Seatruck Ferries, the only Irish Sea ferry company, dedicated solely to the carriage of freight, are looking to appoint a Group Operations Manager. The position is based in their Heysham office in Cumbria. In addition the appointment would require regular travel to Seatruck's other terminals on both sides of the north Irish Sea.

The company operates the Dublin-Liverpool, Warrenpoint-Heysham and Heysham-Larne routes which are served by an eight-strong fleet. In recent years four Spanish built newbuilds were commissioned into service on the Dublin-Liverpool and Warrenpoint-Heysham routes. Each newbuild has a 120 freight unit capacity.The remaining four vessels where built in 1998 and they can each handle 65 freight units.

Seatruck's Dublin Port operations is located at the Alexandra Basin terminal close to the East-Link Toll-Lift Bridge and the Point Village.

To find out more about the vacancy (including PDF) logon HERE and in general about the company click www.seatruckferries.com The closing date for applications is 31 January.

In total the National Roads Authority (NRA) will have 25,000 tonnes of salt available during the Christmas week, with 3,000 tonnes distributed to authorities on a daily basis. As a priority the salt will be used to grit the national primary network.  

The second bout of artic conditions that has gripped the country with temperatures plummeting to -17 degrees in the west and -15 degrees is forecast tonight in the north-west. Further snowfalls are also due in various regions tonight and with sub-zero temperatures expected to last up to St. Stephens Day. As such the demand for salt supplies has soared resulting in shipments sourced from overseas countries to include Turkey and Egypt.

CFL Prospect (see video-clip here) is owned by the Dutch shipping company, Kees Koolhof which since 2006 has built up a fleet of modern vessels to trade in the short-sea sector. The 2007 built vessel is one of nine Jumbo 6500s from a series completed by the Peters Shipyard at Krampen.

For the latest NRA's road weather stations logon here in addition to weather forecasts from www.met.ie

Two Dutch naval frigates, HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Van Amstel are due to arrive into Dublin Port tomorrow for a courtesy visit over the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Van Tromp is a De Zeven Provinciën-class air-defence and command frigate (LCF). The class has a striking streamlined visual appearance, through the use of stealth design technology. The stealth design is to minimise the vessels signature as much as possible from the detection of enemy vessels using radar.

At 6,050 tonnes, the stealth frigate is one of five built by the Royal Schelde Group, of Flushing, Netherlands. Spain and Germany also participated during the design stage of the 144-metre class which are powered by gas turbine engines capable of reaching 30 knots.

They are equipped with an Oto Breda 127 mm cannon, vertical launch system (VLS) Mk 41 for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), Standard Missile and Harpoon Missiles. In addition the frigate has a Goalkeeper (rapid-fire gun), a Oerlikon 20 mm machine gun and a Mk. 46 Torpedo weapon system. The vessel also has the ability to carry a Lynx or NH-90 helicopter.

The second frigate to visit the capital is HNLMS Van Amstel, one of two multi-purpose M-class frigates. The frigate which is also known as the Karel Doorman class can be used for surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare. They also have their own air-defence capabilities.

The 122-metre vessels displace 3,300 tonnes and have a two Rolls Royce (Spey 1A) gas turbines delivering 29 knots. The class are equipped with an array of defence / attack armament to includes an Oto Melara 76 mm gun for surface and air targets, a Harpoon weapon system and a NATO Sea Sparrow Vertical Launch weapon system for use against air targets at close range. Like the De Zeven –class the M-class frigate is also capable of carrying a Lynx helicopter.

The Royal Navy's Type 22 frigate HMS Chatham (F87) which recently returned to UK waters after a seven month deployment on anti-piracy duties off Somalia, visited Dublin Port last weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.

HMS Chatham was the lead vessel for NATO's 'Operation Ocean Shield' as part of a multi-national task force in the seas off the African state that in recent years has become notorious for piracy.

HMS Chatham departs Dublin Bay and the rocks off Dalkey Island. Photo: Jehan Ashmore /ShipSNAPS

The frigate departed Dublin on Monday afternoon and set an easterly course off the Baily Lighthouse, but surprisingly the 5,300 tonnes vessel returned into the bay. HMS Chatham then crossed the bay towards Sandycove. From there the 148m vessel which has a draft of 6.7m veered in a south-easterly direction, to sweep past off the rocky outcrop, to the north of Dalkey Island and continued southbound off The Muglins.

In mid-November the frigate visited her namesake port on the Medway to mark the 20th anniversary since the vessel's commissioning at Chatham in 1990. The occasion was also the first time that such an event had taken place outside a Royal Navy establishment. 

