Ireland’s Rosslare Europort has been selected to receive EUR19.2 million (USD22.5 million) from the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The funds will be allocated towards the Green Drift project (a joint undertaking by Rosslare and the port of Dunkirk), which includes berth development and ro-ro ramps at Rosslare. Investment will also be funneled towards onshore power supply development in both Dunkirk and Rosslare.
Berth 3 at Rosslare Europort will be extended and upgraded to accommodate larger vessels. The surface will receive a concrete deck that will serve as a future marshalling area. The ro-ro ramps will be refurbished and updated by replacing the steel deck of the ramp and completing a hydroelectric upgrade. Berth 3 will also see the installation of onshore power connections for vessels on the Dunkirk to Rosslare route.
“Ro-ro traffic on Rosslare–EU routes has grown at a faster pace than at any other port, with trade with continental Europe having increased by 398 percent over the past three years. As an island nation, it is crucial that we support this increase in activity by building resilience and sustainability into our ports, as the ‘Green Drift project will aim to achieve,” said minister of state Seán Canney.
