There’s increasing concern about cruise ships in the Antarctic and whether people could be rescued should one get into trouble amidst the ice. 300 ships traverse that Polar region, with nearly a quarter-of-a-million tourist visitors aboard from November to March every year. The international search-and-rescue station in the region is operated by the Chilean Navy and named after the first Chilean Head of State and legendary revolutionary leader, Bernardo O’Higgins, whose father was from County Sligo. It’s the only permanent Chilean base on the Antarctic mainland, located on Puerto Covadonga since 1948.

More cruise lines are offering trips there and there is more and more pressure on the area from tourists and from demands for exploration.

Two weeks ago I met the seafarer who took the largest ice-breaking vessel through the ice at the earliest possible time of the year this year. It was a historic journey. So this week on my Podcast, when I bring you a selection of items from my radio programme THIS ISLAND NATION, I’m taking you to the Polar regions and to that unique SAR rescue station.

Also on this PODCAST edition, I was shocked to hear what Dr.Simon Berrow, Chief Science Officer of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, had to tell me about the damage which plastic in the oceans is doing, particularly to whales.

As I walk along the shore at Monkstown in my home village in Cork Harbour I see more marine debris washing in, particularly plastic. Do you see the same in your part of the coast.

What Dr.Berrow has to say should make us all think….

Listen to the Podcast below

Tom MacSweeney presents the maritime programme, THIS ISLAND NATION

Spanish Armada, French Armada, English forces, Vikings, the Lusitania. West Cork towns have had their share of maritime history over the years but this coming week will see history in the making when new visitors, this time invited ones, will arrive by sea to experience some of County Cork’s gems.

This Thursday, June 9th, the German cruise ship, the Bremen, will anchor just off Bere Island and 100 German passengers plus crew will zip ashore on some of the ship’s 12 onboard Zodiacs. With Hungry Hill as its backdrop and the historical island its destination, passengers will land at Lawrence Cove Marina, where they will be whisked to the Heritage Centre to learn about the island, its history and culture. From there, they have the option of hiring bikes, joining a guided walking tour or participating in some unique experiences – pulling a pint in the village pub or footing turf, for example.

“The community of Bere Island has gone out of its way to customise experiences for these guests and we are confident that the welcome they have planned for them will result in exceptional feedback from the passengers and crew and future calls of even longer duration in coming years.

“We are excited by the opportunity we believe the West Cork Islands present for expedition operators such as Hapag Lloyd Cruises and are in no doubt about the economic benefit that direct calls such as these can deliver to the community. ” says Clodagh Henehan, Divisional Manager, West Cork for Cork County Council.
Later, on June 13th and again on the 20th. National Geographic Orion, with mainly American guests onboard, will call to Kinsale. Anchoring in sight of the spectacular, clifftop, Charles Fort, the Orion’s guests will enjoy historical walking tours of Kinsale Town and take in the Old Head of Kinsale on the Wild Atlantic Way.

This is the first season that the Orion has been deployed in Europe – it is more usually to be found in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Combining adventure with luxury for its discerning and highly experienced travelers, this expedition ship also seeks out smaller harbours on its itineraries.

“Guests on these smaller cruise ships are seeking destinations where larger ships and mass tourism has not reached. It’s all about authentic experiences and West Cork, with all it offers, is ideal for them”, comments Clodagh Henehan. “Additionally, in recent research, 67% of cruise passengers said they returned to a destination after visiting it on a cruise. So, for us and for tourism development in the region, it’s a no-brainer.”

At the end of 2013, as part of its economic development remit for the region, Cork County Council identified the need to actively intervene to arrest the decline in cruise ship calls into Glengarriff, for which they were then responsible. They put in place a two-pronged promotional campaign that sought

to attract additional cruise ships into West Cork and to increase the shore excursions for cruise passengers in West Cork.

With decisions about deployment taking place some 3 years down the line, this is the first year that the efforts on the itinerary planning side are now paying off and the opportunity of attracting smaller ships into lesser known harbours has been realised. A further new cruise ship company is scheduled to call to Kinsale in 2017.

