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.

A Visentini-class ropax Afloat adds likewise of Connemara (above) is to be chartered as the third type of this Italian built series to join Brittany Ferries when it is introduced in November. The charter is to deliver greater flexibility to a route network that connects Ireland, France, Spain and the UK.

Brittany Ferries to Charter New Ship Will Secure 2020 Season Schedules

20th June 2019 Ferry

A one-year charter by Brittany Ferries of an additional ropax ship is been finalised ahead of the 2020 season. The ropax will be operated by Brittany Ferries from November 2019 until November 2020. The goal is to deliver additional flexibility…

Crew members from Stena Line who Volunteer for Mercy Ships

Crew Members from Stena Volunteer for Mercy Ships

20th June 2019 Ferry

Following another successful volunteer program in 2018, two more employees from a ferry company are preparing for a three-month adventure, joining the Mercy Ships hospital ship ‘Africa Mercy’. In addition to fundraising and raising awareness for the humanitarian NGO, Stena…

Former Aran Islands passenger ferry Queen of Aran II has recently been rebranded in CalMac corporate livery following Argyll Ferries incorporation into the operator's Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract earlier this year.

New Look for Former Aran Islands Ferry As Argyll Flyer Returns On the Clyde

20th June 2019 Ferry

A former Aran Islands passenger-only ferry, Argyll Flyer has returned with a new corporate livery following annual dry docking in Scotland to the Gourock-Dunoon route on the Clyde. Afloat adds the former Queen of Aran II was custom built for…

Small luxury cruiseship Star Pride during a previous call in Dun Laoghaire Harbour from where at the Carlisle Pier today guests are to embark on a 8-day Gaelic Explorers cruise to Edinburgh, Scotland (Leith Docks). Capacity of the 208 guest cruiseship is to increase to 312 as part of a major three-ship $250m 'Star Plus' initiative which involves enlargement with a stepped mid-section which will lengthen the ship by around 25m in addition to an extensive renovation of facilities.

Small Luxury Cruiseship Calls to Dun Laoghaire Harbour In Advance of Enlargement & Renovation

20th June 2019 Cruise Liners

Cruiseships visiting Dun Laoghaire Harbour have reached beyond the half-way mark this season as the fourth of six scheduled callers berthed this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore. Windstar Cruises Star Pride arrived to the south Dublin Bay port having made an…

The UK shipyard Cammell Laird located on Merseyside where assistant ship manager Claire Biggar is seen with newbuild RRS Sir David Attenborough.

UK Shipyard Invite Aspiring Female Engineers to International Women in Engineering Event

19th June 2019 Ports & Shipping

UK shipyard and marine engineering services company Cammell Laird will open its doors to young women in a special event on Friday, June 28 to encourage female engineers. The world famous Birkenhead shipbuilder and neighbouring Engineering College have joined forces…

Dutch shipping company BG Freight Line is to introduce an additional Waterford-Rotterdam service facilitating global trade. The BG-Maersk partnership will consist of a new weekly service that will act as a deep-sea feeder for businesses in Ireland commencing on 6th July. AFLOAT adds above is the Ireland Max class containership BG Diamond which was built in China as part of a quartet of newbuilds introduced.

Shipping Company to Offer New Route from Port of Waterford

18th June 2019 Ports & Shipping

A shipping line based in the Netherlands, reports The Irish Times, will open up Waterford port to new international trade routes when it commences a weekly service on the Waterford to Rotterdam route which will act as a deep-sea feeder…

A tug assists HMS Medway, the second of five new UK Royal Navy Batch 2 River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels which for the first time berthed at its homeport of Portsmouth today. During a delivery voyage from Scotland, the 2,000 tonnes newbuild was in relatively close proximity of the Irish flagged cargoship Arklow Cliff (2,999grt) which by coincidence was bound for the River Medway where located is the Port of Rochester which is reached from the approaches to the Thames Estuary on the North Sea.

Anglo-Irish Relationships: UK's Newest Fishery OPV In Sight of Arklow Cargoship

17th June 2019 News Update

Following the Rockall fishery dispute that grabbed the headlines last week, the UK's newest Fishery Patrol Vessel (FPV) completed a delivery voyage from Scotland to its homeport of Portsmouth today, writes Jehan Ashmore. HMS Medway arrived on Solent waters this…

Port of Portland (north) in Dorset, UK where a new scrubber service is to be located. Scrubbers or Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) are one of the hottest topics in the global maritime industry as a result of tough new sulphur emission regulations coming into effect under the Marpol Treaty.

New 'Scrubber' Service to Be Stationed in UK at the Port of Portland

17th June 2019 Ports & Shipping

In the UK at a port in Dorset is based a ship repair and engineering services company Intermarine UK which has struck a new agreement with a Chinese manufacturer to make the Port of Portland one of the nation's centres…

At the launch of the ro-ro freight-ferry Celine dubbed the 'Brexit-Buster' last year (see link below to related photo story) on Dubin Port expenses as originally revealed in the Sunday Independent which reported on expenditure items that included €200,000 for the commission and performance of a special piece of music for a ferry launch. AFLOAT adds this launch referred to the giant Celine where on board the musical piece entitled: 'Celine -Queen of the Cargo Ships’ was among several musical events performed in advance of the ship's christening ceremony attended by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Dublin Port Spending Must be Examined Fully – PAC Chair

17th June 2019 Dublin Port

A call for more scrutiny of spending by the State-owned Dublin Port Company, Independent.ie writes, has been insisted by the chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Seán Fleming spoke out following reports that senior staff spent €520,000 on…

Multicat workboat Willendeavour carries out an annual overhaul of moorings at the RNLI Lifeboat Station in Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The workboat operated by UK firm, Williams Shipping which was founded in 1894 celebrates this year their 125th anniversary.

