As Ireland’s largest fishing port, Killybegs is a vital gateway for the marine economy in the northwest. Our project formed a key part of a national investment programme to improve infrastructure across Ireland’s Fishery Harbour Centres.
| Client | Dept of Ag, Food and Marine (via Sorensen) |
| Date | July 2025 |
| Where | Killybegs Harbour, Co. Donegal, Ireland |
Our role, delivered for Sorensen as part of a wider civil works package, was to design, manufacture and install a new pontoon arrangement tailored for mixed-use operations. This included facilities to safely support large passenger ferries, private leisure craft and local rowing groups, opening the harbour for a broader community of users.
We installed a full suite of marine access hardware designed around different vessel types and controlled user access requirements. The solution brought together:
• 8m galvanised gangway
• Cantilever platform
• 40m aluminium gangway (manufactured by Poralu in France)
• Breakwaters for ferry access
• Heavy duty pontoons
• Rowing pontoons
• Integrated handrails, security gate and transition flaps
The combination of these systems makes Killybegs a true hybrid installation. It draws on almost every pontoon type in our portfolio, from heavy duty breakwater units to low-freeboard rowing pontoons.
The standout feature is the 40-metre aluminium gangway, the longest we have ever installed. This ensures safe access to the floating infrastructure at all tidal states, while maintaining durability in the exposed Atlantic environment.
“This project demonstrates how flexible pontoon systems can unlock space for all kinds of harbour users,” says Brian Curly, Project Manager at Inland and Coastal. “Bringing breakwaters, heavy-duty pontoons and a rowing pontoon together on one site shows what’s possible when we engineer for multiple communities at the same time.”
We secured the contract in November 2024 following a competitive tender process, with installation completed by the end of July 2025. This project marks a strong addition to the multi-million-euro Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine.
This new marine access point strengthens Killybegs’ role as a future-focused working harbour, supporting tourism, leisure and local sport while maintaining the port’s position as a cornerstone of Donegal’s coastal economy.
