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 new Dublin-Cherbourg service sold out on its first commercial sailing operated by the one year old Stena Estrid. The leadship of the E-Flexer ro-pax class ferry is to complete its first round trip on the Ireland-France route with a scheduled arrival AFLOAT adds tomorrow, Monday morning.

Stena's New Dublin-Cherbourg Route Sells Out on First Day

24th January 2021 Ferry

Ferry operator Stena says its new Dublin-Cherbourg service sold out on its first day, with 175 trucks booked to sail. However, hauliers say direct routes to Europe cannot take the place of the British landbridge because of the lack of…

The CSO has released new figures on the performance of six of the main Irish Ports. Above: a containership departing in lower Cork Harbour and where a tanker is berthed at the Whitegate Oil Refinery.

CSO Figures Show Goods Handled in Main Irish Ports Marginally Down in Q3 of 2020

22nd January 2021 Irish Ports

Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show a marginal decrease in the volume of goods handled in six of the seven Irish ports in the third quarter of 2020. Six of the main Irish ports - Bantry, Dublin, Drogheda, Cork, Shannon…

The devastating scene of the Port of Beirut blast that took place in August last year and which was connected with a ship whose captain is been sought by Interpol. Among the ships berthed during the incident was the Jouri which AFLOAT identified as the former City of Paris that traded in Irish waters

Ship’s Captain is Sought by Interpol over Port of Beirut Blast

21st January 2021 News Update

Red notices have been issued by Interpol for the captain and owner of the ship (MV Rhosus) that carried the chemicals which devastated Beirut in an explosion in August, killing 200 people, Lebanon’s state media said, according to Reuters. As…

Ferries from the UK berthed at Dublin Port

Differing Travel Strategies on Island - Ministers Discuss

21st January 2021 Ferry

Differences in policy between north and south on travellers arriving at ferryports and airports have been discussed by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and his Northern Ireland counterpart Robin Swann. The different strategies, reports RTE, mean there are gaps in…

A container ship berthed at Dublin Port which in 2020 was the third busiest year on record for cargo in the port's long history

Dublin Port Throughput Increases by +7.6% in the Fourth Quarter of 2020

19th January 2021 Dublin Port

Dublin Port Company has today reported trading figures for the fourth quarter of 2020 and for the year as a whole. 2020 was a challenging year for Dublin Port but a year which demonstrated, yet again, the robustness of the…

Seafarers: A Liverpool headquartered maritime training provider, launched a first ever live-stream mass to seafarers aboard an offshore support vessel.

Maritime Training Company Stages First Ever 'Live-Stream' Mass to Seafarers Worldwide

19th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

In the UK Liverpool based maritime training company, Tapiit Live, has staged the first ever live-stream mass to seafarers aboard an offshore support vessel. The inaugural ‘offshore live mass’ was broadcast over WIFI by Father Paulo H Prigol, chaplain of…

$Plans to have fracked gas imported through Cork is shelved. The fracked gas should have no role in meeting Ireland’s energy needs, says Green Party.$

Fracked Gas: Plans to Import through Cork Harbour Shelved

19th January 2021 Cork Harbour

In Cork the Green Party has welcomed confirmation that plans to import fracked gas into Ireland from the United States through the Port of Cork have been scrapped. Green Party member of Cork City Council, Cllr Oliver Moran said Minister…

Brittany Ferries is to open a second route out of Rosslare to Cherbourg but by two months ahead of schedule to meet driving freight demand between Ireland and mainland Europe. The service is to be operated by Cap Finistère, at 204m long and of 33,000 gross registered tonnes. The ferry first entered service with the French operator in 2010, on long-haul routes connecting Portsmouth (UK) and Santander and Bilbao (Northern Spain). The ‘Superfast’ class ferry has plenty of space for drivers and passengers, with 265 en-suite cabins. The garage decks offer nearly 2km of space for freight vehicles, and the ferry is the fastest in the fleet with a top cruising speed of 28 knots.

Brittany Ferries Add New Rosslare-Cherbourg Service Bringing More Capacity & Much Earlier

16th January 2021 Ferry

Hot on the heals of Stena Line's new Dublin-Cherbourg route announced today, Brittany Ferries has also acted quickly to support the freight sector and meet the needs of an industry battling Brexit by confirming a new weekly Rosslare-Cherbourg service. As…

The Stena Estrid will operate on the new weekend Dublin-Cherbourg route. AFLOAT adds the ferry firm will compete with Irish Ferries, to become the second operator serving on the Irish capital-mainland continental Europe route.

Ferry Firm Stena Adds New Dublin-Cherbourg Route, As Hauliers Warn of Major Problem

16th January 2021 Ferry

Stena Line is to further increase its freight-ferry capacity direct from Ireland to continental Europe in response to increased post-Brexit demand by adding a new weekend sailing from Dublin to Cherbourg. The new service, reports RTE News, will start next…

Additional costs entailed in policing imports from Britain into the all-island EU single market will inevitably drive up prices. Above: A lorry boards P&O Ferries ropax European Causeway at Larne Port which Afloat adds connects Cairnryan in Scotland.

Red Tape from Brexit and Delays at Ports 'To Drive Up Prices for Irish Consumers'

15th January 2021 Ferry

"Red tape" from Brexit and delays at (ferry)ports will drive up prices of Irish goods in the coming months, Bank of Ireland group chief economist, Loretta O'Sullivan has warned. Ms O'Sullivan said that the bank's business customers had signalled that…

Stena Line has cancelled several Irish Sea sailings again this weekend as the post-Brexit trade slump continues at Holyhead (above) while in south Wales, the Fishguard night time sailing has been pulled until at least Monday, January 25.

