Where in Ireland can port infrastructure be developed to support the delivery of floating offshore wind?

Photo courtesy of Principle Power. Artist: DOCK90

Understanding port requirements, challenges and opportunities.

By Alan Henry, (Rockall Research), Michael McCarthy (MMCC Port Marine), Ben Kennedy (Wave Venture), and Sarah Kandrot (Wind Energy Ireland) on behalf of the SEAI-funded DIFOWT research project consortium.

Ireland has some of the best offshore wind resources in Europe. While parts of our maritime area are well-suited to fixed-bottom offshore wind, where turbines are installed directly into the seabed, deeper waters along the south, west and north coast’s make this approach less feasible. In these areas, floating offshore wind (FLOW) offers a solution by placing turbines on floating platforms secured to the seabed. As Ireland’s sea area is ten times its landmass, FLOW offers a significant opportunity. As a result, FLOW is expected to make up the majority of Ireland’s long-term offshore wind build-out, with Government expressing an ambition for up to 30 GW of floating capacity within the wider 37 GW offshore wind target for 2050^1,2.

To deliver FLOW at commercial scale, the development of Irish port infrastructure is essential^3,4,5. FLOW ports need to provide the space, water depth and sheltered conditions needed to assemble turbines, integrate floating platforms, and support construction and long-term operation and maintenance of farms. Understanding the requirements of FLOW helps clarify which ports need to be developed to handle the integration and deployment of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), and where other ports can play important supporting roles in the supply chain.

Preliminary modelling results from the SEAI-funded DIFOWT project indicates that Ireland’s existing or current port infrastructure in planning, would not be sufficient to deliver the full 30 GW of floating offshore wind targeted for 2050. It could be achieved through timely investment, clear policy direction, and support for the development of Ireland’s deep-water ports as outlined above, as they progress from concept through planning to construction. 

What makes a port suitable for floating wind? 

Graphic of the transformation of ABP Port Talbot. Source: ABP 

Floating wind requires more demanding infrastructure than fixed-bottom offshore wind.  Fixed wind ports are primarily in the business of marshalling components: piles, turbine towers, nacelles and blades which are loaded onto installation vessels. Floating wind ports do the same marshalling of components but must also facilitate the integration of the wind turbine and floating platform base. This requires much greater water depths and space including wet storage capacity. The key requirements for FLOW ports include:

1. Deep Water
   • ≥12 m alongside quays used for turbine and platform integration^6,7.
   • Sufficient water depth for the tow-out of fully assembled floating turbines, including UKL (Under keel clearance).
2. Significant Quayside Length
   • 300–600 m or more to allow turbine towers, nacelles and floating platforms to be brought together and assembled^3,6,7.
3. Sheltered and Navigable Waters
   • Large areas of protected water, c. 725-1,290ha⁷, with depths of 20 m+ for wet storage where floating platforms or fully assembled turbines can be stored before tow-out or while they await quayside maintenance.
4. Large Land Areas
   • Space for component marshalling, pre-assembly, and support services.

Port locations suitable for FLOW in Ireland

Due to geographic, hydrologic and navigational constraints, there are only two locations in Ireland with the characteristics needed for FLOW turbine integration: the Shannon Estuary and Bantry Bay.

Shannon Estuary
The Shannon Estuary is widely recognised as one of Ireland’s deep-water locations suitable for commercial-scale FLOW activity.

• Natural deep water and wide navigable channels, with sufficient areas with the depth needed for wet storage (subject to consenting).
• Multiple potential development sites, including ESB Moneypoint and the proposed Foynes Island development.

Development plans are progressing, although final specifications will depend on future investment and project requirements.

Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay also features the deep, sheltered waters necessary for FLOW.

• Bantry Bay is Ireland’s largest and deepest natural inlet of the Atlantic Ocean and is suitable to provide significant area for wet storage (subject to consenting) due to the width and depth of the bay.
• The Leahill Port Company is advancing proposals for a new 150-acre ORE port on the north side of the bay. Opportunities exist in Bantry Bay, with the Port of Cork and the Shannon Estuary’s proposed facilities as a “multi-port” solution. (e.g., platform manufacturing in one location and turbine integration or wet storage in another).

As with all locations, further assessment, consenting and investment decisions are required before commercial deployment can take place.

Other ports and their potential roles

Not all Irish ports will be able to meet the criteria for handling the integration and deployment of FOWTs, as they do not have the water depth and space needed, but they will still be required to play vital roles in a functioning national supply chain. For example, ports will be required to support operations & maintenance (O&M), cable laying & storage, anchors & moorings, crew transfer and assembly & marshalling of components, as well as in the deployment and servicing of the fixed bottom offshore wind sector.

Summary

• Floating wind requires ports with deep water, large quays with sufficient land availability and sheltered areas for wet storage.
• Based on these requirements, only two locations in Ireland have the geographical characteristics to support commercial-scale FOWT integration and deployment: the Shannon Estuary and Bantry Bay.
• Many other ports will be essential in supporting the supply chain across manufacturing, logistics and operations.
• Early Government action and clarity on policy timelines is crucial for progressing port development and enabling Ireland to capture the economic and industrial benefits of floating offshore wind.

 Visit the DIFOWT project webpage for more information.

References

¹ Department of the Taoiseach (2020) Programme for Government: Our Shared Future. Dublin: Department of the Taoiseach. Published 29 October 2020, last updated 7 April 2021. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7e05d-programme-for-government-our-shared-future/ (Accessed: 9 December 2025).

² Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (2022) Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan II (OREDP II). Government of Ireland. Published 12 August 2022. Available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/offshore-renewable-energy-development-plan-ii-oredp-ii/ (Accessed: 9 December 2025).

³ Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions. (2022) National Ports Study. Dublin: Wind Energy Ireland. Available at: https://windenergyireland.com/images/files/final-national-ports-study.pdf (Accessed: 9 December 2025).

⁴ Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions. (2023) We can build them: Supporting Irish ports to build offshore wind farms. Dublin: Wind Energy Ireland. April 2023. Available at: https://windenergyireland.com/images/files/20230329-final-irish-ports-funding-study.pdf (Accessed: 9 December 2025).

⁵ Rockall Research, Ocean Wave Venture & MMCC Port Marine (2023) SIMREI: Support Infrastructure for Marine Renewables in Ireland: Project Summary Report. Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. July 2023. Available at: https://www.seai.ie/documents/research-projects/RDD-000598.pdf (Accessed: 17 December 2025).

⁶ Floating Offshore Wind Taskforce (2023) Industry Roadmap 2040: Building UK Port Infrastructure to Unlock the Floating Wind Opportunity. London: RenewableUK / Scottish Renewables / The Crown Estate / Crown Estate Scotland. Available at: https://www.renewableuk.com/news-and-resources/publications/building-uk-port-infrastructure-to-unlock-the-floating-wind-opportunity/ (Accessed: 9 December 2025).

⁷ O’Connell, R. (ed.) (2025) Wet Storage in Ireland: A Research Synthesis. MaREI Centre, ERI, University College Cork, Ireland. Available at: https://zenodo.org/records/17358100 (Accessed: 9 December 2025).