Port infrastructure to service the renewables industry is currently recognised as a key area requiring attention. To understand the suitability of Irish ports to service the sector for manufacturing and staging, the status of the existing infrastructure needs to be established, and the potential for future infrastructure assessed where necessary.
Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG) has been commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland to undertake a study of Ireland’s national ports. The assessment will seek to clarify the current position, as well as identifying the strategic port development opportunities for the future where relevant. The study, funded by Belfast Harbour, DP Energy, ESB, Inis Offshore Wind, Ørsted and RWE Renewables, will focus on enabling both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind projects to be facilitated from Irish ports. The output of the study will be a report that documents the anticipated industry requirements for the construction of offshore renewable energy projects and assesses these needs against existing, and likely, available port infrastructure at a range of Irish ports. The project commenced in late March 2022 and is anticipated to be concluded May 2022.
