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.

DLR Acquire RMS Model to Join LexIcon's 'Lego' Leinster

21st October 2018 Historic Boats

#rmsLeinster - In advance of last week's RMS Leinster centenary ceremony, Afloat visited Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (dlr) LexIcon Library, to discover in addition to the 'lego' model of RMS there was another recently acquired model, writes Jehan Ashmore. On arrival to…

Trainee ship TS Pelican of London, berthed at St. Micheals Wharf, Dun Laoghaire Harbour on Tuesday morning just hours before the 70 year old barquentine departed on Stage 1 of a 7 month voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The next day due to encountering a fishing buoy, the ship had to divert to Rosslare ferryport where divers gave clearance to confirm no damage was caused to the propellers of the cruiser-stern vessel.

Youth Trainee Schoolship 'Pelican' Diverted for 36 Hours in Irish Ferryport During Stage 1 of Atlantic Voyage

21st October 2018 Tall Ships

#Tallships - During stage 1 of a 7-month voyage of the Atlantic Ocean, a UK trainee tallship diverted off the Irish coast, having picked up a fishing bouy that could of compromised the barquentine's propellers, writes Jehan Ashmore. As Afloat…

The 70 year old trainee-ship TS Pelican of London on the River Liffey is docked in Dublin's 'Dockland's (financial quarter) on 11 October. On that day youth trainees from a German college embarked the tallship at the North Wall Quay for a 7 month voyage (officially from Dun Laoghaire) across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. On the left are portacabins at the development site of 'Capital Dock' on Britain Quay, where commercial shipping last took place some 20 years ago, albeit in the form of laid-up and or sell-listed general cargoships. Facing opposite of this quay is Ringsend, from where this view overlooks the River Dodder meeting the Liffey.

UK Trainee Tallship On Charter to German College Departs Irish Port On Atlantic Voyage

20th October 2018 Tall Ships

#Tallships - A UK tall ship that embarked youth trainees in Dublin Port this week followed by a call to Dun Laoghaire Harbour is from where a seven-month charter voyage started of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean, writes Jehan…

Global ferry company Stena is warning that UK ports are not ready for Brexit. AFLOAT adds one of two ferries the company operate on the core Irish Sea route of Holyhead-Dublin (above) is Stena Superfast X seen arriving in the Irish capital port

Food Supplies Could be Hit by No-Deal Brexit, Says Stena Line

19th October 2018 Ferry

#FerryNews - Food supplies could be affected reports BBC News by a no-deal Brexit and and see traders bypass Great Britain, the ferry firm Stena Line has warned. There is "very little readiness" at ports and "anxiety is high", said…

An Environmental Report 2018 from ESPO includes The 10 Top environmental priorities of the EU port sector, so check it out! with related links below.

Environmental Report from ESPO Focuses On Top 10 Environmental Priorities In European Ports

18th October 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping- The annual Environmental Report for 2018 (download) published by the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) was presented yesterday at the GreenPort Congress in Valencia, Spain. The ESPO Environmental Report includes environmental performance benchmark indicators as well as the Top 10 Environmental…

Ferry operator Stena Line says ‘Ni Hao’ (Hello) in welcoming rising number of Chinese customers on its Irish Sea services

Ferry Company Says ‘Ni Hao’ In Welcoming Over 70,000 Chinese Visitors on Irish Sea

18th October 2018 Ferry

#FerryNews - Operator, Stena Line welcomed over 70,000 Chinese visitors on its Irish Sea vessels this year having become the first passenger ferry company in Europe to achieve the Chinese Tourist Welcome (CTW) Certification. The CTW is officially recognised by…

A record 115 cruise ships carrying 185,000 crew and passengers visited Belfast this season, according to Cruise Belfast. AFLOAT adds Black Watch seen in recent years in Belfast Lough with a white hull (now dark blue) had docked in the harbour on the southside of the port. On board were Canadians taking a 26-day cruise.

Record-Breaking Cruise Season Ends As Black Watch Calls Time On Belfast

18th October 2018 Cruise Liners

#CruiseLiners - It was a record-breaking cruise season that officially ended yesterday when the Fred Olsen-owned Black Watch (docked) in the Port of Belfast. As The Irish News reports this was the 115th ship to dock in 2018, and since…

Naomh Éanna docked in a Georgian graving dock of Dublin's Grand Canal Dock basin, is seen from the Ringsend Bridge (spanning the River Dodder). The former CIE operated Aran Islands passenger ferry cargoship (in this perspective view) is seemingly swamped by developing property under construction in Dublin's 'Docklands' quarter in the form of offices and apartments. The rare Irish (Dublin) built ship occupies one of two surviving Georgian graving docks as the largest drydock has for many years been infilled.

