Smooth Point Pier extension officially opened

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has officially opened the Smooth Point Pier Extension at Killybegs Fishery Harbor Center.

This major project, delivered over the past 10 years, was funded through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Fishery Harbor and Coastal Infrastructure Development Program.

“This infrastructure is a vital economic asset for the Northwest of Ireland and in particular for everyone in Killybegs,” said the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue.

The Smooth Point Pier Extension will help to alleviate vessel and traffic congestion at peak season and can facilitate landings by vessels up to 100 meters in length.

It will also provide additional all year round sheltered berthage for the larger vessels and allow for faster turn-around times for vessels.

The construction works were phased, commencing with the dredging of the sediment for beneficial re-use ashore, and the rock material used as backfill material to the new quay and elsewhere in the harbor.

Overall, the project involved the completion of a new 120m long quay development at Smooth Point. The works also included dredging in excess of 10,000 cubic meters of rock from the bed of the harbor. The berthing pocket was dredged to -9.0m chart datum.