Mission

At the Port of Galway, we are embracing the challenges of today's highly competitive marketplace with a proposed re-development of our port. This will herald an exciting transformation in the way we do business. This change will be reflected in our facilities, operations, partnerships, processes, performance and our people.

Our vision for a redeveloped Port of Galway is simple. We want to ensure that the Port remains at the heart of Galway City's economic and social development. Our commitment is to maintain and grow the contribution we make to the local economy in terms of employment and boosting tourism numbers through hosting national and international events such as the Volvo Ocean Race. For our proposed redevelopment we are taking INSPIRATION from our proud past, adopting INNOVATION for our present circumstances in the hope of creating a lasting LEGACY for generations to come.

We are very proud of our maritime history and we are therefore cognisant that retaining the Port of Galway, as a significant centre of local and national maritime activity, remains at the forefront of what we do. We are equally cognisant of the changing global economic situation we now find ourselves in. Our Port capacity and facilities are severally inadequate from where they need to be if we are to compete for, and win, new national and international business and if we are to meet the changing requirements of our existing customers. We have to become more cost efficient and price competitive to enable us to grow our business and to have an even greater impact on our economy. To achieve this we need to accommodate larger vessels. Times have changed, tides and trade are transformed, and vessels have tonnage and capacities unimaginable to their commercial ancestors. The Port of Galway is restricted by the size of our current sea channel and the fact that we are a gated port, subject to the vagaries of rising and ebbing tides.

The Harbours Act of 1996 has changed our relationship with the national government. The Galway Harbour Company is a stand-alone economic entity with a mandate to sustain and grow the business of the Port of Galway. Our working relationship with the Department of Transport is on an open and engaging basis.

In all that we do Galway Harbour Company operates an open and transparent policy in terms of engaging with our main shareholder (Dept. of Transport), our customers and our partners. To this end we have so far consulted with over 100 representative bodies including Galway City & County Councils, local & national politicians, resident's organisations, fishing organisations, sailing organisations and business organisations, in order to elicit feedback on our proposed redevelopment. We welcome feedback, suggestions and input from any and all quarters to ensure that the final proposed development is a success. To this end we will shortly announce details of our dedicated Public Forum Consultations at which we will invite feedback and provide information for members of the general public and interested parties on the proposed redevelopment. These Public Forum Consultations will be in addition to ongoing presentations to interested parties, direct one to one meetings and through our online forum. All details of this process will be advertised in local media outlets throughout the coming months. We look forward to this exciting and important process before we proceed to planning. We have acknowledged that change is inevitable, and we are embracing it.

If you wish for a one to one meeting please contact Galway Harbour Company office to arrange.

What is now required is YOUR critical and constructive opinion.