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.

In the UK, the Peel Ports group, successfully completed a first trial of an autonomous survey vessel. This was the first Port group in Britain to take delivery of such a vessel, which completed its first successful trial at Crosby Marina.

Ports Group in UK Successfully Completes First Trial of Autonomous Unmanned Survey Vessel

12th April 2021 Ports & Shipping

In the UK, Peel Ports is the first Port group in the country to take delivery of an autonomous unmanned survey vessel, which completed its first successful trial at Crosby Marine Lake, north of Liverpool. Peel Ports offered Sefton Council…

Harland & Wolff with over 160 years of maritime and offshore engineering pedigree, has appointed Graham Couser to its growing US base.

Harland & Wolff Welcomes New Member to US Base in Miami

12th April 2021 Shipyards

Iconic shipyard, Harland & Wolff with with over 160 years of maritime and offshore engineering pedigree, is delighted to welcome Graham Couser to its growing US base. Based in Miami, Florida, Graham’s new role as Head of Business Development for…

Many Irish freight trucks had been bypassing Wales due to the new administration required. Above Port of Holyhead.

Traffic for Freight Between Welsh & Irish Ports Rises after Slump

10th April 2021 Ferry

On the Irish Sea is where one of the largest ferry operators say freight traffic is on the increase between its ports in Wales and Ireland, following a dip after Brexit. It was down by half for much of the…

Ever Given freed: European Shippers’ Council says cargo owners need carriers to provide better information and greater consideration to their customers to help minimise supply chain delays, as Maersk reopens for short-term bookings after being ‘successful with a number of mitigation efforts’

Demand From Shippers for Further Detail On 'Post-Suez Blockage' Service Disruptions

10th April 2021 Ports & Shipping

Operators of shipping companies are failing to provide Europe’s shippers with enough information about service disruptions and port rotations following the Suez Canal closure, according to Jordi Espin, strategic relations manager at the European Shippers’ Council. Europe’s container terminals have…

It is expected that 1,000 rooms will be available by 19 April as part of the mandatory hotel quarantining. Afloat adds above a busy scene at Rosslare Europort.

Rosslare Hotel Could be Part of Quarantine Facilities

10th April 2021 Rosslare Europort

Under consideration by the Government is the addition of a hotel in Rosslare, Co. Wexford to its facilities for mandatory hotel quarantining. It would provide capacity for those arriving on ferries to Rosslare Europort, which are predominantly coming from France.…

Increased sailings by Stena Europe on the St. Georges Channel route of Fishguard-Rosslare

Increased Sailings On Stena Line's Fishguard-Rosslare Route

8th April 2021 Stena Line

Ferry company Stena Line has boosted the frequency of its sailings between Fishguard – Rosslare from 14 sailings to 24 every week. The increase in frequency began yesterday and is good news for the company’s Welsh port of Fishguard, which…

Irish Naval Service vessel LÉ Eithne. As far back as 2015, the White Paper on Defence identified the need to replace the ageing Naval Service flagship with a new vessel which would be capable of carrying troops, freight and a helicopter. AFLOAT adds in this old file photo, crew are 'manning the rails' which is a traditional method of saluting or rendering honors used by naval vessels. The custom has evolved from the days of sail when sailors took to 'manning the yards"

New €200m Naval Service Vessel: As Hunt is Underway to Replace Ageing LÉ Eithne

8th April 2021 Navy

A tender has finally been implemented by the Department of Defence for consultants to help it procure a €200m multi-role vessel (MRV) for the Naval Service. As far back as 2015, the White Paper on Defence identified the need to…

Opening today, Brittany Ferries has begun making available reservations for the 2022 season. Above AFLOAT adds the cruiseferry Armorique sailing last week from Ringaskiddy, Cork Harbour.

