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Displaying items by tag: New Manager

Darren Byers has been appointed Port Manager at Stena Line based in Belfast Harbour.

With over 20 years’ experience within Maritime operations, Darren joins the ferry and port operator from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) where he was Area Life Saving Manager covering Ireland and the Isle of Man. This year is notably significant, as the RNLI is to celebrate its 200th birthday on 4th March.

An experienced operations manager, Darren, from Bangor Co. Down, will manage the safe, efficient and effective operations in the Belfast terminals and support the success of Stena Line in Belfast Harbour.

He will support Duty Managers and lead the teams in the day-to-day functions at the Port.

The ferry operator has three routes serving Belfast Harbour, connecting Cairnryan, Scotland and Birkenhead (Liverpool) in addition the freight-only service to Heysham also in England. 

Published in Stena Line

Ferry operator the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company has announced the appointment of a new Customer Services Manager.

With a wealth of experience in the travel industry, Seamus Byrne will officially begin in the role on 1st November.

He has held various senior hospitality and marketing roles and, more recently, was instrumental in the successful plan and launch of a multi-million pounds hotel development on the island.

Commenting on his appointment, ‘I am extremely passionate about delivering great customer service which is why I’m thrilled to be joining the management team of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.

‘It is truly an exciting time for the Company and I am looking forward to working with the team to ensure we consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience for our passengers travelling to and from the Island.’

Managing Director Brian Thomson added: ‘I am delighted to welcome Seamus to the Company. He is a highly motivated and experienced individual who will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role and help provide the continued consistent delivery of customer service to our passengers.

‘Seamus’s contribution to the business will be invaluable going forward and we wish him every success in his new position.’

Published in Ferry

In south Wales, the Port of Milford Haven has appointed a new commercial manager for Pembroke Dock.

The appointment of Sharon Adams as the port's new Commercial Manager will be a key part to develop growing markets and support existing customers.

Sharon joins the port in Pembrokeshire from Chambers Wales where, most recently, she supported businesses with the changes required post-Brexit.

Previous to that Sharon’s career was predominantly in management roles within the hospitality and leisure industries with companies including The Parc by Thistle, St Brides Spa Hotel and Bluestone Resorts.

On joining the port, Sharon commented: “Learning more about the export and import markets really interested me, so when the opportunity to work with the Port came up I knew this was the right opportunity to put my commercial skills to good use. I’m very much looking forward to the challenge and the variety of businesses I’ll be working with.”

Commercial Director at the Port, Steve Edwards, said “Sharon has values that align to our culture and a wealth of commercial experience, and her latest role at Chambers Wales meant that she learnt a great deal about the movement of goods around the globe which puts her in an excellent position to help businesses grow whilst utilising our Pembroke site.”

Published in Ports & Shipping

Marine Institute Research Vessel Tom Crean

Ireland’s new marine research vessel will be named the RV Tom Crean after the renowned County Kerry seaman and explorer who undertook three major groundbreaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century which sought to increase scientific knowledge and to explore unreached areas of the world, at that time.

Ireland's new multi-purpose marine research vessel RV Tom Crean, was delivered in July 2022 and will be used by the Marine Institute and other State agencies and universities to undertake fisheries research, oceanographic and environmental research, seabed mapping surveys; as well as maintaining and deploying weather buoys, observational infrastructure and Remotely Operated Vehicles.

The RV Tom Crean will also enable the Marine Institute to continue to lead and support high-quality scientific surveys that contribute to Ireland's position as a leader in marine science. The research vessel is a modern, multipurpose, silent vessel (designed to meet the stringent criteria of the ICES 209 noise standard for fisheries research), capable of operating in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The Tom Crean is able to go to sea for at least 21 days at a time and is designed to operate in harsh sea conditions.

RV Tom Crean Specification Overview

  • Length Overall: 52.8 m
  • Beam 14m
  • Draft 5.2M 

Power

  • Main Propulsion Motor 2000 kw
  • Bow Thruster 780 kw
  • Tunnel thruster 400 kw

Other

  • Endurance  21 Days
  • Range of 8,000 nautical miles
  • DP1 Dynamic Positioning
  • Capacity for 3 x 20ft Containers

Irish Marine Research activities

The new state-of-the-art multi-purpose marine research vessel will carry out a wide range of marine research activities, including vital fisheries, climate change-related research, seabed mapping and oceanography.

The new 52.8-metre modern research vessel, which will replace the 31-metre RV Celtic Voyager, has been commissioned with funding provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine approved by the Government of Ireland.

According to Aodhán FitzGerald, Research Vessel Manager of the MI, the RV Tom Crean will feature an articulated boom crane aft (6t@ 10m, 3T@ 15m), located on the aft-gantry. This will be largely used for loading science equipment and net and equipment handling offshore.

Mounted at the stern is a 10T A-frame aft which can articulate through 170 degrees which are for deploying and recovering large science equipment such as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV’s), towed sleds and for fishing operations.

In addition the fitting of an 8 Ton starboard side T Frame for deploying grabs and corers to 4000m which is the same depth applicable to when the vessel is heaving but is compensated by a CTD system consisting of a winch and frame during such operations.

The vessel will have the regulation MOB boat on a dedicated davit and the facility to carry a 6.5m Rigid Inflatable tender on the port side.

Also at the aft deck is where the 'Holland 1' Work class ROV and the University of Limericks 'Etain' sub-Atlantic ROV will be positioned. In addition up to 3 x 20’ (TEU) containers can be carried.

The newbuild has been engineered to endure increasing harsher conditions and the punishing weather systems encountered in the North-East Atlantic where deployments of RV Tom Crean on surveys spent up to 21 days duration.

In addition, RV Tom Crean will be able to operate in an ultra silent-mode, which is crucial to meet the stringent criteria of the ICES 209 noise standard for fisheries research purposes.

The classification of the newbuild as been appointed to Lloyds and below is a list of the main capabilities and duties to be tasked by RV Tom Crean:

  • Oceanographic surveys, incl. CTD water sampling
  • Fishery research operations
  • Acoustic research operations
  • Environmental research and sampling operation incl. coring
  • ROV and AUV/ASV Surveys
  • Buoy/Mooring operations