Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine

Armel Le Cléac'h - 24 hours from Vendee Globe victory

Vendee Globe Victory 24 Hours From Le Cléac'h's Grasp

18th January 2017 Vendee Globe

British sailor Alex Thomson – with Cork Harbour connections – today conceded that his chances of overhauling Vendée Globe leader Armel Le Cléac'h on the home strait of the Vendee Globe were slim, despite narrowing the gap to just 35…

The Rhein Carrier is a regular cargo ship visitor to the Port of Cork

Port of Cork Handles 9.2m Tonnes Of Trade

18th January 2017 Port of Cork

Total traffic through the Port of Cork reached 9.2 million tonnes in 2016, a slight decrease compared to 2015 traffic. Import figures remain steady while exports were reduced primarily due to the closure of Lisheen Mines in Co. Tipperary and…

Royal Cork Yacht Club Are Runners–Up In ‘International Marina of the Year’ Awards

18th January 2017 Irish Marinas

The Royal Cork Yacht Club achieved second place in a strong international field at the Marina of the Year Awards and were just pipped to the post by the Karpaz Gate Marina, located in northern Cyprus. The Yacht Harbour Association…

Departing Arklow the newbuild Spirit of Rathlin, a 6 vehicle /140 passenger capacity ferry is to enter Rathlin Island ferry service once a new £1m harbour works project is completed to accommodate the new 28m vessel.

Arklow Newbuild Completed for Rathlin to Replace Ageing Island Class Ferry

18th January 2017 Ferry

#FerryCompleted - Spirit of Rathlin the new £2.8m car and passenger ferry is to be operated under a new ten year contract awarded to Rathlin Island Ferry Ltd, writes Jehan Ashmore. The newbuild built by Arklow Marine Services undertook sea…

Michael Creed: committed to legislation allowing northern and southern fishing vessels reciprocal fishing rights within the island’s territorial waters.

Marine Minister Takes On Donegal Supertrawler Fleet Over Multimillion Euro Mackerel Fishery

18th January 2017 Fishing

#TerritorialWaters - Marine minister Michael Creed writes The Irish Times faces a clash with the influential Donegal supertrawler fleet following his decision to review the share-out of the lucrative mackerel fishery. Mr Creed has also said he was committed to…

Thunder Child undergoing performance trials in Cork Harbour last month

Safehaven’s ‘Thunder Child’ Put Through Its Paces In Stormy Cork Harbour

18th January 2017 Safehaven Marine

#ThunderChild - Stormy winter seas made the perfect proving ground for a new state-of-the-art naval patrol and rescue vessel tested in Cork Harbour recently, as the Irish Examiner reports. But it’s just the beginning for Thunder Child – the latest…

Deepwater terminal of Ringaskiddy, Port of Cork is closely situated to medical and pharmaceutical industries where such plants are major exporters

Exporters Figures Hit As Business Flays UK’s Brexit Plan

18th January 2017 Ports & Shipping

#ExportsBrexit - Firms which employ large numbers of people by Irish owned companies are being hit by the slump in sterling, the latest trade figures suggest. Business groups here writes The Irish Examiner condemned UK prime minister Theresa May’s speech…

Lough Foyle is the estuary of the River Foyle separating Northern Ireland from the Republic

A Brexit Thought – Who Owns Lough Foyle?

18th January 2017 Island Nation

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland had a lot more than maritime matters on his mind this past week…. So he probably wasn’t giving a lot of thought to Lough Foyle as the Northern Assembly collapsed. Neither, I suggest,…

Lloyds of London with its origins in marine insurance using a coffee house in 1688 is examining the Irish capital which remains on a shortlist as it finalises plan to deal with Brexit

Lloyd’s of London Actively Examine Dublin as Option for EU Base

17th January 2017 News Update

#LloydsofDublin? - The option by Lloyd’s of London according to The Irish Times in setting up a subsidiary in Dublin is actively been examined, as it finalises its plan to deal with the move to Brexit. The insurance market is…

Dongfeng Race Team’s refitted Volvo Ocean 65 leaves the workshop in its new livery

Refit Completed On Dongfeng’s VOR Challenger

17th January 2017 Ocean Race

#VOR - Dongfeng Race Team’s Volvo Ocean 65 is the first boat to emerge from its refit process ahead of this year’s Volvo Ocean Race. The VOR website has details of the boat’s €1 million overhaul at Lisbon’s Boatyard, which…

Surfing at Lahinch in a still from ‘Beyond the Break’

Surfing Farmers Make Waves In Co Clare

17th January 2017 Surfing

#Surfing - Lahinch-based surfing pro Fergal Smith is the subject of not one but two recent online documentaries — and neither for his big wave exploits. Smith turned to organic farming after a globetrotting surfing career, teaming up with fellow…

Flagship to Fast Ferry Take Turns for Annual Overhaul

17th January 2017 Ferry

#Overhauls- Ulysses flagship of Irish Ferries departed today fresh from annual overhaul having dry-docked at Cammel Laird, Birkenhead on Merseyside, writes Jehan Ashmore. From Birkenhead the 50,000 gross tonnage Ulysses the 1,875 passenger/ 1,342 car capacity giant proceeded in the…

Transport Launches New ‘Seafarers’ Website

17th January 2017 News Update

#Seafarers - The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) has launched its new Seafarers web resource for all seafarers, fishers, recreational craft users and others looking to obtain certification or qualification in the sector. The new website is intended…

Coastguard Helicopters In Monday Morning Medevacs

17th January 2017 Coastguard

#Coastguard - Irish Coast Guard helicopters were called on for two separate evacuations from fishing vessels yesterday morning (Monday 16 January). In the first incident, Waterford-based Rescue 117 airlifted a fisherman who had suffered an injury on board his vessel…