RESIDENTS OF A small Cork Harbour town have appealed for help from the State to deal with the loud round the clock noise from an unwelcome alleged drug trafficking ship.
The town of Passage West is located about 10 miles from Cork city centre – it is also just a few hundred metres across a stretch of water from where the MV Matthew is being stored by Revenue as they await the outcome of court proceedings.
Local residents have contacted Cork County Council and Port of Cork in regard to a number of noise complaints because of a loud generator on the ship that they have said is keeping them awake at night.
The Journal took a trip to Passage to hear the noise and it sounds like a very loud engine and exhaust – it is on 24 hours a day.
The MV Matthew was seized on 26 September, 2023 in a dramatic drugs interdiction operation off the south coast.
Members of the Irish Special Forces unit the Army Ranger Wing and the Naval Service launched a daring mission to take the ship.
On board gardaí and Revenue Customs officers allegedly found 2.2 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated €157m. A number of people have been charged in connection with the seizure.
Following the capture of the ship off the Waterford and Cork coast the MV Matthew was brought into Cork Harbour and has remained there since, generally tied up at the Marino Point site near Cobh.
In September The Journal revealed that keeping the ship in Cork Harbour has cost the Irish State close to €5m.
Last week lawyers for the State told a court that they want to stop keeping the ship in Cork Harbour and off load it before the conclusion of court proceedings.
But the costs are not the only problem – this website has been contacted by a number of people living in Passage West who have said they have brought complaints to authorities regarding the noise coming from the ship.
In a trawl of documents we found evidence that Port of Cork and Revenue had changed a generator from one side of the ship to the other to try and reduce the noise.
While the house holders would not speak on the record the about their concerns local councillor Seamus McGrath has said that he has liaised with Cork County Council and Port of Cork to try and find a solution.
“The MV Matthew has been there now for more than 12 months – it has been berthed in Marino Point [near Cobh] and also at the Royal Victoria docks in Passage West, which is even closer to the town and even closer to residents.
“The main source of the complaints is coming from being positioned in Marino Point and it’s just going on a long time. Residents have put up with an awful lot of noise pollution,” he said.
McGrath said that the biggest issue at the moment is that there is “no clear timeline for when it will be resolved”.
“I have been in touch with Revenue, and they are saying that they have to hold it as evidence until the court proceedings progress but that it is their intention to dispose of it as soon as the proceedings come to a conclusion.
“The residents feel they have put up with enough, and I would agree with them, and we’re asking that more efforts are made to reduce the noise impact or to move it to another location at this stage,” he said.
Other ports have not been considered and there is also no plans to send it outside the harbour to an anchorage as the ship does not have a way to keep itself in position due to a fault onboard.
Cork County Council confirmed they were receiving noise complaints and working on trying to find a solution.
“From May of this year, a total of six complaints have been logged by Cork County Council in relation to noise from the MV Matthew.
“The Council’s Environment Directorate have been actively engaging with Port of Cork Company in recent months seeking to address the issues giving rise to these complaints,” a Cork County Council spokeswoman said.
A spokeswoman for the Port of Cork said it takes the complaints seriously and is committed to “addressing concerns promptly”.
The company said that it is handling the complaints and its Community Liaison Officer is working with local people to address their concerns and work toward a solution.
“It is not ideal to have a vessel of this size berthed long-term at the Port. However, this is an exceptional circumstance, and our role is to work with stakeholders to facilitate them as much as possible while minimising any disruption to the local community.
“The Port of Cork is committed to balancing operational needs with the wellbeing of our neighbouring communities. We will continue to liaise with local authorities and residents to ensure minimal disruption and maintain open communication throughout the process,” she said.
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