#ShippingReview - Jehan Ashmore reviews the shipping scene from among stories of recent weeks.

Waterford Harbour Board celebrated its bicentenary and launched the port's business plan up to 2020 with a strategy for growth at the Belview facility through a €7 million capital investment project.

The second of 10 newbuild cargoships built to a new design for Arklow Shipping, yard No. 425 Arklow Cape is to be launched on 21 October from Ferus Smit in the Netherlands. Also in the same country, another newbuild at a more advanced stage, Arklow Valley began first sea trials.

While in the same week back home at ASL’s headquarters in Arklow, a rare example of an Irish built carferry, Spirit of Rathlin was completed from Arklow Marine Services.

The Tyrrell family behind shipowners ASL, are in their fifth generation of building vessels, which saw the 6 vehicle /140 passenger car ferry lowered into the River Avoca by giant floating crane barge, Lara 1.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) World Maritime Day included a debate (click to listen) on ‘Global Shipping’s Future Challenges’ The debate was held at the IMO headquarters on the banks of the River Thames, London.