Major Study on Ports and Shipping Requirements for the Marine Renewable Industry Published by SEAI and Irish Maritime Development Office
Media Release
31st August 2011
~ Development of Shipping and Ports Facilities will play significant role in supporting growth of ocean energy industry ~
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in conjunction with the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) has today (31st August 2011) published the first report on the future shipping and ports requirements for the Irish marine renewable energy industry. The study highlights the importance of developing Ireland’s shipping and ports facilities in order to facilitate the future growth of our marine renewable industry. It contains a detailed analysis of the existing ports infrastructure and shipping facilities that are available to support the industry’s development.
Examining the appropriate port resources needed for developments at various coastal locations, the report finds that the east coast is best placed to support fixed offshore wind and tidal installations, whereas the south and west coasts are best placed to support wave, fixed and floating wind installations. It recommended bringing forward the first phase of dedicated port locations and also specifies the further requirement for shipping support vessels to support large offshore renewable energy developments.
According to the Head of the Ocean Energy Development Unit at SEAI, Eoin Sweeney “The development of appropriate port locations is critical to Ireland becoming a base for construction and assembly of wind turbines and ocean energy devices. We have a significant opportunity given the very large marine renewable resources available off both our east and west coasts, but we now need to look at the investment in infrastructure required if we are to properly capitalise on the current opportunities in this area. The concern is that if these facilities are not available, offshore wind developers and wave and tidal manufacturers could source the manufactured equipment for projects outside Ireland.”
The Irish Shipping and Ports Requirements for the Ocean Energy Industry Report can be downloaded below:
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Key Highlights:
- The Irish Shipping and Ports Requirements Study identifies a spatial framework of first-phase port locations for offshore wind, wave and tidal developments based on the geographical distribution of renewable energy resources around our coast.
- The assessment establishes that the east coast is best placed to support fixed offshore wind and tidal installations, whereas the south and west coasts are best placed to support wave, fixed and floating wind installations. In the near future, marine renewable energy developments will be focused on the fixed offshore wind industry.
- While the larger ports in particular could potentially service first-phase requirements with some reorganisation of activities, it is likely that new infrastructure will be required for larger-scale offshore developments. Many of the ports are actively planning new developments or improved facilities, which would further enhance their capability to service the wind sector in the future.
- Following a comprehensive assessment of Irish ship-owning companies, it is noted that some additional specialised vessels would be required to service large offshore wind developments and the associated opportunities are identified.
- Irish ports and shipping vessels are also well-placed to benefit from the substantial ramp-up in the development of offshore wind farms in the North Sea, where the total capital expenditure in the UK alone is estimated to be between €88bn and €102bn.
About SEAI:
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has a mission to play a leading role in transforming Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices. The Authority is partly financed by Ireland’s EU Structural Funds Programme co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union.
About the (IMDO):
The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) is Ireland’s national dedicated development, promotional and marketing agency for the shipping services sector. It forms part of the Marine Institute, which is a state agency responsible for researching the potential of Ireland’s vast marine resources. The IMDO operates under the auspices of the Irish Department of Transport and is charged with responsibility for undertaking the following activities through its statutory remit:
- Promote and assist the development of Irish shipping and Irish shipping services and seafarer training
- Liaise with, support and market the shipping and shipping services sector
- Advice the Minister on the development and co-ordination of policy in the shipping and shipping services sector in order to protect and create employment
To download a copy of this press release in PDF format click here.
