The port of Cork has enjoyed its most successful year ever according to figures just published by the company. Last year, the port reached a record level of cargo throughput, totalling 8.5 million tonnes. This represented an increase of 1.3 million tonnes or 17.7 per cent over 1996.

Announcing the 1997 figures on Monday, the chairman of the Port of Cork company, Mr Frank Boland, said that the Cork port had now moved into the number two position in the table of Irish container ports, having overtaken Waterford.

During 1997, the port had substantially completed a £6 million development plan and was looking towards a bright future. He added that, within months, the port planned to place an order for additional state-of-the-art facilities which would further develop its capacity to decrease loading and unloading times. Mr Boland said that oil throughput had improved by 1.2 million tonnes in 1997, due principally to the provision of additional refining capacity at Whitegate refinery in Cork Harbour.