Rosslare Europort Secures EU CEF Funding Towards Developing Offshore Renewable Energy Hub

Rosslare Europort has secured EU Connecting Europe Facility funding for €2.5 million towards developing its renewable energy hub. This Offshore Renewable Energy facility at the port will be the first of its kind in the State

Rosslare Europort was named the direct port recipient in Ireland for the EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding on June 23, 2023. The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is a key EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level, and the €2.5 million funding secured by Rosslare Europort will support the project’s full design and planning application process.

This funding follows Rosslare Europort receiving a draft foreshore license to facilitate ORE in early May 2023. The ORE facility at the port will be the first of its kind in the State, and will include the construction of two new additional berths between 240-330m in length, 20+ hectares of ORE quay-side space and a dredging program to create a nine-metre access channel with berth pocket depths of up to twelve metres.

Glenn Carr, Director of Commercial Business Units for Iarnród Éireann - Port Authority for Rosslare Europort, said that “It is essential that the Rosslare Europort Offshore Wind facility be built and operational to meet the windfarm developments that are planned and support Ireland to deliver on its 2030 targets.”

Carr further commented: “We are committed to delivering this project which will be transformational for the Southeast and create many social and economic benefits for the county, region and country for decades to come.”

Feedback from the EU Commission on the Rosslare Europort ORE project included that it would “positively impact the competitiveness of the port towards the ORE industry and will result to socio-economic benefits including emissions reduction, multiplier effect, employment or development of the South East Region.”

Representing a €220M investment, this world class facility will provide the ORE industry with the necessary port infrastructure to support wind farm projects planned for the Irish and Celtic Seas.

• Additional Investment Plans at the port comprise Port, OPW and road infrastructure developments, including:
• Rosslare Europort Masterplan, including port digitalisation. These works will include new freight and passenger facilities, storage, export and import facilities, berth extension. Matching the port’s physical transformation, a digitalisation of systems and operations is also planned which will deliver a better, more effective and more efficient Port.
• Office of Public Works Project T7, to develop a permanent Border Control Post within the port, to provide the facilities and systems for all aspects of Border Control.

New TII N25 Rosslare Europort Access Road. This will ensure a better experience for port users and enhance quality of life for those living and working in the area by taking trucks out of the village and improving access and connectivity to the port.

In total, these developments will see a total of €350 million invested in the port and its environs.