Work Begins On Historic Rare Dublin Built Former Aran Islands Ferry to Become Luxury Liffey Hotel

17th October 2018 Historic Boats

#HistoricBoats - Afloat has noted work has recently begun in Dublin's Grand Canal Dockyard to transform a former CIÉ Aran Islands passenger /freight ferry as previously covered into a floating 5-star luxury hotel on the Liffey, writes Jehan Ashmore. Commenting to…

The day after First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones visited Dun Laoghaire for the Irish state ceremony to commemorate the sinking of RMS Leinster a century ago, the Minister (above) then visited the Menai Strait, Anglesey, north Wales (with background of Britannia Bridge) to announce the preferred route for the 3rd Menai crossing. This option will improve journey times on the A55 route (to and from Port of Holyhead) and provide safer travel across the Menai Strait.

First Minister of Wales Announces Purple Option for Third Menai Strait Crossing

17th October 2018 News Update

#NewsUpdate - The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones who visited Dun Laoghaire last week for the RMS Leinster centenary, the following day paid a visit to Anglesey in north Wales to announce the Purple option as the preferred route…

Local people in the port of Holyhead, Wales fear that Brexit could hit port traffic which is an economic lifeline for the town.

Clouds from Brexit on Horizon for Holyhead's Lifeline Port

16th October 2018 Ferry

#FerryNews - Trucks in their hundreds roll off the docks at Holyhead every day, bringing goods to and from Ireland in an economic lifeline for this deprived corner of Wales, which is now threatened by Brexit, reports France24. Just 73…

In the event of a hard Brexit Dublin Port would have to handle five times the freight 'overnight'. AFLOAT adds above yesterday at dawn docked in the capital next to the Tom Clarke (East-Link) toll-bridge is Irish Ferries chartered-in ropax Epsilon (primarily a freight ferry with limited passenger capacity) and during its routine 'Monday' layover, having completed a weekend roundtrip to Cherbourg, before commencing sailings (today) for the rest of this week to Holyhead, Wales. Recently the Rosslare based cruiseferry Oscar Wilde has ceased sailing to France for this season, however the ferry has made several continental crossings on the year-round direct Dublin-Cherbourg route in tandem with Epsilon.

Hard Brexit - How Would This Affect the Republic of Ireland?

16th October 2018 Dublin Port

#DublinPort - An hour and a half before dawn and several ships are making their way to Dublin Port, reports BBC News. The biggest by far is the Delphine (see Humber story), known locally as a Brexit-buster which Afloat adds…

The Naval Service’s newest ship LÉ George Bernard Shaw (P64) berthed alongside Haulbowline Naval Base, Cork Harbour. The €67m newbuild under the command of Lieutenant Commander Frank O’Connor made a delivery voyage across the Celtic Sea from a UK shipyard. As AFLOAT reported in August, the vessel's primary armament a 76mm OTO Melara naval gun is to be fitted in the coming weeks.

Naval Service Latest Newbuild LÉ George Bernard Shaw Makes Delivery Voyage to Cork Harbour

16th October 2018 Navy

#NavalService - The newest Irish Naval Service Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) LÉ George Bernard Shaw completed a delivery voyage from a UK shipyard to Cork Harbour, writes Jehan Ashmore. Minister with responsibility for Defence, Mr Paul Kehoe TD, welcomed the…

Exhibition: ‘SS Dundalk’ recounts tragic sinking and loss of life on the Irish Sea a century ago

Exhibition On SS Dundalk Recounts Tragic Sinking And Loss of Life a Century Ago

15th October 2018 Coastal Notes

#CoastalNotes - The economic, emotional and communal effects is encompassed in an exhibiton about the sinking of the SS Dundalk 100 years ago which was officially launched recently at the County Museum, Dundalk, by UK Defence Attaché, Colonel Darren Doherty.…

Unite says UK shipyards like Belfast's Harland & Wolff should get work otherwise cranes could “end up as tourist attractions” if MoD contracts go overseas

Belfast's Iconic Shipyard Cranes Could “End up as Tourist Attractions” If MoD Contracts Go Overseas

