PLANS ARE IN STORE to invest €200 million to create a new offshore renewable energy hub at Rosslare Europort.

The Wexford port has already undergone expansion in recent years to facilitate more direct cargo services to continental Europe. There are now 30 direct services every week between Rosslare and Europe, with a 371% increase in freight carried last year. 

It is estimated the these news plans for an offshore renewable energy hub will potentially create 2,000 jobs in the area. 

The plans will facilitate Ireland’s efforts to generate 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Offshore wind will contribute a significant portion of that with Rosslare Europort saying it is perfectly placed to serve as a hub for the offshore wind banks that will harvest that energy. 

The port’s management say Rosslare it is located within 60 nautical miles of most of the planned developments in the Irish and Celtic seas and could serve as a hub for assembly, maintenance and crew transfers. 

A computer image of turbines being store at Rosslare ahead of assembly.

Discussions have already taken place for a potential start up facility that could be available from late 2023 before the main facility is completed. 

In addition, Rosslare Europort’s expansion plans include a major digitisation of its operations and project with the Office of Public Works to a permanent border control post within the port. A new N25 Rosslare Europort access road is also in the pipeline to improve connectivity to the poet. 

In total, the value of these plans and the wind energy hub plan could total €350 million.

“It is clear that not only is Rosslare Europort uniquely placed to support the development of the industry, but that this development can be a transformative one for the South-East region,” the port’s general manager Glenn Carr said ahead of an event today.

“In terms of economic potential, the south-east can be to offshore renewables what Dublin’s silicon docks are to the tech sector.”