Displaying items by tag: d'Amico Group

13th April 2016

d’Amico Group is 'Green Shipowner of the Year 2016'

d'Amico Group, the Italian company which has a dry-cargo subsidiary headquartered in Dublin, has won Green Shipowner of the Year

#GreenAward - The d'Amico Group, the Italian maritime transport company has won the "Green Shipowner of the Year" 2016 for commitment in implementing on its fleet a system able to reduce the environmental impact and constantly monitor the performance of energy consumption. The company's dry-cargo subsidiary, d'Amico Dry domiciled in Dublin, operates a range of modern tonnage.

The award ceremony was held in Copenhagen during the Green Ship Technology (GST) Conference last month. The award from the GST rewards the most innovative technology put into use since January 2015, which shows a benefit to the marine environment and recognizes the most efficient and sustainable shipping group worldwide.

“We are really proud of this award, rewarding our commitment in reducing the marine environmental impact. Thanks to the introduction of innovative technologies on our ships and to the new eco-ships

investment plan, we have been able to pass the energy efficiency international standards, building a best practice globally recognized in the world of shipping”, said Paolo d’Amico, Chairman of d’Amico Group.

On the new eco-ships, d'Amico have introduced the latest generation of electronic engines that, combined with a revisited hull bottom form able to maximize water flow, significantly increased propulsive energy compared to old generation ships.

"Caring for the environment cannot be limited to the purchase of new eco-vessels, it has to necessarily involve management of the whole fleet instead. A constant monitoring of vessels, thanks to highly
advanced sensors on board, which allow to track consumption and performance in real time, led to a deeper responsibility assignment of the crew on environmental issues”, stated Domenico Savio Taiano, HSQE Director of d'Amico Group. Besides these engineering solutions, which already allow considerable reduction of fuel consumption and emissions (CO2, SOx and NOX), d’Amico Group established a Performance Monitoring Department, standing out among the first shipowner companies, specialized in transporting dry and liquid bulk cargos, able to create a department focused on monitoring the whole fleet performance exclusively.

"Since our special commitment towards the marine environment - explained Fabio Tagliavia, Technical Director of d'Amico Group - we promptly believed in this advanced system able to monitoring consumption and performance, in order to achieve continuous improvements in reducing emissions, in a context where every kWh used efficiently is a contribution to the society and the environment".

The jury that selected the projects comprised Craig Eason (Deputy Editor, Lloyd's List), George Papagiannopoulos (Common Progress), Lars Robert Pedersen (COO, BIMCO), Mark Cameron (COO, Ardmore Shipping), Hanna Lee Behrens (Norwegian Shipowners' Association). d’Amico Group has always settled among its “core values” a strong commitment to the environment. The environmental policy and the plans on sustainable development are, and will still be, important pillars of the strategy of the Group.

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Transport Minister Welcomes d’Amico’s Continued Commitment to Maritime Ireland

#dAmicoGroup - Minister for Transport Paschal Donohue met the owners of the D'Amico Group, Cesare d'Amico and Paolo d'Amico, along with their senior management team in Dublin earlier this week according to the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).

The Minister welcomed d'Amico's continued commitment to investment in Ireland and interest in the development of the Irish maritime sector.

Minister Donohue stressed the Government's commitment to the growth of the Maritime Industry in Ireland, as encapsulated in the Harnessing Our Ocean's Wealth strategy.

The strategy sets out an ambitious programme of growth ultimately aiming to double the sector's contribution to Ireland's GDP and the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) is working to achieve the commercial targets laid out in the strategy.

d'Amico was one of the first international shipping companies to open up offices in Ireland after Ireland introduced a competitive Tonnage Tax regime in 2003. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, an independent report of the tax regime was launched in October.

The d'Amico Group are now part of the fabric of the Irish Maritime industry and continue to grow their presence in the market.

The IMDO were intrinsically involved in encouraging the d'Amico Group to first open up premises in Ireland in 2004 and continue to support the growth of their investment in Ireland.

D'Amico group currently employs around 40 people in their Dublin office and more than 1,500 globally. The jobs at the Dublin office are highly skilled and have been recruited directly in Ireland.

