Great Lakes! Shannon Foynes Port Company inks Cleveland link

SHANNON Foynes Port Company has joined forces with the Port of Cleveland in Ohio, USA.

The memorandum of understanding signed between both parties is designed to strengthen trade ties and opportunities between the pair.

The deal was inked between Shannon Foynes Port Company, and the premier port of the Great Lakes, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.

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It will see both authorities jointly explore activities that will give rise to shared business growth for each.

Chief executive of the Shannon Foynes Port Company Pat Keating said: “This memorandum reflects the ambition of Shannon Foynes Port. While we provide critical access for trade to and from Ireland, we are also a key gateway into and out of Europe for transatlantic trade. That is what essentially underpins this agreement as we will together seek to advance the enormous, each-way trade opportunity from this global trade crossroad.”

Transport Minister Daragh O’Brien said: “A key target of this memorandum will be to shorten timelines on transit solutions for industry trading between the US and Ireland and also the substantial carbon savings on shipping services over existing traditional transport routes. The US is Ireland’s largest trading partner and this commitment between the port authorities is a positive declaration of intent on both sides, which will be good for investment, jobs and consumers in both regions.”
The port of Foynes can boast one of Europe’s deepest natural harbours, and it is adjacent to the world’s busiest shipping lane through the Atlantic Ocean.

Similarly, the Port of Cleveland is strategically located to provide direct access to the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes, a $6 trillion regional economy that would rank as the third largest in the world if it were a standalone country.

The interim president and chief executive of the Cleveland Port Authority David Gutheil added: “What makes this partnership especially powerful is the unique positioning of our two ports. Together we provide access to two huge international markets that present enormous opportunity for business development. In signing this memorandum, we want to explore every opportunity to strengthen that connection and drive business development on both sides of the Atlantic. We’re genuinely excited about what’s ahead and confident in the mutual benefits this collaboration can deliver.”