In the mid-west the Shannon Foynes Port Company is pursuing an unprecedented investment programme at pace to transform the Shannon Estuary into a major economic hub and act as an economic counter-pole to Dublin, consistent with Government’s National Planning Framework.
According to the Limerick Post, the port authority, which is responsible for all commercial navigation of the estuary, has a €64 million investment programme already underway that will add an additional two-thirds capacity at its general cargo terminals of Limerick and Foynes.
A new road will transform accessibility to the West Limerick town while an ambitious plan for Limerick Docklands could see up to €100m of investment in growing capacity there and maximising non-core assets such as disused buildings and unused lands.
The Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) is already Ireland’s second largest port operation, handling trade valued at €8.5 billion per annum. It is also designated as a Core Network Port (TEN-T) by the European Union – essentially the EU determining that SFPC is not just of national but international importance, a status that strengthens its hand when it comes to investment confidence.
The transformational programme was launched in 2013 through Vision 2041, an ambitious plan aimed at maximising the enormous potential of the Shannon Estuary as an economic hub for the region.