In addition d'Amico, provide training berths on their vessels to Irish cadets training at the National Maritime College in Ireland.

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Dublin-Based d’Amico Group Introduce New Dry-Bulker Tonnage

The d'Amico Group, an international shipping company based in Dublin has acquired two handy-size dry-bulk newbuilds from a shipyard in South Korea this week, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Cielo di Dublino (photo) and her newer sister Cielo di San Francisco which was 'christened' on Tuesday by Mrs. Sandra Murphy, wife of Mr. Glenn Murphy, Director, Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO). Together the vessels cost around US $60 million.

The new vessels were built at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) in Ulsan. The facility is one of the largest shipbuilding facilities in the world and since 1996 HMD has built around 500 ships and of a diverse variety. To see a cyber yard tour click this link.

Speaking at the ceremony Mr. Murphy commented: "d'Amico Group are one of a leading number of firms that are driving investment in this sector in Ireland which is contributing to new employment and growth opportunities".

Entry of the new dry-bulkers marks another important chapter in the d'Amico Group's development since it established its Irish office in 2002, as the vessels are managed from its Dublin office under the Irish Tonnage Tax (ITT) regime.

Four more newbuilds are under construction in Korea, scheduled for delivery in 2012, and two under construction in Japan which are due in 2013. The latter ships represent a further investment in excess of US $310 million to the Italian company that began and grew as a family business in 1936.

To read more about this logon to the IMDO website and also www.damicoship.com

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Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta

From the Baily lighthouse to Dalkey island, the bay accommodates six separate courses for 21 different classes racing every two years for the Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

In assembling its record-breaking armada, Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta (VDLR) became, at its second staging, not only the country's biggest sailing event, with 3,500 sailors competing, but also one of Ireland's largest participant sporting events.

One of the reasons for this, ironically, is that competitors across Europe have become jaded by well-worn venue claims attempting to replicate Cowes and Cork Week.'Never mind the quality, feel the width' has been a criticism of modern-day regattas where organisers mistakenly focus on being the biggest to be the best. Dun Laoghaire, with its local fleet of 300 boats, never set out to be the biggest. Its priority focussed instead on quality racing even after it got off to a spectacularly wrong start when the event was becalmed for four days at its first attempt.

The idea to rekindle a combined Dublin bay event resurfaced after an absence of almost 40 years, mostly because of the persistence of a passionate race officer Brian Craig who believed that Dun Laoghaire could become the Cowes of the Irish Sea if the town and the local clubs worked together. Although fickle winds conspired against him in 2005, the support of all four Dun Laoghaire waterfront yacht clubs since then (made up of Dun Laoghaire Motor YC, National YC, Royal Irish YC and Royal St GYC), in association with the two racing clubs of Dublin Bay SC and Royal Alfred YC, gave him the momentum to carry on.

There is no doubt that sailors have also responded with their support from all four coasts. Running for four days, the regatta is (after the large mini-marathons) the single most significant participant sports event in the country, requiring the services of 280 volunteers on and off the water, as well as top international race officers and an international jury, to resolve racing disputes representing five countries. A flotilla of 25 boats regularly races from the Royal Dee near Liverpool to Dublin for the Lyver Trophy to coincide with the event. The race also doubles as a RORC qualifying race for the Fastnet.

Sailors from the Ribble, Mersey, the Menai Straits, Anglesey, Cardigan Bay and the Isle of Man have to travel three times the distance to the Solent as they do to Dublin Bay. This, claims Craig, is one of the major selling points of the Irish event and explains the range of entries from marinas as far away as Yorkshire's Whitby YC and the Isle of Wight.

No other regatta in the Irish Sea area can claim to have such a reach. Dublin Bay Weeks such as this petered out in the 1960s, and it has taken almost four decades for the waterfront clubs to come together to produce a spectacle on and off the water to rival Cowes."The fact that we are getting such numbers means it is inevitable that it is compared with Cowes," said Craig. However, there the comparison ends."We're doing our own thing here. Dun Laoghaire is unique, and we are making an extraordinary effort to welcome visitors from abroad," he added. The busiest shipping lane in the country – across the bay to Dublin port – closes temporarily to facilitate the regatta and the placing of six separate courses each day.