Built in 1988, the vessel was launched from the Swan Hunter shipyard on the Tyne and is normally based in her homeport of Devonport, Plymouth.

The new umbrella organisation Sail Training Ireland includes a number of key sailing people involved in sail training in Ireland including the chief executive of the Irish Sailing Association Harry Hermon and Seamus McLoughlin the head of operations of Dublin Port Company. The group also includes Kalanne O'Leary, a former member of Coiste an Asgard, the state board that ran Asgard II. The full group, chaired by Sheila Tyrrell, has been named as follows: 

Sheila Tyrrell, Chair
Harry Hermon, ISA Chief Executive
Philip Cowman ISA Director, Ex Harbour Master Waterford
Kalanne O'Leary, Irish Representative on Sail Training International
Seamus McLoughlin, Head of Operations, Dublin Port
Sean Flood, Sail Training International Ambassador – Ireland.

Looking for further reading on Tall Ships in Ireland? Click the links below:

Click this link to read all our Tall Ships Stories on one handy page

Previewing Ireland's Tall Ships 2011 Season

Can Ireland Get a New Tall Ship?

The spectacular effect of the life-size rainbow had never been achieved before in Ireland. Steve Green, the director of the advertisement used a 35mm film, with footage from HD cameras, including one mounted on the helicopter which hovered over the 'new' landmarks of the 'Docklands'.

The imaginative advertisement was created by Sweet Media, the production company chosen to produce the campaign, under the direction of the National Lottery's advertising agency, DDFH&B. The soundtrack for 'Making Magic Happen' is the appropriately titled 'Pocketful of Rainbows', sung by Elvis Presley. The version used is Take 16 from the 1960 recording sessions for the 'G.I. Blues' soundtrack.

As for the stars of the advert, the tugs are named after Irish figures, Shackleton, named in honour of Antartic explorer Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton and Beaufort, named after Navan-born, Sir Francis Beaufort, who created the world-renowned wind-scale measurement.

The 50-bollard ton tugs cost €6m each and were built at the Astilleros Zamakona Shipyard, Bilbao. In March the tugs officially entered service after a joint naming ceremony was held in Dublin Port.

To view the tugs in water-firing, making magic mode!... click the link here

This morning the 28,388 gross tonnes cruises-ship Boudicca is due to arrive into Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore. The visit of the 1973-built vessel will represent the second last cruise-call of this year's cruise-season. The 900-passenger capacity Boudicca will depart later today on a 10-day cruise to include calling to Cork.

The final cruise-call scheduled for Dublin Port will once again by made by Boudicca on 20 November. On that cruise the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines ship will be returning from Cork after an overnight passage.

Next year Dublin is to welcome 86 cruise-ships, where the largest of these vessels will berth in Alexandra Quay, located 2 kms from the city centre. Smaller vessels can dock closer to the city-centre but they have to transit the East-Link toll-road lift bridge. In addition the depth of water on the River Liffey also restricts the size of cruise-ship.

Incidentally the Boudicca will be the first caller to Dublin in 2011, with a morning arrival due on 9 April. For further information on next year's cruise-call season, a list is available online at www.dublinport.ie/not-in-menu/cruise-ship-scheduled/

The figures reflect the disruption to the aviation industry due to the ash-cloud that erupted from the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcanic mountain in April. This contributed to a large volume in passengers making alternative travel plans by booking with ferry operators.

During the week of the main closure to European air-space, ferry operators noted a three-fold increase in the demand for foot-passenger bookings throughout the main Irish Sea routes. The IMDO estimate that an additional 106,000 passengers took the ferry option compared to the same time period in 2009.

On the continental routes between Ireland to France, volumes increased 25% in the second quarter of 2010. There are three routes operated by four ferry operators. Over 30% of the passenger market is conducted within the second quarter of 2010, marking the beginning of the tourist season. Therefore any increase in passengers volumes from this time is likely to have a positive impact for the balance of the full year figures.

In the months between March to May, the increase in sea-passengers was up 14% year-on-year. While the market demand on English Channel routes, which accounts for 90% of the traffic, saw passenger numbers surge 13% in the second quarter of 2010 compared to the same timeframe of the previous year.

The largest percentage increase in traffic, was recorded at Dublin Port, during the first 6 months of 2010, where passenger volumes rose by 25%. Earlier in the year, a new entrant into the Irish Sea market, Fastnet Line re-opened the Cork-Swansea route. In 2006 the 10-hour route was closed by Swansea Cork Ferries. The new operator provides 6 sailings weekly which are likely to have resulted in a boost to passenger tourist vehicles in the south-west region.

