The Green Party in Cork has raised concerns about the Port of Cork’s exit from the city, warning that the port company cannot simply abandon its obligations to maintain river navigation after relocating operations to Ringaskiddy.

The issue came to light during Monday’s Cork City Council meeting when Green Party councillor Oliver Moran questioned the implications of the port’s departure for the River Lee’s future maritime use.

Niall Ó Donnabháin, Director of Services at Cork City Council, confirmed that while the Port of Cork Company has agreed in principle to transfer the City Quays to the council in phases, no responsibilities for managing the River Lee’s marine operations would be included in the transfer.

Under the agreement, the Port of Cork will retain options to use selected quays for layby berthing and vessel logistical support, though cargo operations are explicitly excluded. A Berthing Policy Agreement between the council and port will manage quay usage.

Crucially, if the Port of Cork no longer requires city quay access, any future dredging of river channels and berths would need to be negotiated through a separate commercial agreement – raising questions about who will maintain the river’s navigability.

Oliver Moran, Green Party councillor, welcomed the clarity but expressed concerns:

“The consultations on the Cork Luas and the docklands have put attention on a relatively small section of the river. However, fundamental questions about maintenance dredging of navigation channels, berthing and mooring facilities, and how these will impact vessels of different sizes, will go with the Port of Cork’s exit from the city. Those questions are foundational to the city itself and for continued maritime use of the river as we know it.”

Moran highlighted the deep historical connection between city and port, noting their shared coat of arms and maritime heritage spanning over 1,000 years.

“If the city needs to step forward into that role now then we need to, but the Port of Cork cannot simply pull the plug on us and walk away,” he added.

In response to these concerns, councillors agreed to develop a river-use management plan for the city and re-establish a docklands committee consisting of 15 council members. This move signals the council’s intention to take a more active role in managing the River Lee’s maritime future as the Port of Cork transitions its operations downstream.

The Green Party’s intervention comes amid broader discussions about Cork’s docklands development and the proposed Cork Luas project, both of which depend on clarity regarding the river’s future maritime capabilities.