A fleet total of this size represents something of an unknown quantity on the bay as it is more than double the size of any other regatta ever held there.

Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta FAQs

What is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Ireland's biggest sailing event. It is held every second Summer at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Dublin Bay.

When is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is held every two years, typically in the first weekend of July.

Where is Dun Laoghaire Regatta held?

As its name suggests, the event is based at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. Racing is held on Dublin Bay over as many as six different courses with a coastal route that extends out into the Irish Sea. Ashore, the festivities are held across the town but mostly in the four organising yacht clubs.

How big is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is the largest sailing regatta in Ireland and on the Irish Sea and the second largest in the British Isles. It has a fleet of 500 competing boats and up to 3,000 sailors. Scotland's biggest regatta on the Clyde is less than half the size of the Dun Laoghaire event. After the Dublin city marathon, the regatta is one of the most significant single participant sporting events in the country in terms of Irish sporting events.

How old is Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The modern Dublin Bay Regatta began in 2005, but it owes its roots to earlier combined Dublin Bay Regattas of the 1960s.

How many boats compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 500 boats regularly compete.

How many yacht clubs are represented at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Up to 70 different yacht clubs are represented.

Where do the yachts come from to compete at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Channel Islands, Isle of Man, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland countrywide, and Dublin clubs.

How many boats are visiting boats at Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Nearly half the sailors, over 1,000, travel to participate from outside of Dun Laoghaire and from overseas to race and socialise in Dun Laoghaire.

What type of yachts race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

21 different classes are competing at Dun Laoghaire Regatta. As well as four IRC Divisions from 50-footers down to 20-foot day boats and White Sails, there are also extensive one-design keelboat and dinghy fleets to include all the fleets that regularly race on the Bay such as Beneteau 31.7s, Ruffian 23s, Sigma 33s as well as Flying Fifteens, Laser SB20s plus some visiting fleets such as the RS Elites from Belfast Lough to name by one.

What famous sailors race in Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Some sailing household names are regular competitors at the biennial Dun Laoghaire event including Dun Laoghaire Olympic silver medalist, Annalise Murphy. International sailing stars are competing too such as Mike McIntyre, a British Olympic Gold medalist and a raft of World and European class champions.

How much does it cost to enter Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

There are different entry fees for different size boats. A 40-foot yacht will pay up to €550, but a 14-foot dinghy such as Laser will pay €95. Full entry fee details are contained in the Regatta Notice of Race document.

Where can spectators view Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

Spectators can see the boats racing on six courses from any vantage point on the southern shore of Dublin Bay. As well as from the Harbour walls itself, it is also possible to see the boats from Sandycove, Dalkey and Killiney, especially when the boats compete over inshore coastal courses or have in-harbour finishes.

How does Dun Laoghaire regatta compare to international regattas?

Very favourably. It is often compared to Cowes, Britain's biggest regatta on the Isle of Wight that has 1,000 entries. However, sailors based in the north of England have to travel three times the distance to get to Cowes as they do to Dun Laoghaire.

Why is Dun Laoghaire Regatta so unique?

Dun Laoghaire Regatta is unique because of its compact site offering four different yacht clubs within the harbour and the race tracks' proximity, just a five-minute sail from shore. International sailors also speak of its international travel connections and being so close to Dublin city. The regatta also prides itself on balancing excellent competition with good fun ashore.

Who organises Dun Laoghaire Regatta?

The Organising Authority (OA) of Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta is Dublin Bay Regattas Ltd, a not-for-profit company, beneficially owned by Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC), National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) and Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC).

What does Dun Laoghaire Regatta contribute to the local economy?

The Irish Marine Federation launched a case study on the 2009 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta's socio-economic significance. Over four days, the study (carried out by Irish Sea Marine Leisure Knowledge Network) found the event was worth nearly €3million to the local economy over the four days of the event. Typically the Royal Marine Hotel and Haddington Hotel and other local providers are fully booked for the event.