Earlier Opening of Brittany Ferries Reservations for 2022

6th April 2021 Brittany Ferries

As from today, Brittany Ferries has opened its books for 2022 reservations in a move that comes three months earlier than normal and is partly designed to meet customer demand for holidays next year. But as the French ferry operator highlights,…

CLdN strenghtens its Iberian service linking Liverpool and Dublin which is served by the 'Kawasaki' series built in Japan, among them Victorine seen in Liverpool Bay

Freight Ferry Operator CLdN Strenghtens Iberian Service to Liverpool and Dublin

6th April 2021 Ferry

Freight-ferry operator, CLdN Ro Ro having announced additional sailings on UK and Irish routes out of Zeebrugge, Belgium, is in a next step to increase capacity and frequency on its Iberian service. The RoRo operator announced the bi-weekly service calling…

Fears liners may not return to Irish ports before 2022. AFLOAT adds above the distinctive twin funnelled Disney Magic paying homage to the 'Golden' era of cruiseliners. The operator, Disney Cruise Lines is according to Cork Beo to call to Dublin and Cork but not until September 2022.

Passports for Vaccine & Covid-19 Tests to Help Battered Cruise Sector Bounce Back

6th April 2021 Cruise Liners

Passports for vaccination and precautionary Covid-19 tests have emerged as keys to help kick-start the recovery of the crippled €70m Irish cruise ship industry. As Independent.ie writes, the revelation came as Irish ports admitted they do not expect the resumption…

Egypt's Suez Canal Authority says a shipping traffic jam caused by a giant container vessel getting stuck on the crucial waterway for almost a week has been cleared

Egypt: Suez Canal Authority Says Backlog Cleared

4th April 2021 Ports & Shipping

In Egypt, the Suez Canal Authority has said that a shipping traffic jam caused by a giant container vessel getting stuck on the crucial waterway for almost a week has been cleared. Traffic on the canal, a conduit for over…

Defence Forces tents at have been erected at the rear of the Rosslare Europort terminal, which will act as the holding area for those in quarantine. Above Afloat adds in this recent scene of the Wexford ferrport where the sunny-south east county is living up to its name and with ferries berthed prior to sailing direct to mainland European ports of Dunkirk, St Malo, Cherbourg and Fishguard, Wales, in the UK.

Rosslare Europort Quarantine Measures Begin at Ferryport

4th April 2021 Rosslare Europort

At the ferryport of Rosslare Europort and tucked away at the rear of the terminal building are two large green tents, flanked by several defence forces SUVs, reports New Ross Standard. The newly erected 'holding area' is evidence of the…

InfraStrata owners of Harland & Wolff experience ‘building growth momentum’ and in its ferry and cruise market has broken even after larger contract wins were established. AFLOAT adds InfraStrata recently acquired Scottish Methil facility which is split across two locations with sites on the Isle of Lewis (in the north-west) and as above Methil, on the Fife east coast.

Shipyard Owner of Harland & Wolff ‘Builds Growth Momentum’

3rd April 2021 Shipyards

Shipyard owners of Harland & Wolff, InfraStrata has reported "steady progress" in the first months of its financial year. In a Q1 trading update, the business said it has booked about £6.5m in the eight months to 31 March 2021,…

Before Blue Star 1 enters Rosslare Europort-Pembroke Dock route while on charter to Irish Ferries, a precedessor on the Ireland-Wales route (until 1996) Isle of Inishmore/Inishturk, for the past 24 years served in Canadian east coast icy waters as Madeleine, (above) has been withdrawn serving a French speaking region and is to be dismantled. The ferry, originally B&I Line's 'last' Leinster built 1981 at Verolme Cork Dockyard (VCD) along with elder sister Connacht, which after Brittany Ferries service as Duchesse Anne, remains as Dubrovnik serving in the Adriatic. Another former Brittany Ferries ship, Duc de Normandie, made a ('once-off) Roscoff-Cork round trip in 1992 as Afloat previously reflected, in January went for scrapping.

