00 44 8722 992992*

(* Calls to this number are charged at 11 pence per minute, plus your telephone company’s access charge.)

Zeebrugge2 sailings per week

(Tue to Sun)12.30 (Mon to Sat)Terminal

(Thursday) 08.00 (Sunday)

(Friday)

(Sunday)

Rotterdam3 sailings per week 10.00 (Monday) 05.00 (Thursday) 14.00 (Saturday) 13.00 (Tuesday) 21.00 (Saturday)

Santander2 sailings per week 20.00 (Monday) 08.00 (Friday) 02.00 (Tuesday) 14.00 (Friday)

Terminal 1 Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 P3K2

Terminal 2 Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 WD28

Terminal 4

Tolka Quay Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 Y6X8

Terminal 5 Alexandra Road Extension, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 AC93

Ocean Pier Branch Road North, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1

The above schedules are subject to change and should be checked with the ferry company at the time of booking.

LO-LO SCHEDULE

EUROPEAN

IRISH SEA

ENNISSAFETY WEARLTD

EnnisSafetyWearLtdwasestablishedprimarilytoserveDublinPort,itsassociatedcompanies,and providers.WespecializeinsourcingandstockingawiderangeofPPEequipmentandworkwear essentialforoperationswithinthePort.Ourinventoryincludesworkwear,ArcFlashPPE,height safetyequipment,lifejackets,andmore.Currently,weofferupto13,500productsandcontinueto expandourselection,allofwhichcanbeviewedonourwebsite: www.esw.ie

EnnisSafetyWearalsoembroider/printinhouseforallyourworkwear.Wehavearangeof discountsapplicabletoanyoneworkinginDublinPortforpersonalleisurewear.

Wehavetheknowledgeoftheenvironmentandregularlyhelp companiestoensuretheyaresuppliedwithessentialPPEand equipment,explainsAngelaEnnis,ManagingDirector.

EnnisSafetyWearisanIrishbusinesswithexperience workingwithDublinPort.“Asacompanywevalue integrityandexcellenceinquality,whichweendeavour todeliver,throughexcellentservicetoourcustomers,” Angelareveals.“Ourmissionistomakeworklifesafer, bysourcingtherightsolutionsforPPE.Wealsosupply branded,corporateandleisurewear.”

For all your workwear &

PASSENGER SCHEDULE

IRISH FERRIES

Ulysses (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 818 300 400

Dublin Swift (Passengers) Tel: +353 818 300 400

W.B. Yeats (Passenger & Freight)

Tel: +353 818 300 400

W.B. Yeats (Passenger & Freight) Tel: +353 818 300 400

STENA LINE

Stena Estrid (Passengers & Freight) Freight Tel: +44 870 8503535

+353 1 907 5555

Stena Adventurer (Passengers & Freight) Freight Tel: +44 870 8503535

Passengers Tel: +353 1 907 5555

ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET COMPANY

Fastcraft Manannan

Tel: 0044 8722 992 992**

Terminal 1

Terminal 2

Terminal 4

Terminal 5

Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 P3K2

Ferryport, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 WD28

Tolka Quay Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 Y6X8

Alexandra Road Extension, Dublin Port, Dublin 1, D01 AC93

Ocean Pier Branch Road North, Alexandra Road, Dublin Port, Dublin 1

The above schedules are subject to change and should be checked with the ferry company at the time of booking.

** Calls to this number are charged at 11 pence per minute, plus your telephone company’s access charge.

Established Since 1988.

•Pipe Fabrication

•Site Erection

•Vessel and Tank Fabrication

•Mechanical Services

•Industrial Maintenance

•Coded Welding

•Marine Loading Arms

•Latest 3D Software

•3D Laser Scanning

•BIM/VDC Integrated Workflows

•Heavy Lift Engineers

•Off Site Manufacturing

•Modular Process Piping Skids

DM Mechanical & Pipe Installations Ltd. specializes in all Mechanical aspects of the oil, gas, power food and port-based industries.

In additional to our maintenance expertise, we also construct large turn key projects to a high degree of tolerance, as per our customer’s requirements. These systems have been installed by our highly qualified tradesmen, all over Ireland.

Maintenance Contractor and Mechanical Services provider to the petrochemical industry in Dublin port and throughout Ireland.

Mechanical contractor to Dublin Port company. 24 hours call out serviices provided.

January 2025

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M 4 111825 T 5121926 W 6132027 T 7142128 F 18152229 S 29162330 S 310172431

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M 310 17 2431 T 4111825 W 5121926 T 6132027 F 7142128

S 18152229 S 29162330

September 2025

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M 18152229 T 29162330 W 3101724 T 4111825 F 5121926

S 6132027 S 7142128

April 2025

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M 714 21 28

T 18152229 W 29162330 T 3101724 F 4111825

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October 2025

Week4041424344 M 61320 27 T 7142128 W 18152229 T 29162330 F 310172431

S 4111825 S 5121926

May 2025

Week1819202122

M 5 121926 T 6132027 W 7142128 T 18152229 F 29162330

S 310172431 S 4111825

November 2025

Week4445464748 M 3101724 T 4111825 W 5121926 T 6132027 F 7142128 S 18152229 S 29162330

