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Displaying items by tag: Marine Industry Awards

#ShannonEstuary - Shannon Foynes Port Company was announced as the winner of Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year at the Marine Industry Awards 2017.

In the third annual hosting of the event (click here), SFPC – which oversees commercial navigation on the Shannon Estuary and is Ireland’s largest bulk port company - took the top award for ports for the first time. The win, which was announced at the awards in Galway, is a further endorsement of the success of the company, which has achieved remarkable growth year on year since 2011.

The award winners are selected by an independent panel of recognised and expert judges, representing Ireland's marine sector.

Speaking after receiving the award, SFPC CEO Pat Keating said it was validation of the collective efforts of the team. “We’re delighted as this is an endorsement of the efforts being made by the company over recent years. We have really turned the business around since the downturn and today SFPC is one of the key contributors to the regional economy.

“Last year we had growth of 11.4% in year on year tonnages at our general cargo terminals, bringing us close to peak tonnages of the boom and delivering double digit growth for the second successive year. This award very much recognises those gains.

“It also recognises the ambition of the company, backed up by a capital expenditure programme by us and our customers that has seen €40m spent at Foynes alone over the past three years.”

SFPC facilitates trade valued at €7.6bn per annum, with an economic impact arising from this of €1.9bn – equivalent to 1% of Ireland’s entire GDP – and supports 3,372 jobs in the regional economy.

The company’s ambitious plan, Vision 2041, is focussed on helping to transform the estuary into an international economic hub by taking advantage of what are among the deepest and sheltered harbours in Europe & the world.

Published in Shannon Estuary
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#MarineAwards - The winners of The Marine Industry Awards 2017 were revealed at the gala awards ceremony which took place as part of SeaFest in Galway.

In total 16 categories were announced at the premier event in Ireland for showcasing on a national scale the outstanding excellence and innovation in Ireland's marine sector. This was the third such year that the annual event has been held.

As for the winner of the prestigious Marine Industry Leader 2017, Sean O’Donoghue was the worthy recipient of the trophy. The award sponsored by the National Maritime College of Ireland, is in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the growth of the marine industry in Ireland.

A graduate of Civil Engineering from University College, Cork, Sean has been the CEO of Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation since 2000. He has a long and established career in fisheries management and has worked across a wide array of areas such as the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and state seafood agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Below are the winners of each of the categories representing what is best in the Marine Industry in Ireland.

Overall Marine Excellence Award

Sponsored by Marine Institute

Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions

 

Marine Industry Leader 2017

Sponsored by National Maritime College of Ireland

Sean O’Donoghue

 

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year 
Sponsored by PwC

Shannon Foynes Port Company

Shipping Company of the Year 

Sponsored by Irish Maritime Development Office

Atlantic Towage & Marine

 

Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award 
Lir National Ocean Test Facility

 

Seafood Sustainability Award 

Burren Smokehouse

 

Seafood Business Innovation Award 

Sponsored by BIM

Keohane Seafoods

 

Aquaculture Company of the Year

Sponsored by BIM

Mulroy Bay Mussels

Marine Tourism & Leisure Operator of the Year

Sea Synergy Marine Awareness & Activity Centre

Special Recognition Award
Capt. Viv Gough

Offshore Ireland Award
Sponsored by SEFtec Group

Woodside

 

Excellence in Marine Safety Award

SAMS Solutions - CH Marine

 

Excellence in Marine Research Award

Sponsored by Marine Ireland

MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy

 

The Digital Ocean Achievement Award

TechWorks Marine
 

Excellence in Marine Technology Award

Sponsored by Marine Institute

SafeTrx - 8 West Consulting

 

Excellence in Marine Education & Training Award

National Maritime College of Ireland

 

Future Achiever Award

Sponsored by MaREI

Sean Harrington - Atlantic Towage & Marine

Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry

Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions

Marine Industry Supplier of the Year

Swan Net Gundry

Published in Ports & Shipping
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#MarineAwards - The Marine Industry Awards are Ireland's premier event to showcase on a national scale excellence and innovation within our marine sector.

Now in the third year, the Awards are a significant event which will be held during SeaFest in Galway.  The Awards ceremony takes place on Thursday, June 29th at the Radisson Blu Galway.

The Awards offers a unique opportunity to celebrate industry excellence and network with its most distinguished figures and leading organisations.

Of the 15 categories open for entries, the Marine Industry Awards offer companies an excellent opportunity to showcase the diversity of the marine sector, and the role of companies operating within it. Winners will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges comprising of well-respected professionals and experts across all areas of the marine industry.

So to considering entering your company, entries are now open until April 12th, to apply click online here.

Below are the list of the 15 Marine Industry categories.

