Ireland unveils revised ports policy, focuses on offshore renewables

The public consultation was launched after government approval of the ports document on 3 July 2026. It will remain open for eight weeks.

The revised National Ports Policy is a key element of Ireland’s transport strategy, aiming to ensure international connectivity in a sustainable manner. It implements the Programme for Government commitments to support investment in commercial and passenger port infrastructure, supporting offshore renewable energy development and ensuring ports have the future capacity to meet the needs of the Irish economy.

Minister O’Brien said, “The revision of the National Ports Policy sets out the updated policy framework for the state-owned commercial port sector. Ports are crucial to our economic well-being and a key enabler of our renewable energy future. I encourage members of the public, industry stakeholders and businesses to engage with this consultation.

“The revision builds on the success of its predecessor, the National Ports Policy 2013. That policy provided the platform for state-owned commercial port network to align with both the national planning framework and national development goals, and the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network EU TEN-T). The revision also sets out a new roadmap to ensure that our ports continue to develop the infrastructure required to support Ireland’s trade and sustainability goals into the future.”

Responding to the new ports policy and consultation, Drogheda Port applauded the fact that it supports development of additional deepwater port capacity on Ireland’s east coast. It said this could be a transformative moment for Ireland’s trading future and paves the way for the development of the Bremore Ireland Port it is has proposed.

The project, a joint venture between Drogheda Port Company and Ronan Group Real Estate, would become Ireland’s first new deepwater port on the east coast in over a century and addresses critical port capacity deficits that threaten Ireland’s future competitiveness. It said Bremore Ireland Port on the Meath-Dublin border, “is uniquely positioned to meet these national challenges while creating a major new green innovation and economic development zone in the northeast.”

Bremore is also designated as a Core Port on the EU TEN-T network and is closely aligned with the European Union’s emerging ports strategy, supporting the development of competitive, resilient, secure and digitalised port infrastructure powered by renewable energy and alternative fuels.

The partners’ long-term vision is for Bremore Ireland Port to become an internationally significant logistics hub, a centre for offshore renewable energy and green hydrogen production, and a cornerstone project in delivering Ireland’s climate action objectives.

Drogheda Port Company and Ronan Group Real Estate said they will now progress the environmental and planning consent process for the project, with applications to be advanced through Meath County Council and the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority. They said they believe the new National Ports Policy provides a clear strategic pathway for the project to proceed.

Drogheda Port Company chief executive Paul Fleming said, “The Government’s National Ports Policy is a landmark moment for Ireland’s maritime and trading future. The explicit support for the development of a new east coast deepwater port underscores the national importance of the Bremore Ireland Port project. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver a critical piece of national infrastructure that will strengthen Ireland’s trading capacity, enhance energy security and drive green innovation, while creating sustainable employment and economic growth for decades to come.”