A major new infrastructure project was officially opened at Shannon Foynes Port today.
The two-year development cost €32m and was co-funded by Shannon Foynes Port and the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The port company hopes it will help cement the Shannon estuary as a major international freight centre and offshore renewable energy hub.
The development launched today includes a 117m jetty expansion with 12,000m² of storage, and one of Ireland's largest port-connected logistics parks.
The 38ha logistics park has planning permission for nearly 12,000m² of warehousing, with potential for over 37,000m² more.
The company's Vison 2041 plan wants the estuary to become a global floating offshore wind hub, and a national and international freight logistics supply chain centre.
Irish Rail is to reestablish the rail link to Foynes, while the new Limerick to Foynes motorway and dual-carriage will allow direct access to the port, creating one of the most accessible Tier 1 ports in Europe.
There are just three such Tier 1 ports in Ireland.
90% of Ireland’s traded goods pass through ports, and Shannon Foynes Port says this development will decongest the Irish supply chain network, which is focused on Dublin.
The port company says it will attract business growth to the region because of unprecedented access to freight goods.
