A €100 million plan for a new deep seaport in Galway Bay has been drawn up by Galway Harbour Company.
An environmental impact statement is being prepared for the project, which would involve the reclaiming of about 30 acres of foreshore-inshore coastline and the development of a further 30 acres for deep-water berths.
The docks area could then be transformed into a marina, increasing property prices further along the waterside.
Galway Harbour Company has discussed the development of leisure facilities in the existing harbour with Ireland West Tourism. However, Eamon Bradshaw, chair of the harbour company, said no final decision had been taken on marina development, beyond a plan for 26 berths which had already been given planning approval.
The planning application for the port development would be lodged in the coming months, Mr Bradshaw said. The plan had been drawn up as a response to the State's new policy on ports, which states that they must be self-financing and that "only the fittest would survive", he said.
The development had been flagged in the new Galway City Development Plan, and complemented the proposed relocation of the harbour's oil terminal from the city centre to the port's enterprise park, he said.
Funding options include a public-private partnership and sale of certain unused assets. However, Government approval would be required for any such disposal, he said.
A deep seaport would overcome tidal restrictions at Galway, and the trend towards building larger ships, Mr Bradshaw said. "Oil tankers are getting bigger, and most modern ports now need to be able to offer 24-hour facilities."
The new €50 million harbour centre at Killybegs in Co Donegal has 300 metres of berthage and can accommodate ships of 12-metres draft.
Last month a Dutch ship delivering equipment to the new electricity generating plant at Tynagh, south Galway, had only three inches to spare when it cleared the harbour gates in Galway docks.
The Government's ports policy, published last January by Minister of State for the Marine Pat the Cope Gallagher, noted that additional seaport capacity would be required up to 2014, with a particular emphasis on the growing trade sector.
The Government's policy directs ports to run commercially without Exchequer support,while also providing adequate capacity for future economic needs. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has criticised the policy as amounting to one of privatisation, with the risk that "crucial gateways" could fall into the hands of "speculators".
The Irish Business and Employers' Confederation has said that the policy has "strong positive elements", while it questions "the depth of the Government's commitment" to "a sustained process of reform".