Additionally, Glengarriff which is serviced now by the Port of Cork, will have 7 ship calls in 2017, many of them new clients and all of them larger ships with an average of 600 passengers each. Significantly, one of these companies, Holland America Line, is one of the first American companies to call to Glengarriff which has traditionally appealed to a more European and UK market and it is hoped this will attract further US cruise operators to West Cork.

#AnotherCancellation– Another cruiseship has cancelled a call to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in favour of Dublin Port, bringing to four in total on what was to be a record season of 22 callers for the south Dublin Bay port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The giant 142,000 tonnes Royal Princess with a 3,600 passenger capacity will not be making its originally scheduled call tomorrow (5th June) according to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company.

Instead the cancellation of the 330m (1,083ft) Royal Princess will see the Italian built ship dock in Dublin Port in the early hours of tomorrow morning. This will be her second visit to the capital port having previously cancelled an anchorage call off Dun Laoghaire only last month.

Of the 22 calls originally scheduled for Dun Laoghaire, four have cancelled, two have made visits so far (both at anchor) requiring passengers be tendered ashore. This leaves 16 cruise calls (4 to berth in harbour) remaining throughout the season ending in September.

The double successive cancellations of Royal Princess within a fortnight has further reduced Dun Laoghaire's record season of 22 cruise calls. Should however all 18 calls in total be achieved this will still be a record season for the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company which restored the business in recent years given the backdrop of the declining ferry service to Wales which closed last year. 

Conflicting schedules however surround the Princess Cruises operated ship which according to the Dublin Port Company website is to see Royal Princess make another call on 29 June, the same day she is scheduled to visit off Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Royal Princess is scheduled to be the most frequent caller to Dun Laoghaire this season with a total of 9 calls, despite two of these calls cancelled. She is expected to make six more calls.

The French built cruiseship has only made a single anchorage call off Dun Laoghaire Harbour on 12 May, a day after MSC Splendida cancelled an inaugural opening season call off the south Dublin Bay port.

The 3,100 passenger MSC Splendida subsequently cancelled a second call in May to Dun Laoghaire but switched to Dublin Port to make a repeat astern 'reverse' docking call, (see report).

MSC Cruises cited their decision to use Dublin Port rather than anchor off Dun Laoghaire Harbour was due to the positive passenger feedback been so close to the capital, allowing more time to spend ashore. Interestingly, the MSC Splendida will after all be calling to Dun Laoghaire Harbour as Afloat.ie has confirmed she is finally to make her maiden call offshore on 29 August.

Another reason for the change of decision according to DLHC was that MSC Splendida choose Dublin Port to avail of the high-tide and berth alongside Alexandra Basin West, where a proposed €30m double-cruise berth terminal is to be located close to the East-Link bridge.

The proposed terminal would enable Dublin Port to accommodate the largest cruise ships in the world, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) 'Oasis' class of a whopping 225,000 plus gross tonnes. These behemoths of the seas can carry almost 5,000 passengers and are 362m length overall (LOA).

At the same time Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company proposed €18m single cruise-berth would permit considerably larger cruiseships than present to berth within the harbour and avoid having to currently tender passengers ashore. Both proposed projects would require a dredging programme to allow such deeper-draft cruiseships to berth in port.

The Dun Laoghaire cruise-berth is designed for cruiseships such as RCI's 'Freedom' class of some 154,000 tonnes and at 340 (LOA), though DHPC cite that cruiseships slightly longer could also be accommodated.

#dlharbour – Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company has unveiled a proposed €18m plan to facilitate some of the world's biggest cruise liners inside the harbour walls. A Public consultation will open on the plans for the new cruise berth facility next Monday.

The ambitious new plan is to regenerate the harbour following the loss of the HSS Stena car ferry between Dun laoghaire and Holyhead in February. There is currently no commerical traffic coming in or out of the harbour but a total of 22 cruise ships are expected at the harbour this Summer, bringing up to 100,000 passengers and crew to the east coast port.

The development of the new cruise berth facility is essential to allow to build on the success to date to bring even more vessels and passengers, according to the harbour company, a state owned commerical entity. 

The plan will involve the construction of a new quay wall and dredging of the harbour to facilitate ships up to 300 metres in length, (twice the length of the former HSS ferry) which cannot be currently accomodated anywhere else in Ireland other than Cobh in Cork Harbour on the South coast.

