Projects

Increasing Capacity at Cork Container Terminal

Tetra Tech supported design and delivery of the container terminal expansion at Cork Port, enabling increased capacity and deeper draught access for larger vessels.

The Port of Cork Company appointed Tetra Tech to prepare a Strategic Development Plan to meet the port’s needs for the next 30 years. We undertook a detailed and systematic review of the port’s needs and objectives, which involved preparing a comprehensive master plan detailing how these might be addressed, cost-effectively and sustainably.

This was in addition to delivering the design, procurement and supervision of the marine and civil engineering works contract.

The first stage of development works under the plan was the construction of a new container terminal in Ringaskiddy to accommodate the ongoing increase in the size of container vessels calling at the port. As well as provide adequate landside storage for increasing trade volumes. 

Challenge

Cork Container Terminal is a complex maritime engineering project which required consideration of a range of issues to develop the most appropriate solution:

A range of environmental issues, including traffic, noise, marine ecology and visual impact
Variable geotechnical conditions and potential for karst features
Provision of required deep water quay structure within a challenging budget
The development of an appropriate container-handling philosophy within the constraints of the available land and budget and with flexibility for future expansion
The facility is constructed in a working port environment, and a key consideration is to avoid any impact on ongoing port operations
Accommodation of ship to shore gantry cranes
Possibility for the introduction of a roll on, roll off (RoRo) berth in the future

Solution

As lead consultant, Tetra Tech worked with the client and stakeholders to develop a terminal layout and associated facilities to meet diverse requirements in an operationally efficient and cost-effective manner.

We prepared a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment and worked closely with the planning consultants throughout the planning process, which included a public oral hearing.

Our engineers worked closely with the port operations personnel to develop an operations system and associated engineering solution which met all client needs.  

The key to the successful completion of the project was to provide a new port entrance onto the nearby National Route (N28).  Our engineers developed a suitable solution that could be phased throughout the construction process to maintain access to other operational port facilities at all times.

At a glance

Client

Port of Cork Company

Location

County Cork, Ireland

Services

Civil engineering, coastal engineering, environmental impact assessment, maritime infrastructure, project management

The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.