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Displaying items by tag: MV Julia

#SWANSEA CORK FERRY – The merchant ship MV Julia which operated as the Cork Swansea Ferry for the last two years is up for sale following the closure of The Fastnet Line ferry service and the loss of 78 jobs.

According to Dominic Daly Auctioneers the owners of the 1982–built vessel, a Finnish Bank, are inviting offers for the vessel on an 'AS SEEN AS IS' basis'. A guide price is expected shortly

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the operator had been in examinership since last November, and a restructured business plan had been submitted with a view to resuming high-season service in April. However, in a statement the owners of the Fastnet Line said they had been unable to raise the €1m-plus investment required and that the examinership had "failed".

The ship is currently lying alongside at Cork Port.

The basic details of the vessel are as follows:

IMO Number: 8020642

Year of Build: 1982 (Germany)

Gross Tonnage: 22,161

DWT: 2,880

Net Tonnage: 8,921

LOA: 153.4

Length (BP): 136.02

Breadth: 24.24

Draught: 5.82

Height: 43.0

Displacement: 12,380

Passengers: Unberthed: 1,062

Cabins 344

Berths: 938

Crew: 110

Lorries: 110

Cars: 550

Ro-Ro Lanes: 710m x 5.20m 4.50m

Ramps: 1 Port 5.56 x 6.16 x 0

1 Starboard 5.56 x 6.16 x 0

1 Centre Or Only 9.95 x 6.68 x 0

Bow Door & Ramp, Stern Ramp

Published in Ports & Shipping

Fastnet Line which runs the Cork-Swansea port route on the Celtic Sea, is assisting the charity MarineLife to monitor cetaceans, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The work of MarineLife is to survey the population trends and track the movements of dolphins, whales, porpoises and other wildlife. The research is undertaken onboard Fastnet Line's Julia (1981/21,699grt) and access to the ferry is provided free-of-charge to the wildlife-based charity.

During the months of July and August the ferry's schedule will allow for further opportunities to conduct daylight sightings of marine-life which is to be posted on MarineLife and Fastnet Line websites.

Adrian Shephard, Chairman of MarineLife Trustees, said: "The route from Swansea to Cork crosses a range of marine habitats and we hope it will generate many sightings of cetaceans and seabirds, including two important species we monitor, the white-beaked dolphin and the balearic shearwater".

In addition monitors recently observed fin whales, the second largest whale on the planet. Such sightings provide vital information and this will contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of cetaceans and other marine life in the Celtic Sea. To read more www.marine-life.org.uk

The first of four summertime surveys is to take place on 10 July. Overall the research by MarineLife is part of a larger project which also involves the use of other ferries operating in the Irish Sea and those serving on UK continental routes.

The 1,500 passenger / 325 car-carrying Julia sails year-round six times a week between September to June and from next month and during August the vessel will provide eight sailings per week. For fares and sailings schedules contact www.fastnetline.com

Published in Marine Science
The operators of the Cork-Swansea route that reopened earlier this year, Fastnet Line, have announced running two special sailings for Munster rugby fans, when the team play against Swansea Neath Ospreys on 18 December. In addition the company are offering a promotional ferry and bus transfer ticket (starting from €99pp) to the Liberty Stadium, the venue of the Heineken Cup pool three game.
An overnight sailing will depart Cork (Ringaskiddy) at 1800hrs on Friday 17 December and arrives in Swansea at 0800hrs. Passengers can remain on board the ferry, the M.V. Julia, for those who wish to have a leisurely breakfast, before a private coach transfer leaves at 1000hrs for the Liberty Stadium.

After the match supporters can take the bus from Swansea city centre to the ferryport, with departures on the hour at 19.00, 20.00 and 21.00hrs. Passengers check-in times at the terminal are from 19.00hrs and up to 2200hrs. The return sailing departs at 2350hrs on Saturday 18 December and arrives into Cork at 1400hrs on Sunday 19 December.

For information on prices contact Fastnet Line Tel: (021) 4378892 or logon to www.fastnetline.com

Published in Ports & Shipping

Galway Port & Harbour

Galway Bay is a large bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. Galway city and port is located on the northeast side of the bay. The bay is about 50 kilometres (31 miles) long and from 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) to 30 kilometres (19 miles) in breadth.

The Aran Islands are to the west across the entrance and there are numerous small islands within the bay.

Galway Port FAQs

Galway was founded in the 13th century by the de Burgo family, and became an important seaport with sailing ships bearing wine imports and exports of fish, hides and wool.

Not as old as previously thought. Galway bay was once a series of lagoons, known as Loch Lurgan, plied by people in log canoes. Ancient tree stumps exposed by storms in 2010 have been dated back about 7,500 years.

It is about 660,000 tonnes as it is a tidal port.

Capt Brian Sheridan, who succeeded his late father, Capt Frank Sheridan

The dock gates open approximately two hours before high water and close at high water subject to ship movements on each tide.

The typical ship sizes are in the region of 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes

Turbines for about 14 wind projects have been imported in recent years, but the tonnage of these cargoes is light. A European industry report calculates that each turbine generates €10 million in locally generated revenue during construction and logistics/transport.

Yes, Iceland has selected Galway as European landing location for international telecommunications cables. Farice, a company wholly owned by the Icelandic Government, currently owns and operates two submarine cables linking Iceland to Northern Europe.

It is "very much a live project", Harbourmaster Capt Sheridan says, and the Port of Galway board is "awaiting the outcome of a Bord Pleanála determination", he says.

90% of the scrap steel is exported to Spain with the balance being shipped to Portugal. Since the pandemic, scrap steel is shipped to the Liverpool where it is either transhipped to larger ships bound for China.

It might look like silage, but in fact, its bales domestic and municipal waste, exported to Denmark where the waste is incinerated, and the heat is used in district heating of homes and schools. It is called RDF or Refuse Derived Fuel and has been exported out of Galway since 2013.

The new ferry is arriving at Galway Bay onboard the cargo ship SVENJA. The vessel is currently on passage to Belem, Brazil before making her way across the Atlantic to Galway.

Two Volvo round world races have selected Galway for the prestigious yacht race route. Some 10,000 people welcomed the boats in during its first stopover in 2009, when a festival was marked by stunning weather. It was also selected for the race finish in 2012. The Volvo has changed its name and is now known as the "Ocean Race". Capt Sheridan says that once port expansion and the re-urbanisation of the docklands is complete, the port will welcome the "ocean race, Clipper race, Tall Ships race, Small Ships Regatta and maybe the America's Cup right into the city centre...".

The pandemic was the reason why Seafest did not go ahead in Cork in 2020. Galway will welcome Seafest back after it calls to Waterford and Limerick, thus having been to all the Port cities.

© Afloat 2020