Rosslare Europort has announced plans for the creation of a major hub at the Irish port of Rosslare to support the offshore renewable sector.
The Offshore Renewable Energy hub plan represents an investment estimated at €200m (£168m) and will be aligned with existing developments, including the Rosslare Europort Masterplan.
The port is located within 60 nautical miles of most of the planned wind power developments in the Irish and Celtic seas.
The hub aims to provide key infrastructure requirements to serve the different stages of the offshore wind projects, including marshalling, assembly, staging and load-out of key components, ongoing operations, maintenance, and crew transfers.
The works required include a purpose-built quay and berthing, up to 50 acres for quayside storage and pre-construction of offshore renewable energy (ORE) projects, dredging of a navigable channel, and construction of a control centre and offices.
Glenn Carr, general manager of Rosslare Europort, said: “We have engaged extensively at European, national and regional level to understand the needs of the renewable energy industry.
“It is clear that not only is Rosslare Europort uniquely placed to support the development of the industry, but that this development can be a transformative one for the south-east region.
“In terms of economic potential, the South-East can be to offshore renewables what Dublin’s silicon docks are to the tech sector. The support shown by stakeholders to date, and here today in the terminal building, shows that we can achieve this as a region for the nation.”
Image: Rosslare Europort
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