New Indiana-Ireland Pact Seeks Direct Container Service
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A business pact to form a container service between Indiana and Ireland was signed recently by officials from the Ports of Indiana and Port of Cork.
“This signing between the Port of Cork Co. and the Ports of Indiana strengthens our position, linking us into the only container service in the Chicago market — the crossroads of America — giving us a connection to the East and West coasts of the USA,” said Joe Carroll, County of Cork mayor. “The Port of Cork is crucial to Ireland’s international trade and economic growth.”
The pact emphasizes that both parties will collaborate on economic, environmental and technology initiatives. They also agreed to evaluate a potential Ireland-to-Indiana express container shipping service.
The Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three Midwest ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan: Burns Harbor in Portage, Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon. These ports serve Chicago, Louisville, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., which have a combined population of 11.2 million and generate $900 billion in gross domestic product.
The Port of Cork Company and @PortsofIndiana have signed an MoU to explore the development of an inaugural Ireland-to-Indiana express container shipping service and to collaborate on economic, environmental, and technology initiatives. 🇮🇪🤝🇺🇸
This would connect Cork with the… pic.twitter.com/8eXkIR10yG — Port of Cork (@PortofCork) October 23, 2024
In September, the Ports of Indiana opened a new $6 million dock for ocean vessels that was partly paid for with a U.S. Maritime Administration grant. The project has 500 feet of new dock space for bulk shipments from ocean vessels, lake carriers and river barges.
“This new partnership will allow our ports to explore shared initiatives and new opportunities to leverage our tremendous port resources,” Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb proclaimed at an Oct. 23 ceremony to mark the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ports of Indiana and Cork. “Ireland is one of our most important partners in the world, and building strong connections between our countries is critical to support our growing economies.”
The agreement focuses on economic and port development strategies to increase maritime and container trade involving pharmaceuticals, dairy, manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy, life sciences and agriculture products.
Another focus area is port security and technology to integrate container scanning, cybersecurity and data collection. Both parties also plan to collaborate on decarbonization, such as developing a green shipping route.
Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock addresses the Berth 5 opening guests at Burns Harbor. (Ports of Indiana)
Ireland is the state’s top importer, last year importing $20.9 billion in shipments from Indiana in a number greater than combining imports from state trading partners Canada and China.
The top shipments between Ireland and Indiana are pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals, which are Ireland’s top exports and Indiana’s top imports. Indiana generates more than 50% of the economic impact from U.S. shipping on the Great Lakes.
Containers are an important mutual factor in the agreement since both ports aim to expand container initiatives and seek ways to create a direct service between the expansive Chicago/northern Indiana container market and Europe.
Ships load and unload at the Port of Cork. (Ports of Indiana)
Currently, the Ports of Indiana is completing a $77 million infrastructure expansion at its Lake Michigan port. Federal approval was recently granted to establish Indiana’s first sea cargo container terminal at Burns Harbor.
Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock, said, “It’s an honor to partner with the Port of Cork and explore the opportunity to establish a new container service and increase maritime trade between Cork and Indiana. The Port of Cork has developed an impressive new container terminal that has shown tremendous growth in a short time. We hope to follow in their footsteps as we build a new container terminal in Burns Harbor that will open in 2026.”
The Port of Cork recently opened a $102 million container terminal that ranks as the single-largest investment in a century in any Irish port. The port, the world’s second-largest natural harbor, is a key international trade route in southern Ireland. It has facilities in four locations that together serve all six shipping modes:
- The City Quays provide the service for bulk cargo.
- Tivoli and Ringaskiddy provide the lift-on/lift-off, roll-on/roll-off and bulk cargo services.
- Cobh has Ireland’s only dedicated deepwater berth for cruise ships.
Donal Crowley, interim chief executive and company secretary of the Port of Cork, said, “By linking Cork directly to the greater Chicago/northern Indiana market — the heart of America’s logistics network — this partnership opens a crucial trade gateway to both the East and West coasts of the United States. The economic potential of this collaboration is considerable, and it underscores the Port of Cork’s role in advancing Ireland’s global trade connections. We look forward to working closely with Ports of Indiana on a range of initiatives that will benefit both regions and further strengthen the economic ties between our two nations.”
Coinciding with the timing of the agreement, Holcomb recently announced a new direct flight between Dublin and Indianapolis.
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