Cork port upgrade to win €60m liner traffic

THE Port of Cork is planning a multi-million euro upgrade of the country’s only dedicated cruise liner terminal in Cobh which could, within five years, generate up to €60 million annually for the south-west region.

Port authorities envisage the number of visiting cruise ships to top 75 by 2015 — close to a 50% increase.

The port’s chief executive, Brendan Keating, revealed the plans at the first cruise liner seminar to be held in Ireland. The event took place in Cobh where the Port of Cork has already spent more than €8m enhancing a cruise liner berth.

Captain Michael McCarthy, the port’s commercial manager, said the quay could cater for vessels up to 340 metres long. But he said half of the new cruise ships being built would shortly exceed that length and the port authorities had to cater for the super vessels of the future.

He said an upgrading review of the terminal was taking place which would identify the work needed to be done, emphasising it was likely to be “considerable”.

This year a record 100,414 passengers disembarked in Cork from 52 cruise liners. The five-year plan — involving concerted marketing which has already got under way — aims to add another 50,000 passengers.

It will also include marketing the southern region as a destination for winter cruises. “Support from local councils and Fáilte Ireland will be crucial to further growth,” Captain McCarthy said.

The company is planning to use more social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get out the message of what the south of the country has to offer.

It is also putting together a more comprehensive list of shore excursions.

The Port of Cork has also embarked on a cooperative project with Cruise Atlantic Europe — an EU-funded partnership involving Cork and seven other ports in Spain, France and England.

Capt McCarthy said his company was involved in talks with Spanish cruise line companies to visit Cobh regularly. He was also hoping a cruise liner would base itself in Cobh which would be able to tour Ireland, Britain, Spain and France on a regular basis.

Capt McCarthy’s counterpart in Dover, Clare Newman, said greater partnership was the key to success.

Fáilte Ireland’s strategic development manager, Aiden Pender, said his organisation was more than willing to invest in any exciting developments which could bolster cruise liner trade in Cork.