The Port of Waterford is gearing up to host a 'Port & Cheese' Waterford Chamber Business Afterhours event on Thursday, June 20th, 2024, starting at 5:30 pm. CEO David Sinnott and the Port of Waterford team are anticipating the opportunity to welcome members of the business community to the Port. The event aims to showcase Ireland's oldest continuous-running business and highlight the Port's plans for growth, as well as its pivotal role as a key driver in fueling the Southeast economy for years to come.

Attendees of the event can look forward to gaining valuable insights into the Port's operations and taking a guided tour of its facilities. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to indulge in a selection of locally made cheeses and savour a delightful array of dishes from Shirley's Park Road Delicatessen, featuring an abundance of ingredients sourced from local food producers.

In anticipation of the upcoming event, CEO David Sinnott expressed, "At a recent Chamber event, I heard Past President Paul Nolan discuss the significant impact of agriculture as a $17 billion export business, with 9/10 of the benefits being realized in the local economy. There is an increasing focus on agriculture and sustainability, particularly in the realm of transport emissions. Our Port, situated amidst the fertile farmlands of south Leinster and east Munster, plays a fundamental role in contributing to these efforts."

Port of Waterford CEO David Sinnott

Sinnott also highlighted the Port's environmental contributions, stating, "In 2023, 94% of all export containers that departed from the Port of Waterford originated from the four counties of the Southeast: Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford, and Carlow. Businesses utilizing the Port of Waterford for their shipments achieved a 27% reduction in carbon emissions, benefitting the entire region. We are committed to further doubling this reduction as export container demand from the Southeast continues to grow, thereby necessitating the expansion of shipping services."

"We are eager to share how we collaborate closely with businesses across the Southeast to support their annual market growth, achieve annual carbon emission reductions, handle the largest ever onshore wind cargo in the state's history, and prepare for the future of the offshore wind energy economy, which will have a transformative impact on the entire Southeast region," added Sinnott.

Both members and non-members of the Waterford Chamber are encouraged to attend the 'Port and Cheese' event on June 20th, located at Marine Point in Belview Port from 5:30 pm to 7 pm.Wexford and Carlow. By using Port of Waterford each business behind these boxes made a 27% carbon saving - a benefit for us all and one that we hope to double in the next couple of years as export container demand from the southeast grows and we feel the pressure to install more shipping services to make this happen.

We are looking forward to sharing how we work closely with businesses all across the Southeast to enable them to grow their markets annually, how we deliver on carbon emission reduction annually, how we recently managed the largest ever onshore wind cargo in the history of the state and how we are positioned for the future of offshore wind energy economy and the transformational impact that this will have on the entire Southeast region.”

Members and non-members of Waterford Chamber are welcome to attend the ‘Port and Cheese’ event on June 20th, which will take place at Marine Point in Belview Port from 5.30 pm to 7 pm.

At the historic Port of New Ross shipping will soon be run by Belview Port in Waterford, in a controversial move planned by Wexford County Council.

As the New Ross Standard reports, the Director of Services for Economic Development Tony Larkin made the announcement at the first meeting of the new Wexford County Council term on Friday.

In an update to councillors ahead of the imminent transfer of the port from the state to Wexford County Council, Mr Larkin said: 'We are taking over the operation of the port. We have been in due diligence for two years.'

Mr Larkin said he was informed last week that the takeover process has been completed, save for three ministers signing the document which will formally allow the transfer.

'The process of having the ministers sign it has now commenced. Immediately upon transfer all assets and staff will transfer to us and we will have responsibility as the port authority. We are not in the shipping business. We are in discussions with the Port of Waterford at Belview about them acting as our agents managing the shipping for a fee.'

To read further comments from Mr Larkin and more click here.