The plan is being unveiled this week to harbour and town interest groups including yachts and boat clubs and sailing schools over the course of 20 presentation meetings, according to Afloat.ie sources.

A new 435–metre quay wall be built in the middle of the harbour in front of the east marina breakwater to facilitate cruise ships. 

If the plan goes ahead the expected construction period is expected to take 15-18 months. Dredging is expected to be to a depth of 10.5 metres to accoomodate the massive ships.

Members of the public and harbour stakeholders are being invited by the Dun Laoghaire Cruise Stakeholder Group to submit their views on plans for the development.

The two week public consultation process will open next Monday (30.03.2015) and is being launched in advance of an expected planning application to An Board Pleanala for the project. The planning application will be made by Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company on behalf of the Dun Laoghaire Cruise Stakeholder Group.

The cruise industry is an important and growing sector of the tourism market. Cruise ships are getting bigger in size, offering more facilities to passengers, but requiring deeper water and longer berths of accommodate them. Over 50% of new ships currently on order are over 300m in length. At present Cobh is the only port in Ireland that can accommodate these vessels. If facilities are not put in place, Ireland risks losing out on the expanding cruise tourism market.

Under the Planning and Development Acts, the cruise berth facility is regarded as strategic infrastructure and the planning application must therefore be made to An Bord Pleanala. It is expected that a finalised planning application and Environmental Impact Statement will go to An Bord Pleanala the end of April / early May 2015. Responses from the public and stakeholders during the consultation process will be taken into account when finalising the application to An Bord Pleanala. When the final application goes to An Bord Pleanala, observations and submissions may be made by members of the public and certain statutory bodies.

Speaking in relation to the launch of the consultation process, Gerry Dunne, CEO of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company said: "The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan, published in 2011, identified the need to develop strategies to ensure the long term future of the harbour, in view of the declining importance of ferry traffic. Development of cruise business was identified as one of the opportunities to be pursued. In addition, Dun Laoghaire is designated as a marine tourism port under the Government's National Ports Policy and the development of the cruise business fits into this framework.

"Dun Laoghaire will have its most successful cruise season ever in 2015, with a total of 22 ships expected, bringing up to 100,000 passengers and crew to the harbour. However the development of the cruise berth facility is essential to allow to build on the success to date and to bring even more vessels and passengers to our town.

"The expansion and development of the cruise business offers significant economic benefits to Dun Laoghaire and the surrounding areas. These would include expenditure by disembarked passenger and crew; payments to tour operators by cruise companies and purchases by cruise ships from local supplies while in harbour.

"This is a hugely exciting project for Dun Laoghaire and the members of the Cruise Stakeholder Group are anxious to hear the views of the public before finalising our application to An Bord Pleanala. Full details of the proposals will be available on the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Website from Monday next at www.dlharbour.ie.

#TITANIC'S TENDER - While all the attention is focused on the R.M.S. Titanic and the newly opened Titanic Belfast visitor experience, the White Star Line passenger tender SS Nomadic is only a stone's throw away from the venue, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Like the liner she was built by Harland & Wolff and her launch took place in 1911. She was commissioned by White Star Line as a 1st and 2nd class passenger tender for Titanic and sister Olympic.

The Nomadic carried out her duties based in Cherbourg, where she transferred passengers to the Titanic on her only call to the Normandy port. As such the vessel which is registered in the French port, is the last surviving White Star Line vessel in the world and the only remaining authentic link to the ill-fated liner.

Decades later, the Nomadic became a floating restaurant on the River Seine in Paris close to the Eiffel Tower, where the venture which started in 1977 remained formore than twenty years.

The ageing vessel faced new safety regulations threatening her fate which ultimately led to her being seized in 2002. She was then offered for sale and then followed a court action for her to be scrapped but a campaign was raised to save the historic vessel which succeeded in her securement.

At 95 years old she was towed by barge back to her builder's birthplace in Belfast in 2006. Now that she is over a century old the vessel is currently undergoing restoration by the SS Nomadic Charitable Trust. She is dry-docked in the Hamilton Dock which adjoins the new iconic landmark of the Titanic Belfast building within the developing Titanic Quarter.

