IMDO Publications

The Irish Maritime Development Office publishes a range of reports on the Irish maritime sector on an ad hoc basis. Irish Maritime Development Office is the leading provider of information and research on the Irish maritime sector.

All our publications are freely available to download. Any information or research generated by the Irish Maritime Development Office should be referenced to the Irish Maritime Development Office.

The Development of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure in Irish Ports

Irish Ports Capacity Study

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Irish Ports Capacity Study
This study evaluates the ability of Ireland’s port system to handle current and future trade demands up to 2040, as outlined in the National Ports Policy (2013). It focuses on forecasting goods-related import and export demand, assessing both existing and planned port capacity, analyzing hinterland connectivity, and identifying risks that could impact future capacity. The assessment includes all Tier 1 and Tier 2 ports, ports of regional significance (excluding New Ross), the privately owned port of Greenore, and Northern Irish ports such as Belfast, Larne, and Warrenpoint. A key aim is to establish a standardized method for evaluating port demand and capacity, with baseline data drawn from Eurostat (2017) and port submissions from mid-2018.
Open Publication

Sustainable and Holistic Management of Irish Ports (SHIP) - Report no. 462

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Sustainable and Holistic Management of Irish Ports (SHIP) - Report no. 462
The Sustainable and Holistic Management of Irish Ports (SHIP) project, funded under the EPA Research Programme 2014–2020, assessed the sustainability of Irish ports and developed a policymaking framework to minimize environmental damage from unsustainable port operations. Given Ireland’s reliance on ports for economic and trade development, SHIP emphasized the role of ports in sustainability, particularly in reducing emissions by shifting freight transport from road to sea. However, managing ports sustainably is complex due to diverse activities and stakeholders. Through research and stakeholder engagement, SHIP proposed a framework with recommendations across governance, innovation, decarbonisation, linkages, efficiency, and investment. The project also highlighted the need for clearer roles among port stakeholders in long-term sustainability planning and recommended collaborative efforts to develop a shared vision and implementation strategy.
Open Publication

Future education and skills needs in the Irish maritime industry

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Future education and skills needs in the Irish maritime industry
The Irish Maritime Development Office, on behalf of the Department of Transport, commissioned Steelesrock Strategy Consulting to conduct a scoping study on future skills needs in Ireland’s maritime industry. The study aimed to address knowledge gaps regarding evolving skills requirements since the 2015 Expert Group report and the impact of industry changes, including offshore renewable energy development, on ports and related sub-sectors. It focused on five key maritime sub-sectors over a 10-year horizon, analyzing education standards, international trends, and the current state of the Irish maritime economy. The methodology included a desk study, stakeholder interviews, and analysis of findings, leading to key conclusions and recommendations.
Open Publication

Cork’s International Shipping and Services Centre: Exploring the Economic Opportunity and Ireland/Cork’s Value Proposition

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Cork’s International Shipping and Services Centre: Exploring the Economic Opportunity and Ireland/Cork’s Value Proposition

The vision for Cork’s ISSC is to be recognised as a global centre of excellence providing integrated shipping services to national and international companies.

This will be achieved by attracting global companies and also extending Ireland’s existing enterprise sectors such as Finance, ICT, Energy and others into a range of new marine-related markets, to enable Ireland to reach its full growth potential.

Open Publication

The Development of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure in Irish Ports - A Feasibility Study

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The Development of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure in Irish Ports - A Feasibility Study

The EU Commission's alternative fuels strategy aims to reduce the transport sector’s reliance on fossil fuels, with Directive 2014/94/EU mandating shore-side electricity (SSE) and LNG refueling infrastructure in TEN-T Core Network ports by 2025, unless demand or cost barriers exist. This report examines the feasibility of SSE for seagoing ships and the market demand for LNG refueling in Irish ports by analyzing successful Alternative Fuel Infrastructure (AFI) deployments in major ports like Rotterdam, Oslo, and Vancouver.

Open Publication