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Irish Port and Shipping News
Irish Ferry Leaves as UK-Spanish Route Closes
The cruiseferry, Pride of Bilbao, owned by the Irish Continental Group (ICG) made the last return sailing on the Portsmouth-Bilbao route, when the vesseldocked at the UK port yesterday (28 September), writes Jehan Ashmore. Route operater P&O Ferries decided to…
Small Ferries Report Published
The Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey T.D. was today (28/09/10) presented with the report of the Small Ferries Project, a unique INTERREG funded study undertaken to establish the best way to design, build and procure a…
Short Sea Shipping Company Competition Announced
The Irish Exporters Association (IEA) has linked up with the IMDO in the search for the Short Sea Shipping Company of the Year 2010, a key category in the annual National Export Industry Awards. The annual awards are to be…
Arklow's Autumn Arrivals
Arklow Shipping Ltd (ASL) await the delivery of the 2,998 gross tonnes newbuild, Arklow Fern, this month from Spanish shipbuilders Astilleros de Murueta SA, writes Jehan Ashmore. Astilleros has built all previous 'F' class newbuilds with Arklow Fern forming as the…
Former New York ferry cruises Menai Straits
The Coastal Cruising Association based in the UK chartered the 1937-built Queen of the Sea yesteday for a cruise in the Menai Straits, Anglesey, writes Jehan Ashmore. The vessel departed Caernarfon and passed under the famous Telford Suspension road bridge…
The 'Lynx' Returns to Dun Laoghaire
Fast-ferry catamaran Stena Lynx III is to resume offpeak sailings on Wednesday (15 September)on the Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead route, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 'Lynx' had spent the high-season on St. Georges Channel in tandem with conventionalferry Stena Europe on the Rosslare-Fishguard…
Fastnet Line Exceed Expectations
Fastnet Line recorded carrying over 60,000 passengers up to the end of August since the Cork-Swansea route re-opened in March, served by the 21,699 tonnes M.V. Julia, writes Jehan Ashmore. Commenting on the inaugural season, Paul O'Brien, general manager of Fastnet…
NATO Vessel Fires Warning Shots at Pirate Skiff
Planning a world cruise? Think twice before taking in the Gulf of Aden. Only two days after the latest pirate attacks in the Gulf, Danish warship ESBERN SNARE disrupted a group of suspected pirates in a skiff believed to be…
Celtic's Caribbean Connection
The O'Flaherty Brothers of Wexford have a diverse range of shipping interests ranging from a fishing trawler fleet, a short-sea coaster and ferries under the Celtic Link Ferries banner, writes Jehan Ashmore. The shipping family can now also claim to…
Government Begins Review of Irish Ports
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey T.D. today announced the launch of a national ports policy review with the publication of a consultation document.  There are ten State commercial port companies established and operating pursuant to the terms of the Harbours…
Wicklow's Wildcat Wind-farmer's
The County Wicklow based firm, Island Shipping which ordered a pair of Wind-farm support service vessels starting with the Island Tiger, recently took up station on charter work at the world's largest offshore wind-farm construction project, writes Jehan Ashmore. The…
Dundalk hosts Merchant Seamen Exhibition
The County Museum in Dundalk is running an exhibition, until the end of September, entitled: 'Faces from the Past. Merchant Seamen from Dundalk in the early twentieth century'. The exhibition is based on photographic records identified by David Snook, research…
Drogheda Welcomes New Gas Operator
Drogheda welcomes Largest Gas Tanker The Co. Louth port recently welcomed the 4,750 tonnes MV Thresher, the largest ever gas tanker which was making a delivery of over 1,300 metric tonnes of gas to the Flogas terminal on the banks…
South Korean Newbuilds for Arklow Shipping
The latest newbuild for the Arklow Shipping Ltd (ASL) fleet, Arklow Meadow is due to depart from the Mokpo Shipyard Corporation, South Korea in three weeks, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 136m dry-cargo vessel will seek a cargo for the delivery…
Irish Shipping Trade Volumes Return to Growth
The latest figures from the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) on Irish shipping trade volumes and port traffic data for the first half of 2010 indicate that shipping volumes on the key trade corridors have stabilised with a largely positive…
Revolutionary Rotor-Ship Returns To Dublin
State-of-the-art revolutionary rotor-ship E-Ship 1 docked in Dublin Port for the second time on 21 August after a voyage from Emden, Germany writes Jehan Ashmore. The previous week the 'green' energy concept vessel completed the same route and notably on a maiden commercial voyage…