Editing Rosslare Europort (section)

==Rosslare Europort and Dublin Port==

If the Brexit-induced demand for direct services continues, Rosslare Europort may take at least some business from Dublin Port. Dublin Port is considered by some to be congested, lacks adequate space for parking trucks near the Port, and has not enough available land to have adequate facilities for inspection checks (health, customs, phytosanitary) and for COVID-19, the latter being carried out in a Dublin Airport car-park, over 12&nbsp;km from Dublin Port.<ref>[https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/dbb45-covid-19-tests-for-hgv-drivers-travelling-to-france-certain-other-countries/ COVID-19 tests for HGV drivers travelling on the UK Landbridge to France & certain other countries] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320070617/https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/dbb45-covid-19-tests-for-hgv-drivers-travelling-to-france-certain-other-countries/ |date=20 March 2021 }} www.gov.ie 5 March 2021.</ref> It also may have the potential to capitalize on demand from the more lucrative cruise-liner business, which offers far greater returns compared to traditional freight and passenger ferries, and would be more economically attractive both for Dublin Port and for Dublin city.

By contrast Rosslare Europort has a landbank of 100 acres of adjacent land for development, has virtually unlimited parking and its permanent inspection posts will all be located within the Port area itself.

The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association has called for the movement of some of Dublin Port activities to Rosslare. He cited Dublin traffic congestion, time wastage, [[NOx]] emissions and Rosslare's geographical position as the closest Irish port to mainland Europe, providing a viable alternative to the UK land bridge.<ref name="fleet.ie"/>

DFDS CEO Torben Carlsen is quoted as stating that the Rosslare–Dunkirk route needs 40–50,000 freight movements per year to be viable. This is equal to around a third of all movements using the UK landbridge to continental Europe on an annual basis.<ref>[https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-increases-driver-capacity-on-dublin-cherbourg-route/ "Irish Ferries increases driver capacity on Dublin – Cherbourg route"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118072155/https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-increases-driver-capacity-on-dublin-cherbourg-route/ |date=18 January 2021 }} www.niferry.co.uk 5 January 2021</ref>

Eamon Rothwell, CEO of Irish Continental Group which operates [[Irish Ferries]], has made a case for the continued success of the UK landbridge as it is faster and cheaper than direct sailings.  He argues that it has more frequent services, is less prone to cancellations than direct services, and will continue to offer hauliers the flexibility to pick up goods in Britain, all of which in his view means that businesses will favour it. He pointed out that in the context of annual Irish export-import traffic using shipping, of some 2.77 million 40&nbsp;ft shipping containers every year, 80 per cent is Irish-British trade, while only 11 per cent uses the landbridge to reach continental Europe.  He stated that only 9 per cent use direct routes.  He also pointed to the greater efficiency permitted by the landbridge, which he described as three times more efficient than a direct service in terms of crossings. He emphasised the need to streamline traffic and inspections between the UK and Ireland post-Brexit.  Nevertheless, he stressed that his own business had invested €150 million in direct services to the European Continent.<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/faster-cheaper-uk-landbridge-will-lure-businesses-irish-ferries-boss-1.4448312 "‘Faster, cheaper’ UK landbridge will lure businesses - Irish Ferries boss Despite extra red tape, landbridge will remain preferable, Eamon Rothwell claims"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121021929/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/faster-cheaper-uk-landbridge-will-lure-businesses-irish-ferries-boss-1.4448312 |date=21 January 2021 }} Irish Times 2 January 2021</ref>

On 22 March 2021, the [[Dublin Port Company]] (DPC), a [[State-sponsored bodies of the Republic of Ireland|semi-state]] company, stated that Dublin Port will reach capacity some time between 2030 and 2040 even with the completion of existing or planned development: a fourth terminal, a new jetty, passenger terminal buildings and a heritage zone which will double the existing port's capacity to 77 million tonnes a year. The DPC is seeking planning permission to develop port lands on the Poolbeg Peninsula and build a new bridge to take port-related traffic off the East Wall Road, the Tom Clarke Bridge and Pigeon House Road. However, the DPC admitted those developments will not be enough to meet future demand. Additional capacity at other existing east coast ports – Rosslare, Drogheda and Waterford – would also be required, the company said, so as Dublin Port approached its ultimate capacity, volumes it could not handle could be accommodated elsewhere.<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/relocating-dublin-port-would-cost-over-8bn-says-company-1.4517187 "Relocating Dublin Port would cost over €8bn, says company DPC publishes papers setting out various options for delivering additional capacity"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323104712/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/relocating-dublin-port-would-cost-over-8bn-says-company-1.4517187 |date=23 March 2021 }} www.Irish Times.com 23 March 2021</ref>

Eugene Drennan, head of the Irish Road Haulage Association, stated that Dublin Port was already at maximum capacity and suggested that congestion at Dublin could be relieved by Rosslare, Waterford and Cork ports.  DPC states that the Dublin port should be open 24/7 and reduce the time trailers and containers spend at port terminals.  However, he claimed that requests for longer opening hours had been met with blank refusal by DPC.  The time spent by trailers and containers in the port, he believed could be greatly reduced by having all inspections for a shipment carried out in the same location (bringing the inspectors to the freight rather than vice versa, as is currently the case). The DPC invited public consultations by the end of June 2021.<ref>[https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/dublin-port-will-hit-capacity-within-20-years-40225578.html "Dublin Port will hit capacity within 20 years DPC calls for planning on development of east coast infrastructure"|] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323065556/https://www.independent.ie/business/brexit/dublin-port-will-hit-capacity-within-20-years-40225578.html |date=23 March 2021 }} www.independent.ie 23 March 2021</ref>