On an all-Ireland basis there are 5 operators operating between Ireland and the UK, and 2 operators between Ireland and France providing 60 daily sailings. Irish Sea operators are Stena Line, Irish Ferries, P&O (Irish Sea), Seatruck Ferries and DFDS Seaways (formerly trading as Norfolkline) until acquired by the Danish ferry and transport logistics company. On the continental services, Irish Ferries and Celtic Link Ferries operate out of Rosslare Europort while Brittany Ferries serves the Cork-Roscoff route.

For a detailed PDF of the figures please click attachment listed below. For further information about the IMDO logon to their website: www.imdo.ie

A number of classes have already committed to run open championships within the regatta including the Wayfarer UK and Irish Nationals, the J109 Open Championship, the SB3 Open Championship and a return match of the Irish Sea Championship in J80s between Ireland and Wales. The race management team headed up by Con Murphy, aided by the usual ocean of wonderful volunteers, are working to facilitate this to ensure the kind of quality race management and organisation that will ensure the success of these championships.

The non-spinnaker fleet was the largest fleet in the Regatta in 2009 and is expected again to top the numbers and provide great racing for large boats with a smaller crew.

The regatta combines the wonderful waterfront facilities of all 4 Dun Laoghaire clubs and includes support from other clubs in the Dublin area including Howth. There will be a full on entertainment programme for all participants and many more with the continued support of many of the sponsors of 2009 which included Volvo Cars, Dublin Port, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, The Royal Marine Hotel, Helly Hansen, Dubarry and many more.

One of the highlights of the regatta are the Ladies Lunches which will again be held across a number of the clubs on the Saturday. Top Fashion, great food, a dash of style accompanies by the glass of champagne are the order of the day. All these at a very reasonable price reflecting the realities of today's tightened purse strings.

There will be more announcements in the coming weeks.

For more information visit www.dlregatta.org or event secretary Ciara Dowling at [email protected]

As the ro-ro ferry Norcape departed Dublin Port last Monday, on a routine sailing to Liverpool, the vessel passed the docked general dry-cargo bulker Wilson Tana. The vessels were involved in a collision in Dublin Bay, over 20 years ago, writes Jehan Ashmore.

On 18 February 1988 the vessels collided about a mile off the entrance to Dublin Port. The Norcape, was then under different ownership as B+I Line's 6,310grt Tipperary and the 4,694grt Wilson Tana, then named Sumburgh Head was owned by Norwegian shipping company Christian Salvesen.

Several small craft dashed to the scene as part of the rescue effort, fortunately the incident occurred close to the port and without loss of life or injury.

The bow of the Tipperary ruptured one of the Sumburgh Head holds, causing a large gash in hold No. 3 that led to over 3,500 tons of fertiliser spilling into the sea. The vessel was carrying in total 5,000 tonnes of the cargo from Rostock, then in the former East Germany.

 Norcape (formerly B+I Line's Tipperary) and Wilson Tana (formerly Sumburgh Head) in Dublin Port on Monday. Photo J. Ashmore /ShipSNAPS

Also arriving at the scene were tugs to assist the disabled vessels. The Sumburgh Head was in need of more urgent attention having sustained heavy structural damage amidships to one of four cargo holds. Several attempts were made to pull Sumburgh Head free while the Tipperary used her bow thrusters and main engines in an attempt to pull away too.

After an hour the vessels parted, though air-sea rescue services were called as it was feared the Sumburgh Head was in a vulnerable situation. The vessel only developed a 10-degree list and limped into the port under towage. Tipperary was less damaged and managed to return to port under her own power.

Sumburgh Head received remedial attention with metal girders positioned across the gapping damaged hold. In comparison the Tipperary was less damaged except for a gash to the bow and several buckled bulbous bow plates. The ferry received repairs in the local dry-dock facility in Alexandra Basin.

The Sumburgh Head was built in 1977 at the Hashihama Zosen shipyard, Imabari in Japan. Incidentally, Tipperary was also built in Japan by Mitsui Engineering Shipbuilding, Tamano and launched in 1979. The newbuild was chartered to B+I Line to serve on a new Dublin-Fleetwood route jointly operated with P&O, using Tipperary's sister, Ibex.

In 1988, the route's UK port switched to Liverpool with Tipperary remaining on the route until sold to North Sea Ferries in 1989 and renamed Norcape. It is only this year that the vessel returned to Dublin-Liverpool for P&O (Irish Sea) completing a career circle.

As for Wilson Tana, the Maltese flagged bulker docked in Dublin after arriving from Gijon, northern Spain. For the next two days the vessels cargo of sand was unloaded at the Coal Quay before departing last night.