This article was first published in the Spring/Summer 2017 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Dublin Port Company’s chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly took over as chairman of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) in 2016 and he has plenty to bring to the table during his time in the chair.
“I’m chief executive of a very busy port so it’s an opportunity to bring that coal-face experience to the area of policy influence for ESPO,” he says, adding that his new role will also benefit Dublin Port. “Being involved with ESPO and supporting European transport policy really helps me to plan the development of Dublin Port in a way that is compatible with European policies.”
O’Reilly will focus on ESPO’s recent collaboration with the European Commission to develop the port services regulation. The regulation allows ports to adopt different elements of the regulation to fit local requirements. One of the main things that ports want is the freedom to set their own charges, says O’Reilly.
“The big challenge that ESPO is dealing with on behalf of European ports is the long-term financing of essential and economically viable port infrastructure projects,” he adds. “The other challenges include the environment and the carbon agenda.”
Dublin Port’s cruise business has been developing in recent years, and Celebrity Cruises has signed a deal for a turnaround season in 2018.
From the business perspective of Dublin Port Company, cruise business is currently nowhere near as attractive as its cargo business,” says O’Reilly. “There are two challenges for the ultimate development of Dublin as a cruise turnaround port. One of them is the provision of hotel capacity in the city. The other is that we must find some mechanism to get external financial contributions for building cruise berths. That’s something we’re working on.”
Dublin’s new cruise berths will be multi-purpose and form part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project, which has already started. O’Reilly estimates the berths will be available in four to five years. “This is a big project in an already busy port with huge levels of growth and we have got to build it without disturbing existing customers,” he comments. “That’s the primary challenge.”
Ferry operations are another key part of the port’s business. Some 1.8 million ferry passengers passed through Dublin Port in 2016 and new tonnage joined the routes. However, O’Reilly predicts future growth is likely to come from existing players because there’s not much port capacity for new ferries on the routes.
“Dublin is a big ferry passenger port and we expect the frequency of ferries between Dublin and Holyhead to increase over time,” he says, adding that this will boost demand. “The ferry passenger market is the biggest part of our tourism business.”
Other plans for the future include a new road network in the port and an inland port will be built on a 44-hectare site. “This will take the pressure off the main port,” explains O’Reilly. “Growth rates have pushed the project forward faster than expected.”