Jehan Ashmore

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

At ESPO’s General Assembly were Gerardo Landaluce, Isabelle Ryckbost (ESPO’s Secretary General), Gunnar Tryggvason (CEO of Ports of Faxaflói and Board Member of the Icelandic Ports Association), Ansis Zeltiņš and Cedric Virciglio.

Icelandic Ports Become Full Member of European Sea Ports Organisation

11th November 2026 Ports & Shipping

The Icelandic Association of Ports has become a full member of the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), following the formal approval of its membership by ESPO’s General Assembly, which was welcomed by organisation. Previously an observer member of ESPO,…

Whisky Galore! BG Orange, during dusk at Dublin Port’s (MTL Terminal) in recent weeks, operates for BG Freight Line, which last week launched another new Scotland-Netherlands route. This adds to existing calls to the Irish capital, Belfast, Liverpool and Rotterdam, where rostered on the new link to continental Europe on a rotating basis are the Ireland-Max class containerships BG Emerald and BG Jade

New 'Sales' Route to Boost Scottish Whisky Served by BG Freight Line

11th November 2026 Ports & Shipping

A new weekly shipping service serving Scotland with mainland Europe will also assist in boosting the country's whisky industry, port bosses claim, writes Jehan Ashmore. BG Freight Line’s Greenock-Rotterdam route will deliver in supporting such trade exports to the major…

Boluda Shipping is to acquire the container company Samskip, consolidating lo-lo services in Northern Europe and beyond. Both companies have existing operations in Ireland, as Afloat also adds the Boluda Corporación Marítima group, which has a giant global tug subsidiary, including those based in Belfast and Britain.

Spanish Shipping Group Boluda Acquires Dutch Container Company Samskip

10th November 2026 Ports & Shipping

A Spanish shipping group and a Dutch container company have signed an agreement under which Boluda Shipping will acquire Samskip, with both having existing operations in Ireland. The acquisition will pave the way for Europe’s most comprehensive short-sea shipping network,…

Ferry Fate: The Frazer Mariner, one of the two vehicle vessels that served the seasonal cross border service across Carlingford Lough which did not operate this year.

‘Willingness to Move’ Vessels from Carlingford Says Owner of Former Lough Ferry Service

11th November 2026 Ferry

Two vessels associated with the suspended Carlingford Lough cross-border ferry service are expected to be moved from Carlingford Harbour, according to a report to members of Louth County Council. The development concerning the former Greenore–Greencastle, Co Down, ferry service emerged…

Wightlink’s veteran St. Faith dates to 1989 but, fresh from routine dry-docking with remaining works, as seen last week, resumed service this morning on its routine Portsmouth-Fishbourne (Isle of Wight) route roster. Also berthed at the mainland port’s Portsea area at Gunwulf Quays were three Irish-flagged beam trawlers, among them Saturnus (WD 47) with Wexford as its port of registry. On the left, just partially visible is Wightlink's flagship Victoria of Wright.

Wightlink Service is Faithfully Resumed on Island's Main Solent Link

10th November 2026 Ferry

The only ferry still operating in UK waters from the era of the Sealink (British Ferries) brand resumed Solent sailings for owner Wightlink on the Portsmouth-Fishbourne, Isle of Wight, route, writes Jehan Ashmore. St. Faith, which has retained its name since…

The flagship Manxman, which only entered service in the summer of 2024, has been out of action since July, missing the entire peak season on the Island’s main Douglas-Heysham route.

Lloyd's Register Join Investigation as Repairs Continue With Isle of Man Flagship

11th November 2026 Ports & Shipping

Last week, investigations intensified into the problems plaguing the Isle of Man Steam Packets flagship ferry, Manxman, as specialist teams worked to identify the cause of issues affecting the propulsion system. Assisting the company’s project team are experts from Lloyd's…

In response to potential port-related costs at Rosslare Europort, Irish Ferries intends to introduce a new freight charge called the Southern Corridor Ports Surcharge. Above Isle of Innisfree inbound from Pembrokeshire, Wales, while the Stena Nordica is alongside the harbour’s outer pier.