Overall Marine Excellence Award

Marine Industry Leader 2017

Future Achiever Award

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year – Large

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year – Small

Ship Operator of the Year

Offshore Ireland Award

Marine Tourism & Leisure Operator of the Year

Marine Industry Supplier of the Year

Seafood Business Innovation Award

Seafood Sustainability Award

Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award

Excellence in Marine Safety Award

Excellence in Marine Technology Award

Excellence in Marine Education & Training Award

Excellence in Marine Research Award

Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry

In addition to assist in making an application for a category, click this PDF Entry Guide booklet here.

Published in Ports & Shipping

#ShippingReview - Jehan Ashmore reviews the shipping scene and of the following stories among the last fortnight.

Enterprise Ireland are to seek its clients to be less reliant on UK markets following Brexit, this is to reduce exports by about 7% over the next five years.

Bad news for Irish exporters into the UK as imports will decline as foreign products become more expensive due to weakening sterling, ratings agency Fitch has warned.

At the second annual Marine Industry Awards, held in Galway, Dr Dave Jackson of the Marine Institute was named as Marine Industry Leader for 2016.

After 15 years the European Commission, Council and Parliament have agreed on Port Regulation, a legal framework for organising port services and financial transparency for ports.

Following completion of a series of three freight train trials will enable Irish Rail to increase loads by 50%.

CSO figures reveal an increase in Irish port volumes that handled 50.7 million tonnes of goods in 2015, an increase of 3.2 million tonnes (+6.7%) when compared to 2014.

Published in Ports & Shipping

#MarineAwards - The second annual Marine Industry Awards, hosted last night (Thursday 30 June) at the Radisson Blu Galway, saw Dr Dave Jackson of the Marine Institute named as Marine Industry Leader for 2016.

The Marine Institute was proud to sponsor four prestigious awards at last night's ceremony, held to coincide with SeaFest in the City of the Tribes.

These included the Excellence in Marine Technology Award, which went to Seagull Buoys – JFC Manufacturing, and the Excellence in Marine Education and Training Award presented to the Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART).

The Excellence in Marine Research Award went to the Coastal/Ocean Observing System, NUI Galway, while the award for Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office, went to GAC Training and Service Solutions.

Marin eMinister Michael Creed and Marine Institute chief executive Dr Peter Heffernan commended all the awardees on their success.

On Dr Jackson's award, Dr Heffernan said: "This award is a tremendous recognition of the significant role Dave has played in the development of the aquaculture industry both in Ireland and on an international level.

"I would like to personally acknowledge this achievement as a reflection of his career spanning over 30 years, dedicated to the advancement and expansion of the aquaculture industry."

The event was hosted by comic and broadcaster Colm O'Regan, with 19 prestigious trophies presented to the very best leaders and organisations operating across Ireland's marine industry.

According to the organisers, the Marine Industry Awards provide a voice for the individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of the industry in Ireland while recognising the key functions within the industry that promote growth and sustainability including manufacturing, port operations, logistics and commercial excellence to innovation, tourism and leisure, sustainability, aquaculture, education as well as many others.

A full list of last night's winners is available HERE.

Published in News Update

#MarineIndustryAwards - The Marine Industry Awards 2016 will take place at the Radisson Blu Galway in association with SeaFest, Ireland's national maritime festival, on Thursday 30 June.

Debuting in Dublin last year as the Maritime Industry Awards, the ceremony has been revamped to greater encompass all aspects of the maritime and marine sectors, and celebrate their contribution to the Irish economy.

The Marine Industry Awards provide a voice for the individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of the industry in Ireland while recognising the key functions within the industry that promote growth and sustainability.

The deadline for entries at 5pm next Friday 22 April is fast approaching – with award categories ranging from manufacturing, port operations, logistics & commercial excellence to innovation, tourism & leisure, sustainability, aquaculture, education as well as many others.

National Maritime College of Ireland head Conor Mowlds chairs a judging panel that includes a number of names returning from last year's awards:

  • Liam Lacy, director, Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) Shipping Industry
  • Donal Maguire, Bord Iascaigh Mhara
  • Dermot Clohessy, Marine Institute
  • Dr Margaret Rae, Marine Institute
  • Lorcan O’Cinnéide, Irish Fish Processors
  • Prof Patrick Shannon, Irish Offshore Operators’ Association
  • Yvonne Shields, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport
  • Declan Meally, SEAI
  • Dave Ronayne, Mainport
  • Robert Dix, KPMG

For more details visit the Marine Industry Awards website HERE.

Published in Ports & Shipping
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Dublin Bay 21s

An exciting new project to breathe life into six defunct 120-year-old Irish yachts that happen to be the oldest intact one-design keelboat class in the world has captured the imagination of sailors at Ireland's biggest sailing centre. The birthplace of the original Dublin Bay 21 class is getting ready to welcome home the six restored craft after 40 years thanks to an ambitious boat building project was completed on the Shannon Estuary that saved them from completely rotting away.

Dublin Bay 21 FAQs

The Dublin Bay 21 is a vintage one-design wooden yacht designed for sailing in Dublin Bay.