Workboats Will Endeavour to Carry Out Tasks Small & Large On the Irish Sea

16th June 2019 Ports & Shipping

Afloat tracked a trio of UK based workboats from the same company that carried out tasks on the Irish Sea and beyond and which involved an overhaul of harbour moorings to the towage of a brand new ro-ro freight ferry,…

An AFLOAT photo taken in 2016 of Caledonian Isles berthed at Brodick, Arran on the Firth of Clyde, when work astern of the 1,000 passenger ferry was underway to construct a new ro-ro linkspan and terminal. The redeveloped and repositioned harbour was completed last year when it opened in March 2018.

Arran in Scotland: Businesses Vent Fury Over ‘Flawed’ Harbour Move

14th June 2019 Ferry

On the Isle of Arran in Scotland, business owners have vented their fury over the loss of revenue and disruption to trade they say has been caused by the increasing unreliability of the island’s lifeline ferry service. Islanders have told…

LÉ Samuel Beckett Afloat adds is the first of the OPV90 /P60 class which form a quartet out of a fleet total of 9 naval patrol vessels.

Naval Service Is A Sinking Ship With Staff Exodus

14th June 2019 Navy

In the Irish Examiner's report today the number of sailors leaving the Naval Service paints a grim picture for the future of Ireland’s maritime armed service. More than 100 members of the service are likely to leave this year alone,…

The Port of Waterford is planning for the future... so have your say on Wednesday, June 26th. Afloat adds the port's main terminal is located at Belview on the Co. Kilkenny side of Waterford Estuary.

In Kilkenny Port of Waterford Begins Public Consultation on 25-year Master Plan

13th June 2019 Irish Ports

On the southern tip of County Kilkenny is located the Port of Waterford which is beginning a public consultation process seeking inputs from all stakeholders on a proposed master plan setting out how the port could develop over the 25-year…

Port of Galway CEO Conor O'Dowd in front of a regular visitor to the city's Docks, the Corrib Fisher. AFLOAT adds the James Fisher Everard tanker operates from Whitegate Oil Refinery, Cork Harbour which was previously served by Galway Fisher.

Galway City’s Direct Old Aran Islands Ferry Service to be Restored

13th June 2019 Ferry

Ferries from Galway City to the Aran Islands will after a lenghtly absence make their return to Galway Docks – with the announcement that Island Ferries will begin operating the service from next year. According to the Connacht Tribune from…

Brittany Ferries flagship Pont-Aven is to resume service tomorrow, Friday 14th June. Afloat adds this will involve an inward bound crossing from Roscoff to Cork.

Ferry Service Cork-Roscoff to Resume this Friday

13th June 2019 Ferry

It has been confirmed by Brittany Ferries that its Cork-Roscoff route will resume service this Friday as expected. The announcement reports EchoLive.ie comes three weeks after the Pont Aven ferry suffered a hydraulic failure impacting thousands of people expecting to…

Dublin Port accounted for 59.3% of all vessel arrivals in Irish ports last year. Above AFLOAT's photo of containership Karin Schepers when berthed at the MTL Terminal operated by Peel Ports Group.

Rise of 3.3% In Goods Handled - In and Out - of Irish Ports

12th June 2019 Irish Ports

Figures released from the Central Statistics Office reveal that Irish ports handled 55.1 million tonnes of goods last year, an increase of 3.3% on the previous year. Total goods forwarded from Irish ports, RTE News reports, amounted to 18 million…

Ferry Industry man of the Irish Sea: Hamish Ross has died at the age of 75

Obituary: Hamish Ross, Seaman and Leading Light of Ferry Industry in the Irish Sea

12th June 2019 Ferry

In an obituary The Scotsman writes about the late Hamish Ross, ferry industry managing director, Born: 17, July 1943 in Lhanbryde, Morayshire. Died: 4 April, 2019, in Douglas, Isle of Man, aged 75. Hamish Ross, who died in early April…

The Irish Naval Service base at Haulbowline in lower Cork Harbour

Organisation 'Very Sceptical' of Dept's Plans to Overhaul Haulbowline Accommodation for Sailors

12th June 2019 Navy

An organisation which represents enlisted personnel in the Defence Forces says it's "very sceptical" about the Department of Defence's claim that it will address the accommodation crisis at Naval Service headquarters "as a matter of urgency". PDFORRA's president Mark Keane,…

Of the $250 billion in Chinese exports subject so far to US tariffs, more than 80% will be captured by firms in other countries, with the EU set to make the biggest gains, study estimates. AFLOAT's photo above depicts deep-sea containership Mette Maersk berthed at Felixstowe, the UK's busiest 'box'boat port which is almost opposite of Harwich from where was inward bound the cruiseship Marco Polo. Today, the veteran classic cruiseship is visiting Dublin Port while docked at Ocean Pier.

Trade War: US-China Prompts Major Shifts in Goods Flows

11th June 2019 Ports & Shipping

The trade war between the US and China is prompting major shifts in goods flows, impacting all modes of transport, according to a number of new studies into the impact of trade tariffs. As Lloyd’s Loading List reports Europe has multiple…

Minister for Marine Micheal Creed and Dr Stephen Hynes co-author of the report and Director of SEMRU (NUIG) discussing the latest figures from the 2019 Ireland's Ocean Economy Report which was launched yesterday above at Cork City Marina.

On Course As Ireland’s Ocean Economy to Achieve 2020 Target

11th June 2019 Marine Science

The Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) at NUI Galway has released its latest update on the performance of Ireland’s Ocean Economy. Coinciding with the Our Ocean Wealth Summit and the Government’s Annual Review of its Integrated Marine Plan – Harnessing…