B&I Line's 'Last' Leinster Ends With Canadian Operator As Tenders Called for Dismantling

2nd April 2021 Ferry

B&I Line's 'last' Leinster, the fourth and final passenger ship to carry the famous Irish 'province' themed name, and the last ever Irish built cross-channel car ferry, has ended a career in Canada's east coast, writes Jehan Ashmore. For almost…

File photo of Blue Star 1, a Greek ferry on charter for Irish Ferries Rosslare Europort-Pembroke Dock route is currently in the Mediterranean bound for the Wexford port. The newcomer is now sporting Irish Ferries livery and is to replace Isle of Inishmore which is to transfer to ICG/Irish Ferries new service on the Dover-Calais route.

Blue Star 1 Underway in the Mediterranean & Bound for Rosslare Europort Service to the UK

2nd April 2021 Rosslare Europort

Blue Star 1, a Greek flagged ferry which Irish Continental Group (ICG) has chartered for their Irish Ferries Rosslare Europort-Pembroke Dock route, has departed Piraeus on a repositioning voyage, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Greek owned Attica Group passenger ro-ro ferry…

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has called on Member States and the EU to take port projects on board in the recovery and resilience plans. Above Afloat adds a shipping scene at the Port of Rotterdam where an inland waterway container-feeder barge is underway while and a deep-sea containership is berthed at Europe's largest port.

ESPO Calls On Member States & EU to Take Port Projects On Board In Recovery & Resilience Plans

1st April 2021 Ports & Shipping

European ports in recent months have been playing a critical role in the supply and distribution of essential goods and in keeping the economy running. As gateways to the world, being at the crossroads of supply chains, hubs of energy,…

Due to problems currently at Douglas Harbour, the Isle of Man Steam Packet's fast-craft ferry Manannan (above) is to step in for ropax Ben-my-Chree on the Heyham route during a period up to Saturday, 3rd April. For a revised sailing timetable click the operator's link below for latest updates.

Revised Isle of Man Steam Packet Sailing Timetable after Delays to Sailings

31st March 2021 Ferry

Due to ongoing problems in Douglas Harbour, the Isle of Man Steam Packet's sailing timetables for its ferry services have been revised. The fast-craft Manannan will run two daytime sailings (today, 31 March) instead of the ro-pax Ben-my-Chree, departing at 9:30am…

GLOBAL SHIFT: Søren Skou (CEO of A.P. Møller-Maersk) believes further exposure of the fragility of just-in-time models adds additional momentum to the move towards just-in-case stockholding and diversification of suppliers. Above AFLOAT adds, the stricken Suez vessel, Ever Green, of the 20,000 (TEU) 'Golden' class, is one of the largest containerships in the world, based on the capacity of TEU (Twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers. Above AFLOAT's photo of a previous title holder, Mette Maersk of the Triple E-class (18,000 TEU) berthed at the UK's biggest 'box-boat' Port of Felixstowe. The Danish flagged containership, had transitted the Suez, is currently off Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean and according to AIS, is scheduled to arrive in Singapore on 3rd April (this Saturday).

Blockage of the Suez Will Hasten Global Supply Chain Shift, Says Maersk CEO

30th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Blockage of the Suez Canal that had been caused by Evergreen's containership ‘Ever Given’ since 23 March, will hasten the global shift away from just-in-time supply chains after further exposing their fragility, according to A.P. Møller-Maersk CEO Søren Skou. The…

Cancelled sailings is blamed to silt build up Douglas Harbour.

Sailings Cancelled As Silt Builds up in Douglas Harbour

30th March 2021 Ferry

Ferry sailings of the Isle of Man Steam Packet were called off for the ro-pax Ben-my-Chree. Sailings to and from the Island, reports Manx Radio, have been cancelled due to silt build up in Douglas Harbour. The Steam Packet Company…

Onshore Power Supply (OPS): Calls by Europe’s ports for more onshorepower where it makes sense. Read about the Europen Sea Ports Organisation's (ESPO) proposal for an intelligent approach towards OPS.

Call by Europe’s Ports For More Onshore Power Supply (OPS) Where it Makes Sense

30th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Onshore Power Supply (OPS) is part of the solution to greening the shipping sector. It is an important tool for reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution at berth and in ports. The greening of the shipping sector is a…