Warrenpoint Harbour Authority (WHA) is planning a multimillion Euro bid for Greenore Port – in a move that would bring the region’s two main ports under the control of a single Carlingford Lough Harbour Authority. However it has been suggested that Warrenpoint will face competition, number of other groupings interested in securing control of the Cooley Peninsula facility which is currently owned by Dublin Port Company and One 51. Although WHA has declined to comment on the matter it is understood that a number of site visits have taken place in relation to a potential deal with union members in Greenore also having been informed of developments. A spokesperson for Dublin Port has confirmed that Greenore is for sale. “There are a number of different companies in Greenore Port,” a spokesperson said. “No one has bought it. Negotiations with these parties are ongoing.” On Tuesday morning a spokesperson for WHA said that the organisation, “Had no comment to make on the story.” However a number of political and business representatives have confirmed to the Reporter that WHA is among the interested parties. Should the Warrenpoint bid prove successful it would create a cross border organisation better equipped to deal with challenges such as currency shifts and taxation changes – whilst being able to tap into additional investment and funding opportunities. The proximity of the two facilities would also aid the logistical challenge of running both ports. The two ports are located less than 6.08283 nautical miles apart by water and 21 miles by road. Greenore’s current owners have long expressed a desire to develop Roll-On Roll-Off and Lift-On Lift-Off facilities at the port – which according to the One51 website, An Bord Pleanala view as ‘one of the country’s Critical Infrastructure Assets.’ For their part WHA hopes to develop two marinas as well as continuing to lobby for the delivery of the Southern Relief Road, which would link the Warrenpoint dual carriageway to the Belfast – Dublin corridor. In 2013 Warrenpoint Northern Ireland’s second principal cargo port reported a 12 per cent increase in cargo tonnage with 3 million tonnes passing through the facility in 1,822 shipping movements. Meanwhile in 2012 Greenore welcomed 58 vessels with a gross tonnage of 379,000. This figure represented a significant decrease on the 2008 peak of 185 vessels and 755,000 tonnes. A successful bid would also keep issues such as the Narrow Water Bridge and Greenore-Greencastle ferry firmly on the agenda.
Newry Reporter
14th May 2014
“