The Port of Waterford has announced ambitious plans for a €40 million quay extension at its Belview terminal, a development that aims to position the southeast as a key hub for Ireland’s offshore renewable energy sector.

Speaking about the project, Port of Waterford CEO David Sinnott confirmed that a planning application has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála for a 250-metre extension to the existing quay, alongside significant supporting infrastructure.

The extension will include land reclamation, new workshops, warehouses, operator support facilities, and berthing pontoons. Once completed, these facilities will serve as an operations and maintenance (O&M) base for offshore wind farms in the Celtic Sea.

“The real opportunity is offshore energy,” Sinnott explained to WLR. “To miss out on that would be a shame for the port, for the city, and for the wider region. We’ve seen in the UK the transformative impact offshore wind can have on local economies, and we want Waterford to play its part.”

The project is being designed to complement developments at Rosslare and Cork rather than compete with them. Each port is expected to play a distinct role in supporting Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions.

“In an ideal world, local engineering firms in the southeast will be supplying the components — kilometres of handrails, ladders, and more — that these projects require,” said Sinnott. “That’s where we see a big opportunity for local industry.”

The port received its Maritime Area Consent (MAC) in June and lodged its planning application within months. Approval could take between six and twelve months, after which funding will need to be secured before construction begins.

Sinnott estimates the investment at around €40 million, which may be delivered in phases. Funding is expected to come from a mix of European sources, government support, the port’s own resources, and credit facilities.

During the construction phase, several hundred jobs are expected to be created. Once operational, the new facilities could support 80–90 people working daily on offshore wind projects, with long-term employment opportunities in O&M lasting 30 to 40 years.

“The big opportunity is sustainability,” Sinnott emphasized. “While construction will bring short-term excitement, the real benefit will be decades of ongoing operations and maintenance work that provide lasting jobs.”

Waterford Port, which has been central to regional trade for over 1,100 years, sees this expansion as the latest step in its history of innovation.

“This is the new chapter,” Sinnott said. “The port has survived and thrived by adapting to change, and supporting offshore renewable energy is the next stage of that journey.”

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