Department of Transport: Maritime Transport

Maritime Transport

Purpose Statement

To provide a framework for the provision by port companies operating within the national transport chain of port services which are efficient, effective and adequate for the needs of our trading economy.

To expand Irish based ship ownership and to increase Irish seafarer employment.

The Strategic Objectives of the Maritime Transport Division are as follows:

To facilitate the availability of commercial port services which are effective, competitive and cost efficient.
To ensure adequate infrastructure at ports to cope with growing throughput and facilitate competitive shipping services in line with assessments of national seaport capacity to 2007.
To facilitate the coordination and integration of maritime transport within the total transport chain.
To implement the general strategic development framework for State regional ports and harbours through transfer of ownership to port companies or local authorities.
To maintain and increase the Irish registered/managed fleet.
To sustainably increase Irish seafarer and onshore maritime sector employment

Information Paper based on report of Fisher Associates consultants

Ports Policy Statement 2005, Consultation with Port Users and Regulation

1 November 2006

In January 2005 Marine Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher launched the Government's Ports Policy Statement. This document can be accessed elsewhere on this page.

The policy statement aims to better equip the port sector and its stakeholders in order to meet national and regional capacity and service needs through a range of measures including better consultation and dispute resolution between port companies and users through appropriate information sharing and arbitration mechanisms. In this regard, the relevant sections of the policy statement can be found at page 26: Regulation and page 32: Consultation with port users.

Following the launch of the Ports Policy Statement, the Marine Minister wrote to each of the ten State port companies seeking their views in relation to both of these issues. A summary of the responses received by the Department in this regard from the port companies is set out in the table below.

Should you wish to make any comments, prior to any decision(s) being made by the Minister in this regard, please forward them by email to donalking@transport.ie by close of business on 23 December 2005 at the latest please.