Operator Stena Line Cancels Holyhead Sailings Again as Post-Brexit Slump Continues

15th January 2021 Ferry

Ferry operator Stena Line has cancelled several Irish Sea sailings again this weekend as the post-Brexit trade slump continues at Holyhead and Fishguard, writes NorthWalesLive. The operator is still reporting a 70% drop in freight trade on routes between Wales…

Irish Freight Transport Association (IFTA) says full impact of Brexit has still to be felt. IFTA also warned of disappearing supply chains, empty supermarket shelves and rising unemployment, and calls for a six month adjustment period.

Huge Disruption: Freight Group Warns Taoiseach Over Trade Supplies

15th January 2021 Ferry

A letter from the Irish Freight Transport Association to the Taoiseach warns of huge disruption in the coming weeks as the impact of Brexit fully takes hold of trade between Ireland, the UK and Europe. The letter, seen by RTÉ…

The British PM made the claims during a recent Liaison Committee meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal. Above a display sign at the North Wales Port of Holyhead which has two competing ferry operators (Irish Ferries and Stena Line) connecting Dubin Port.

Ferry Truckers Bypassing Holyhead-Dublin Route A Sign of 'Brexit Success' Says Boris Johnson

14th January 2021 Ferry

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told how (ferry) truckers bypassing north Wales is a sign of Brexit success. Speaking (yesterday) at a Liaison Committee with senior MP’s, Mr Johnson was asked about the Brexit related delays at the border.…

Freight Demand from Post-Brexit Placed On Direct Ferries Causes Capacity Problems

14th January 2021 Ferry

Ferry capacity issues are building up on direct Ireland-mainland Europe routes as lorries avoiding Brexit checks through Britain are “bumped” to make way for vital imports of medicines and medical equipment. As The Irish Times writes, hauliers booked onto the…

Retail Northern Ireland said there are some issues around supply. Above in this AFLOAT file photo of lorries parked alongside a ferry berthed in Belfast Harbour having sailed across the North Channel route from Cairnryan, Scotland. The port (among 5 in N.I) has additional ro-ro freight /ferry routes linking Britain through the English ports of Heysham and (Birkenhead) Liverpool.

Shoppers in NI Urged Not to Stockpile Amid Supply Chain Issues

14th January 2021 Ferry

Northern Ireland retailers, RTE reports, are urging shoppers not to stockpile after problems with supplies left many shelves empty. Smaller retailers say they fear months of disruption because of confusion about arrangements for importing food products (into Northern Ports see…

The new testing protocols have been introduced after LÉ Ciara and LÉ William Butler Yeats were taken off patrols a little over a week ago when a number of their crewmembers tested positive for the virus.AFLOAT adds this week the Naval Service newest OPV, LÉ George Bernard Shaw began a routine Martime Defence & Security Patrol which will see its crew away from family for up to 4 weeks. Also according to the Naval Service, Minister Simon Coveney has launched a sea-going service scheme to acknowledge & reward the unique State services that the Naval Service provide at sea.

Covid Outbreaks Sees Naval Service Launch Protocols to Avoid Patrol Ships Tied Up

14th January 2021 Navy

Due to outbreaks of Covid-19 among crews, the Naval Service has been forced to introduce new protocols in an effort to prevent further ships being taken off patrols. According to the Irish Examiner, the new testing protocols have been introduced…

Arriving from China is a heavy-lift vessel at the Port of Liverpool from where Peel Ports welcomed last week additional port crane infrastructure as part of the next phase of growth at Liverpool2, the port’s deep-water container terminal.

'Liverpool2' Container Terminal's £400m Expansion Nears Next Phase of Completion

12th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

Across the Irish Sea at the Port of Liverpool, the owners Peel Ports Group have welcomed an additional five cantilever rail-mounted gantry (CRMG) container shipping cranes that arrived at the UK port from China. The delivery which was completed last…

Imports still delayed despite Revenue’s relaxation of customs rule to get goods moving (to supermarkets where there have been empty shelves). Above in this file scene of a Stena 'Superfast' ferry from Cairnryan, Scotland at Belfast Harbour. Note the partially open shell doors at the bow of the ferry.

Irish Hauliers Using Northern Ports to Avoid State’s Brexit Checks

12th January 2021 Ferry

Ferry lorry drivers are bringing imports into the State from Britain through Northern Ireland to avoid the Brexit customs and regulatory procedures at Dublin Port that have delayed shipments. Businesses moving goods from Britain have struggled to complete the necessary…

A seafarer welfare app ‘Crew Matters’ has gone live to around 10,000 seafarers working on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag. This is a first such app developed by a flag state and its launch is notably timely as thousands of seafarers began the New Year separated from their families, with 400,000 currently working beyond their contracts, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Seafarer Welfare App ‘Crew Matters’ Goes Live to 10,000 Crew

12th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Isle of Man Ship Registry has formally launched the first ever seafarer welfare app designed by a flag state as Afloat previously reported. Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry Cameron Mitchell said the app, named ‘Crew Matters’,…

Shipyard Ferguson Marine has closed for this week due to concerns of increased Covid-19 infection rates. Above Afloat adds the newbuild Glen Sannox, first of the duel-fuel ferries for operator CalMac, which last year was moved from the shipyard to Dales dry dock also located on the Clyde.

Clyde Shipyard In Temporary Shutdown Over Covid Fears

11th January 2021 Scottish Waters

The Scottish shipyard that was contracted to build a pair of duel-fuel ferries, Ferguson Marine is being closed down for a week with immediate effect. Bosses say they have temporarily closed their Port Glasgow yard and Greenock warehouse with immediate effect.…