Seven were built between 1903 and 1906.

As of 2020, the yachts are 117 years old.

Alfred Mylne designed the seven yachts.

The total voting population in the Republic's inhabited islands is just over 2,600 people, according to the Department of Housing.

Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) commissioned the boat to encourage inexpensive one-design racing to recognise the success of the Water Wag one-design dinghy of 1887 and the Colleen keelboat class of 1897.

Estelle built by Hollwey, 1903; Garavogue built by Kelly, 1903; Innisfallen built by Hollwey, 1903.; Maureen built by Hollwey, 1903.; Oola built by Kelly, 1905; Naneen built by Clancy, 1905.

Overall length- 32'-6', Beam- 7'-6", Keel lead- 2 tons Sail area - 600sq.ft

The first race took place on 19 June 1903 in Dublin Bay.

They may be the oldest intact class of racing keelboat yacht in the world. Sailing together in a fleet, they are one of the loveliest sights to be seen on any sailing waters in the world, according to many Dublin Bay aficionados.

In 1964, some of the owners thought that the boats were outdated, and needed a new breath of fresh air. After extensive discussions between all the owners, the gaff rig and timber mast was abandoned in favour of a more fashionable Bermudan rig with an aluminium mast. Unfortunately, this rig put previously unseen loads on the hulls, resulting in some permanent damage.

The fleet was taken out of the water in 1986 after Hurricane Charlie ruined active Dublin Bay 21 fleet racing in August of that year. Two 21s sank in the storm, suffering the same fate as their sister ship Estelle four years earlier. The class then became defunct. In 1988, master shipwright Jack Tyrrell of Arklow inspected the fleet and considered the state of the hulls as vulnerable, describing them as 'still restorable even if some would need a virtual rebuild'. The fleet then lay rotting in a farmyard in Arklow until 2019 and the pioneering project of Dun Laoghaire sailors Fionan De Barra and Hal Sisk who decided to bring them back to their former glory.

Hurricane Charlie finally ruined active Dublin Bay 21 fleet racing in August 1986. Two 21s sank in the storm, suffering the same fate as a sister ship four years earlier; Estelle sank twice, once on her moorings and once in a near-tragic downwind capsize. Despite their collective salvage from the sea bed, the class decided the ancient boats should not be allowed suffer anymore. To avoid further deterioration and risk to the rare craft all seven 21s were put into storage in 1989 under the direction of the naval architect Jack Tyrrell at his yard in Arklow.

While two of the fleet, Garavogue and Geraldine sailed to their current home, the other five, in various states of disrepair, were carried the 50-odd miles to Arklow by road.

To revive the legendary Dublin Bay 21 class, the famous Mylne design of 1902-03. Hal Sisk and Fionan de Barra are developing ideas to retain the class's spirit while making the boats more appropriate to today's needs in Dun Laoghaire harbour, with its many other rival sailing attractions. The Dublin Bay 21-foot class's fate represents far more than the loss of a single class; it is bad news for the Bay's yachting heritage at large. Although Dún Laoghaire turned a blind eye to the plight of the oldest intact one-design keelboat fleet in the world for 30 years or more they are now fully restored.

The Dublin Bay 21 Restoration team includes Steve Morris, James Madigan, Hal Sisk, Fionan de Barra, Fintan Ryan and Dan Mill.

Retaining the pure Mylne-designed hull was essential, but the project has new laminated cold-moulded hulls which are being built inverted but will, when finished and upright, be fitted on the original ballast keels, thereby maintaining the boat’s continuity of existence, the presence of the true spirit of the ship.

It will be a gunter-rigged sloop. It was decided a simpler yet clearly vintage rig was needed for the time-constrained sailors of the 21st Century. So, far from bringing the original and almost-mythical gaff cutter rig with jackyard topsail back to life above a traditionally-constructed hull, the project is content to have an attractive gunter-rigged sloop – “American gaff” some would call it.

The first DB 21 to get the treatment was Naneen, originally built in 1905 by Clancy of Dun Laoghaire for T. Cosby Burrowes, a serial boat owner from Cavan.

On Dublin Bay. Dublin Bay Sailing Club granted a racing start for 2020 Tuesday evening racing starting in 2020, but it was deferred due to COVID-19.
Initially, two Dublin Bay 21s will race then three as the boat building project based in Kilrush on the Shannon Estuary completes the six-boat project.
The restored boats will be welcomed back to the Bay in a special DBSC gun salute from committee boat Mac Lir at the start of the season.
In a recollection for Afloat, well known Dun Laoghaire one-design sailor Roger Bannon said: "They were complete bitches of boats to sail, over-canvassed and fundamentally badly balanced. Their construction and design was also seriously flawed which meant that they constantly leaked and required endless expensive maintenance. They suffered from unbelievable lee helm which led to regular swamping's and indeed several sinkings.

©Afloat 2020