June 2025

Week222324252627

M 2 9162330 T 3101724 W 4111825 T 5121926 F 6132027 S 7142128 S 18152229

December 2025

Week495051521 M 18152229 T 29162330 W 310172431 T 41118 25 F 51219 26 S 6132027 S 7142128

January 2026

Week12345

M 5121926

T 6132027

W 7142128 T 1 8152229

F 29162330

S 310172431 S 4111825

July 2026

Week2728293031

M 6132027

T 7142128 W 18152229 T 29162330 F 310172431

S 4111825 S 5121926

February 2026 Week56789

M 2 91623 T 3101724 W 4111825 T 5121926 F 6132027 S 7142128 S 181522

August 2026

Week313233343536

M 3 10172431

T 4111825 W 5121926 T 6132027 F 7142128 S 18152229 S 29162330

March 2026 Week91011121314 M 29162330 T 310 17 2431 W 4111825 T 5121926 F 6132027 S 7142128 S 18152229

September 2026 Week3637383940 M 7142128 T 18152229 W 29162330 T 3101724 F 4111825 S 5121926 S 6132027

April 2026 Week1415161718

M 6 132027 T 7142128 W 18152229 T 29162330 F 3101724

S 4111825 S 5121926

October 2026 Week4041424344 M 51219 26 T 6132027 W 7142128 T 18152229 F 29162330 S 310172431 S 4111825

May 2026

Week1819202122

M 4 111825 T 5121926 W 6132027 T 7142128 F 18152229 S 29162330 S 310172431

November 2026 Week444546474849

M 29162330 T 3101724 W 4111825 T 5121926 F 6132027 S 7142128 S 18152229

June 2026

Week2324252627

December 2026

Week495051521

M 7142128

T 18152229 W 29162330 T 310172431 F 41118 25 S 51219 26 S 6132027

M 1 8152229 T 29162330 W 3101724 T 4111825 F 5121926 S 6132027 S 7142128 2027

January 2027

Week12345

T 5121926 W 6132027

T 7142128

F 1 8152229

S 29162330 S 310172431 M 4111825

July 2027 Week2728293031 T 6132027 W 7142128 T 18152229 F 29162330 S 310172431 S 4111825 M 5121926

February 2027 Week56789 T 291623 W 3101724 T 4111825 F 5121926 S 6132027 S 7142128 M 1 81522

August 2027

Week313233343536 T 310172431 W 4111825 T 5121926 F 6132027 S 7142128 S 18152229 M 2 9162330

March 2027

Week91011121314 T 29162330 W 310 17 2431 T 4111825 F 5121926 S 6132027 S 7142128

April 2027 Week1415161718 T 6132027 W 7142128 T 18152229 F 29162330 S 3101724 S 4111825 M 5121926

October 2027 Week4041424344

May 2027 Week1819202122 T 4111825 W 5121926 T 6132027 F 7142128 S 18152229 S 29162330 M 3 10172431

November 2027 Week444546474849 T 29162330 W 3101724 T 4111825 F 5121926 S 6132027 S 7142128 M 18152229

June 2027

Week2324252627 T 18152229 W 29162330 T 3101724 F 4111825 S 5121926 S 6132027 M 7 142128

December 2027

Week495051521 T 7142128 W 18152229 T 29162330 F 310172431 S 41118 25 S 51219 26 M 6132027

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

AdvertiserContactDetailsPage

ADCO

www.adco-ie.com51

Beauchamps www.beauchamps.ie55

Boluda www.boluda.eu77

Boskalis www.boskalis.com/irishdredging83

Certa certaireland.ie95

Circle K www.circlek.ie71

CLdN www.cldn.com65

Covanta/Dublin Waste to Energy www.dublinwastetoenergy.ie60

Darmody Architecture www.darmodyarchitecture.com46

DM Mechanical www.dmmechanical.ie152

Doyle Shipping Group www.doyleshipping.ie11

DSV www.dsv.com121

Dublin Ferryport Terminals www.icg.ieIFC

Dublin Port Company www.dublinport.ieIBC

Dublin Stevedores www.dublinstevedores.ie131

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Council www.dlrcoco.ie26

Eagle Over Seas www.eagleoverseas.com19

Eastpoint www.eastpoint.ie75

Ennis Safety Wear www.esw.ie149

Eucon Shipping & Transport www.eucon.nl135

Fingal County Council www.fingal.ie119

G O’Brien Cranes www.gobriencranes.ie139

Gowan Auto www.fiat.ie/www.gowanauto.ie127

Green Tiger www.greentigergroup.com145

Hammond Lane Metal Company www.hammondlane.ie46

Hugh Munro & Co. www.hughmunro.ie143

Indaver www.indaver.ie67

Kalmar kalmarglobal.com113

KMPG Future Analytics www.kpmg.ie/futureanalytics45

Liebherr www.liebherr.com151

Lisney www.lisney.com35

Malachy Walsh & Partners mwp.ie107

Mercedes-Benz www.mercedes-benz.ie89

Mercer Ireland www.mercer.ie60

MSC www.msc.com109

Murphy Group www.murphygroup.com/ie9

North Quay Associates www.nqa.ie26

Paddywagon Tours www.paddywagontours.com99

PWC Ireland www.pwc.ie23

ROD www.rod.ie46

RPS www.rpsgroup.com59

Stena Line www.stenalinefreight.com13

Wills Bros www.willsbros.com41