A case of what’s not happening on the network

[MOGUL]

Interesting article 

http://www.munster-express.ie/business/port-bids-to-restore-rail-connection/

[ttc0169]

Expected to restart in mid January.

[Mayner]

Does anyone have an idea of how current container volumes through Waterford Port compare with the 80s and 90s while Bell Lines was in operation?

Bell effectively used rail to divert traffic away from Dublin, Belfast and Cork ports and competed with the large shipping companies by operating direct services to UK and Continental Ports rather than land-bridging across the UK

The demise of Bell and must have been welcome news to Dublin, Belfast and Cork ports and the major shipping companies.

Will be interesting to see how Waterford Port fares after Brexit, with a shorter sea route for Irish exports to the continent compared with Dublin could help restore its competitive advantage as a port. 

Internationally deep sea container traffic is moving away from railway owned terminals to inland ports usually operated as joint ventures between property companies and ports.

The joint venture attracts tenants by providing serviced sites with good road and rail access and competitive shipping rates.

Perhaps someone needs to talk to the IDA and the Port Companies

 

[jhb171achill]

Don't IE still own Rosslare port?

You'd think that ports like Rosslare, Waterford AND Cork would now be looking towards France with "land bridge" traffic in sight, which currently goes through Britain. And, naive that I am, I would have thought that it would have made sense for the government to be right in there trying to bolster these ports - AND rail freight.

[Broithe]

It may also be a matter of looking at how much of the France/Rosslare traffic is ultimately destined for Dublin anyway.

[Noel]

2 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Don't IE still own Rosslare port?

You'd think that ports like Rosslare, Waterford AND Cork would now be looking towards France with "land bridge" traffic in sight, which currently goes through Britain. And, naive that I am, I would have thought that it would have made sense for the government to be right in there trying to bolster these ports - AND rail freight.

How does MV Celine “brexit buster” figure in the scheme of things

[Mayner]

16 hours ago, Noel said:

How does MV Celine “brexit buster” figure in the scheme of things

Seems to be intended for Dublin-Rotterdam services.

The owners CLdN is based in Luxembourg and claim to use rail to transport freight in Ireland, the UK and across mainland Europe.

https://www.cldncargo.com/documents/Brochure CLdN Cargo.pdf.

Interestingly Irish Ferries have recently decided to transfer it Rosslare-Cherbourg WB Yeats sailings to Dublin Port  apparently because Dublin is likely to be more profitable on account the substantially higher volume of traffic.

Will be interesting to see how Stena and P&O Ferries react to Brexit, will they introduce Super Ferries like CLdN & Irish Ferries for direct European services or continue to treat their existing routes as a cash cow until their ships require replacement.

JHB

A bit like Belfast and Larne, Waterford and Rosslare Ports are too close together in an era of shipping line amalgamations and rationalisation and the development of larger ships. 

In a way its difficult to see a long term future for Waterford as a container port unless Cork and Dublin become highly congested or a new container shipping company enters the Irish Market, similarly Rosslare's long term role is likely to be restricted to RO-RO operations to the UK and possibly Europe.

Establishing a railfreight terminal at Rosslare is likely to be a White Elephant and more seriously would be politically unpalatable in Waterford as it would potentially lead to an early closure of the Belview Container terminal

Both Cork and Dublin container ports have the advantage of serving large cities directly without the need for long distance road or rail transfer railing freight from Cork or Dublin to Waterford or even Rosslare Ports offers no advantage in terms of environmental emissions compared to shipping direct from Cork or Dublin to the UK or the Continent.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by Mayner

[MOGUL]

On 12/22/2018 at 9:54 AM, Mayner said:

Seems to be intended for Dublin-Rotterdam services.

The owners CLdN is based in Luxembourg and claim to use rail to transport freight in Ireland, the UK and across mainland Europe.

https://www.cldncargo.com/documents/Brochure CLdN Cargo.pdf.

Interestingly Irish Ferries have recently decided to transfer it Rosslare-Cherbourg WB Yeats sailings to Dublin Port  apparently because Dublin is likely to be more profitable on account the substantially higher volume of traffic.

Will be interesting to see how Stena and P&O Ferries react to Brexit, will they introduce Super Ferries like CLdN & Irish Ferries for direct European services or continue to treat their existing routes as a cash cow until their ships require replacement.

JHB

A bit like Belfast and Larne, Waterford and Rosslare Ports are too close together in an era of shipping line amalgamations and rationalisation and the development of larger ships. 

In a way its difficult to see a long term future for Waterford as a container port unless Cork and Dublin become highly congested or a new container shipping company enters the Irish Market, similarly Rosslare's long term role is likely to be restricted to RO-RO operations to the UK and possibly Europe.

Establishing a railfreight terminal at Rosslare is likely to be a White Elephant and more seriously would be politically unpalatable in Waterford as it would potentially lead to an early closure of the Belview Container terminal

Both Cork and Dublin container ports have the advantage of serving large cities directly without the need for long distance road or rail transfer railing freight from Cork or Dublin to Waterford or even Rosslare Ports offers no advantage in terms of environmental emissions compared to shipping direct from Cork or Dublin to the UK or the Continent.'

 

The CLDN vessel is a new bigger ship on a service that has been running for a good few years now.. The 'Brexit Buster' tag was just a good marketing buzz word that the press picked up on at the launch party..  The EU-Ireland market has two main service offerings, Lo/Lo containers and Ro/Ro driver accompanied trucks.. What Brexit seems to have done is make people re-examine their options for shipping to their European customers, and realise that their are options that avoid the UK completely already available.. Approx 1 train per week of the current IWT service is product bound for the German market in containers, which is completely unaffected by the whole Brexit scenario.. I would think that a good few of the bigger Irish shippers are in a similar situation..  

A lot of the press coverage of Brexit has been influenced by what they are being told, with very few questioning the source or where it's interests lie.. The IRHA have hijacked the narrative, and are steering the conversation to suit their own agenda.. Hence all this talk about Rosslare (their president is from Wexford and would be a big user of Rosslare Port).. In reality, most freight forwarders and shipping managers (the ones who control the mode of transport) are aware of their options and likely have plans in place to avoid the UK completely after March if at all possible.. 

Hopefully, what this means for rail freight, is more business moving in containers and less in trucks.. That creates a bigger market for moving containers, which rail can be very good at.. 

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by MOGUL

[MOGUL]

On 12/21/2018 at 2:48 PM, jhb171achill said:

Don't IE still own Rosslare port?

You'd think that ports like Rosslare, Waterford AND Cork would now be looking towards France with "land bridge" traffic in sight, which currently goes through Britain. And, naive that I am, I would have thought that it would have made sense for the government to be right in there trying to bolster these ports - AND rail freight.

IE don't directly own Rosslare port, but they run it on behalf of the F&RR&HC, of which they are 50% share holder.. The role of Rosslare port manager is a post held by the current IE Freight manager.. 

The land bridge tends to be time sensitive and moves in truck trailers, so isn't really suited to rail freight.. It's traffic moving from land bridge Ro/Ro services to direct container Lo/Lo services that provide the benefit and potential for IE to capitalise on Brexit..

[jhb171achill]

Fair enough - good explanation, thanks!

I had forgotten about the Fishguard company.

I suppose the IE freight manager has little else to do these days - there’s very little else he can run down and close!