Irish Ferries Warns of Potential Surcharge for Hauliers on Southern Corridor Route

10th November 2026 Irish Ferries

On the southern corridor, Irish Ferries has warned its freight customers of a potential new surcharge in 2027 on the route linking Rosslare–Pembroke Dock, Wales. The possible development follows proposals by Rosslare Europort (operated by Irish Rail/Iarnród Éireann) to substantially…

On board the flagship Pont-Aven, having sailed from Plymouth, Devon, is seen approaching Saint-Malo, Brittany, especially to attend the Route du Rhum, with its wrap-around promenade deck, and on the right, my overnight cabin. In addition, the E-Flexer class Saint-Malo, departing its namesake port on 31 October, exactly one year after its inauguration ceremony, is seen bound for Portsmouth, and along with the same class, Guillaume de Normandie also operates on the English Channel but on the Caen (Ouistreham)-Portsmouth route.

Flagship Makes 'Secret' Service Sailing to Take Up Spectator Role in Route du Rhum

8th November 2026 Brittany Ferries

The pride of the Brittany Ferries fleet, flagship Pont-Aven, which operates the Cork-Roscoff route, ended its season earlier as planned so as to be at the start of the prestigious La Route du Rhum Race, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 41,000-gross-tonne cruise…

Stena Line's owners have reached an agreement to purchase the Norwegian shipping company Color Line, which operates some of the world’s largest cruise ferries on the premier Oslo to Kiel, Germany, routes. Above Afloat also adds the Color Hybrid, which runs the domestic route of Sandefjor-Stromstad in the southern Oslofjord.

Owners of Stena Line Signs Agreement to Acquire Scandinavian Operator Color Line

27th October 2026 Stena Line

The industrial Group Stena AB, of Sweden, and the ferry owner of Stena Line have entered into an agreement to acquire the Norwegian shipping company Color Line, subject to regulatory approval. The transaction will bring together two companies with complementary…

Dover ferry line-up: The Isle of Inishmore of Irish Ferries and others from P&O Ferries and DFDS operate from the Eastern Docks, whereas the Co. Antrim-based contractor is to work at the £53m Western Docks Revival project. So far, a joint venture partnership between McLaughlin & Harvey and Boskalis Westminster has completed a major land reclamation project also at the docks, but more work is to be done through a subsidiary.

Antrim Contractor Appointed by Port of Dover for £53m Western Docks Revival Project

25th October 2026 Northern Ireland Waters

The appointment of a Northern Ireland company by the Port of Dover for a £53m project sees construction firm McLaughlin & Harvey secure two places on a new contractor framework at the UK's busiest ferry port. The development of the…

Next Monday, 26 October, in Saint-Malo, operator Brittany Ferries, in partnership with Adrena and Bureau Veritas Solutions, is to present its digital solutions at a stand held at the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe start village. This will be an opportunity to meet the teams, discover the technologies deployed on board, and gain an understanding of energy performance. Afloat captured this close-up of the E-Flexer class vessel Saint-Malo, which was last at Rosslare Europort nearly a year ago. It was redeployed between Ireland and Spain, then France, before resuming service from its namesake homeport and linking to Portsmouth.

Brittany Ferries Achieves Energy Savings with Presentation at Route du Rhum Village

24th October 2026 Brittany Ferries

Brittany Ferries has teamed up with Adrena and Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore to successfully demonstrate fuel savings of up to 6% through the deployment of an advanced digital twin-enabled routing solution. The AdrenaShip concept highlights the potential of…

The decision to raise a freight fuel surcharge, 'not taken lightly,' says the Steam Packet, whose ropax, Ben-My-Chree (aft deck), is as above at Dublin Port. The ferry was on charter to Stena Line during the closure of Holyhead in winter 2024/25, arising from Storm Darragh and a berthing incident that damaged the jetty.

Steam Packet Says Raising Freight Fuel Surcharge 'Not Taken Lightly'

23rd October 2026 Ferry

The ferry operator, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, says its decision to increase the fuel surcharge for freight service customers was not taken lightly. Speaking on Manx Radio, Managing Director Brian Thomson of the company recognises that any increase…