12th October 2018 Belfast Lough

#BelfastLough - Belfast's iconic cranes of Samson and Goliath could “end up as tourist attractions” if military shipbuilding contracts are awarded overseas, it has been warned. As Belfast Live reports the union UNITE made the claim as they launched a…

Large by containership standards (that is in Dublin Bay), MSC Ela of 4,900TEU capacity which made only an 'anchorage' call to collect a part following engine problems is seen departing off The Muglins Lighthouse in the south of the bay last week, Friday. Note the pilot cutter alongside amidships. At the time regular containership caller to Dublin Port, ICG's division EUCON whose Elbstrand (circa 1000 TEU) is arriving from mainland Europe.

Large Containership MSC Ela Finally Arrives to America Following Dublin Bay Anchorage Diversion

12th October 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - MSC Ela, the large containership which due to engine-problem was forced to divert to Dublin Bay last week while on a voyage from UK to the USA, has finally arrived in New York Port today, writes Jehan Ashmore.…

Irish Naval Service’s LÉ Niamh (above) along with sister Afloat adds, Roisin the namesake of the OPV80/ P50 class patrol vessels would undergo a mid-life refit as part of Defence Forces spending which in 2019 will increase by €47.5m to almost €1b

Defence Forces Including Navy to Get Extra Money for Purchases of New Equipment

11th October 2018 Navy

#NavalService - Naval Service along with the Army and Air Corps that form the Defence Forces reports The Irish Times, has received significant extra money for purchases of new equipment next year. Morale in the Defence Forces has been hit…

Relatives of S.S. Dundalk on RTE's Nationwide edition (last night also featured RMS Leinster) where a commemorative ceremony was held in advance to the 100th anniversary (14 October). AFLOAT has identified the ceremony took place on board the Isle of Man Steam Packet's Mannanan (with master above). The fastferry took a special detour to the wreck site.

Another Tragedy: The Sinking of SS Dundalk On October 14, 1918

11th October 2018 Historic Boats

#ssDundalk - Only four days after the sinking of RMS Leinster, another Irish Sea steamer S.S. Dundalk was torpedoed on 14th October 1918 just weeks before the end of World War 1. As the Dundalk Democrat writes, twenty lives were…

RMS Leinster: A waterfront walk of remembrance through the harbour town of Dun Laoghaire took place yesterday on the centenary anniversary of the WWI disaster. There was a great turnout for the special day where Afloat adds the procession passed close to the RMS Leinster (anchor) memorial opposite Carlisle Pier, from where the steamer departed but would never return. Note appropriately those dressed to represent 'RMS' passengers walk ahead of officials prior to arriving at the state ceremony held beside the dlr Lexicon Library.

First Minister of Wales Attends RMS Leinster Commemoration Centenary

11th October 2018 Dublin Bay

#rmsLeinster - The First Minister of Wales along with Irish dignitaries, ambassadors among them from the UK and Germany attended in Dun Laoghaire yesterday a state commemoration ceremony on the centenary of the sinking of RMS Leinster, writes Jehan Ashmore.…

Proposals to move material collected during dredging at Carlingford Lough to within the bay. AFLOAT adds above cruiseship Saga Pearl II is seen off Warrenpoint Port

Carlingford Lough Dredging Proposal Campaigners Claim Could Bring 'Nuclear Material'

10th October 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - On both sides of the border, The Irish News writes campaigners are objecting to plans to deposit dredged material within Carlingford Lough, claiming it would bring nuclear substances into the bay. As covered on Afloat.ie, Warrenpoint Port is…

On the centenary anniversary of the sinking of RMS Leinster, relatives from the disaster carried out wreath-laying ceremony at the wreck site off the Kish Bank this morning. AFLOAT adds the relatives where on board excursion vessel St. Bridget having departed Dun Laoghaire Harbour and escorted by LE Orla and local RNLI lifeboat Anna Livia. This afternoon a second boat trip will bring more relatives to the scene of the single-worst maritime tragedy on the Irish Sea.

RMS Leinster - Relatives Visit Site of Sinking 100 Years After Tragedy

10th October 2018 Dublin Bay

#rmsLeinster - Today, relatives of those who were on RMS Leinster when it was sunk by a German submarine 100 years ago (during WWI) have visited the site of the sinking. The mail boat writes The Irish Times was torpedoed…