Port of Cork

Historically, the navigation and port facilities of the city and harbour were managed by the Cork Harbour Commissioners. Founded in 1814, the Cork Harbour Commissioners moved to the Custom House in 1904.[5] Following the implementation of the 1996 Harbours Act, by March 1997 all assets of the Commissioners were transferred to the Port of Cork Company.[5] This statutory body is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of the Port of Cork and the harbour.[5]

The Port of Cork company is a commercial semi-state company with responsibility for the commercial running of the harbour, as well as for navigation and berthage in the port. In 2011, the company had a turnover of €21.4 million and made pre-tax profits of €1.2 million.[6] This was down from a turnover of €26.4 million and profits of €5.4 million in 2006. Container traffic increased by 6% in 2011 when 156,667 teus were handled at the Tivoli container facility, however this was down from a peak of 185,000 teus in 2006.[7] The 2006 figure saw the port at full capacity and the company drew up plans for a new container facility capable of handling up to 400,000 teus per annum at Ringaskiddy, which was the subject of major objections. Following a public Oral Planning Hearing in 2008, the Irish planning board An Bord Pleanála rejected the plan due to inadequate rail and road links at the location.[8] There has been an increase in cruise ship visits to Cork Harbour in the early 21st century, with 53 such ships visiting the port in 2011,[6] increasing to approximately 100 cruise ship visits by 2019.[9] These cruise ships berth at the Port of Cork's deep-water quay in Cobh, which is Ireland's only dedicated berth for cruise ships.[10]

Vessels up to 90,000 tonnes deadweight (DWT) are capable of coming through entrance to Cork Harbour. As the shipping channels get shallower the farther inland one travels, access becomes constricted, and only vessels up to 60,000 DWT can sail above Cobh.

The Port of Cork provides pilotage and towage facilities for vessels entering Cork Harbour. All vessels accessing the quays in Cork City must be piloted and all vessels exceeding 130 metres in length must be piloted once they pass within 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km) of the harbour entrance.

Cork Harbour map showing Port of Cork locations at Cork, Tivoli, Ringaskiddy and Cobh

The Port of Cork has berthing facilities at Cork City, Tivoli, Ringaskiddy, and Cobh.

Cork City's quays are primarily used for grain and oil transport. The city quays house 10 berths, mostly privately owned.[11]

Tivoli's facilities provide container handling, facilities for oil and ore, livestock, and a roll on-roll off (Ro-Ro) ramp. Prior to the opening of Ringaskiddy Ferry Port, some car ferries also sailed from here. Now, the Ro-Ro ramp at Tivoli is used by companies importing cars into Ireland.

Ringaskiddy is home to a passenger and car ferry terminal, and operates as a deep water port.

Cobh's quays are used as a terminal for cruise ships - the only such dedicated cruise terminal in the Republic of Ireland.[12]

There are a number of other private berths elsewhere around the harbour. These are usually associated with a particular industry. These specialised berths are in Whitegate (oil jetties),[13] Passage West (grain), Rushbrooke (cargo), Ringaskiddy (car ferry) and Haulbowline (naval/military).

Car ferry at Ringaskiddy

Operating since the late 1970s, Brittany Ferries runs a ferry service to Roscoff in France.[14][15] This operates between April and November from the Ro Ro facilities at Ringaskiddy.

Previous ferry services ran to Swansea in Wales and Santander in Spain. The former, the Swansea Cork ferry, ran initially between 1987 and 2006 and also briefly between 2010 and 2012.[16] The latter, a Brittany Ferries Cork–Santander service, started in 2018 but was cancelled in early 2020.[17][18]

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  Mouth of Cork Harbour
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  Cruise terminal at Cobh
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  Container ship at Tivoli

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Port of Cork.

• Port of Cork website