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Displaying items by tag: Vessel Incidents

#Vesselincidents - Within a fortnight two separate incidents involving a pair of vessels berthed in Warrenpoint, took place at the Co. Down port on the shore of Carlingford Lough.

Last week, overheating of cargo on board a hold of the M.V. Cimbris was detected by the vessel's captain who informed Warrenpoint Harbour Authority (WHA) which requested the fire brigade service.

The port authority implemented their emergency response plan and several units from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were dispatched to the Cimbris which had arrived from Riga.

Peter Conway, CEO of the port authority confirmed that of the 3,000 tonnes of animal feed, 2000 tonnes had already been discharged prior to the incident on board the vessel whose berth was cordoned off for safety reasons.

Commenting on the incident, "I wish also to compliment the speed with which the emergency services responded to this incident".

The second incident as previously reported on Afloat.ie, had involved a small discharge of marine fuel from a vessel berthed at the port on 22 October.

The fuel was detected on the water's surface by the ship's captain who informed WHA which led to the port activating their oil contingency plan.

A team trained in oil spill recovery put in place around the vessel oil spill booms in addition to securing the affected area through the deployment of absorbent pads.

With a rising tide some oil had been detected along the shore adjacent to Narrow Water, the area was subsequently cleaned and oil residue removed as part of the port's contingency plan.

The Northern Ireland Environmental Agency, the Department of the Environment, Newry and Mourne District Council, the Loughs Agency and other agencies were informed. They assisted Warrenpoint Harbour in the remediation of the shore line at this location.

An investigation into the spill was instigated to determine the cause of the incident.

 

Published in Warrenpoint Port

Whether you're a boat enthusiast, historian, archaeologist, fisherman, or just taken by the natural beauty of Ireland's waterways, you will find something of interest in our Inland pages on Afloat.ie.

Inland Waterways

Ireland is lucky to have a wealth of river systems and canals crossing the country that, while once vital for transporting goods, are today equally as important for angling, recreational boating and of course tourism.

From the Barrow Navigation to the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation, these inland waterways are popular year in, year out for anyone with an interest in rambling; flora and fauna; fishing; sailing; motorboating; canoeing, kayaking and waterskiing; and cruising on narrowboats.

Although most will surely identify Ireland's inland waterways with boating holidays and a peaceful afternoon's angling, many varieties of watersport are increasingly favoured activities. Powerboat and Jetski courses abound, as do opportunities for waterskiing or wakeboarding. For those who don't require engine power, there's canoeing and kayaking, as Ireland's waterways have much to offer both recreational paddlers and those looking for more of a challenge. And when it comes to more sedate activities, there's nothing like going for a walk along a canal or river bank following some of the long-distance Waymarked Ways or Slí na Sláinte paths that criss-cross the country.

Ireland's network of rivers, lakes and canals is maintained by Waterways Ireland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement in 1999. The body has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways on the island of Ireland, principally for recreational purposes. It also maintains Ireland's loughs, lakes and channels which are sought after for sailing; the network of canal locks and tow paths; as well as any buoys, bridges and harbours along the routes.

Along the Grand and Royal Canals and sections of the Barrow Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland is also responsible for angling activities, and charges Inland Fisheries Ireland with carrying out fisheries development, weed management and ensuring water quality.

Brian Goggin's Inland Blog

Giving his personal perspective on Ireland's Inland Waterways from present-day activities to their rich heritage, Brian Goggin tells it like it is with his Inland Blog.

From recognising achievements in management of the waterways to his worries on the costs of getting afloat on Ireland's canals, Goggin always has something important to say.

He also maintains the website Irish Waterways History that serves as a repository for a wealth of historical accounts of the past commercial and social uses alike of Ireland's rivers and canals, which were once the lifeblood of many a rural community.