Yesterday 'hard-hat' tours began of the preserved liner tender and it is essential to note that tickets are to be 'pre-booked' with the last tour on 15th April. Daily tours are at 10.30, 12 noon, 2pm and the last tour is 3.30pm. To ensure availability visit: www.nomadicbelfast.com/book-a-tour

For further information about the various visitor attractions and events click the following headings, to be directed to the relevant websites.

The history of the S.S. Nomadic

Go to Belfast

Titanic Belfast Festival (31 March -22 April)

Titanic Belfast Visitor Experience

Following yesterday's inaugural cruise call to Belfast this year of Balmoral as previously reported the Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines vessel was making a cruise in memory of the liner. To see the list of the other cruiseships calling  to the city, click HERE.

#CRUISE CALLS – Waterford is to welcome its first cruise caller in 2012 with the Quest (1992/1,180grt) an ice-strengthened expedition cruiseship which is to dock next month along the city-quays, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Normally she operates around the Scottish Isles, Norway, Greenland and Spitsbergen. This year she will make her itineraries for the first time around Ireland, England and Wales.

The stout looking Danish built vessel is just 50m in length, has a beam of 11m and draws 3.5m, this allows her to reach more destinations in difficult conditions. She carries around 50 passengers and a crew half that number. For images including interiors and deck plans click HERE

Quest is also scheduled to make a second call to the south-east city in May. Following both these calls another 17 cruise callers are lined up for the season which runs until September.

Among the callers are the 940 passenger capacity Crystal Symphony, the 66,000 tonnes Marina which only entered service last year, Ocean Princess (for a dry-dock slideshow click HERE) and the 1988 built Prinsendam.

Depending on the vessel's draught, the location of where they will call in Waterford estuary will vary. Aside the city quays, the other berth is in Belview and for deep drafted vessels, they take anchorage off Dunmore East. To view the full cruise call list click HERE.

#CRUISE LINERS – In 2012 the Dublin Port Company can look forward to welcoming 90 cruiseship calls, slightly up compared to this year's season, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The sector in 2011 performed positively with a 7.5% increase in cruise passengers on board 87 cruise-calls. In total  they brought over 135,000 passengers and crew to the capital, generating between €35 - €55m to the local economy.

The increase in passengers brings the total number of high-spend cruise passengers to almost 750,000 since 2000, providing a boon to city-centre businesses to the tune of over €400m in that period.

Once again cruiseships from the leading operators are scheduled to Dublin Port in 2012. They will appear in the form of  the small, medium and giant-sized ships, many of which will be making more than one cruisecall throughout the season, which starts in April and culminates in October.

To view a timetable of cruiseships calling to Dublin Port see below.

A newcomer will be Kristina Katarina (1982/12,668grt) which is operated by Finnish owners Kristina Cruises. The former Russian ship replaced Kristina Regina last year due to new safety regulations which forced the veteran vessel to withdraw from service. 

Mediterranean Shipping Lines (MSL) which operates container services to Ireland, will be deploying the 1,560 passenger MSC Lirica (2003/59,038grt). To view more about this French built cruiseship click HERE.

While the veteran Arion (1965/5,888grt) makes a welcome return for those with an affinity to smaller classic vessels, she orignially served in the Adriatic and was built at the Uljanik Shipyard in Pula, Croatia.

#CRUISE LINERS- In a first for Drogheda Port, the cruiseship, Clipper Adventurer (1975/4,367grt) is to call next May, and will represent  a new business to the port  as part of its circumnavigation of the island of Ireland, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 101m long vessel  will bring 236 American and Canadian visitors and a 65 crew, on a cruise organised by Adventure Canada, in association with Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

During the 10-day circumnavigation, the vessel will make calls to the Co. Louth port with passengers touring the Boyne Valley, The Skelligs, Aran Islands, the Gardens on Garnish at Glengariff and Tory Island. They will take in the history, archaeology, bird and marine life, culture, and Irish music in addition to a lecture programme from an on board team.

"With its downtown location, Drogheda Port is perfect for us," says Matthew Swan, president of Adventure Canada.

Last year, Swan visited Drogheda to conduct research for the cruise trip around Ireland. "I heard about your Graffiti and Samba Festivals before coming to town. It seemed like my kind of place, I'm definitely coming back for the Samba event."

Nessa Lally of Drogheda Port commented on the launch of the port as a new cruise destination: "Drogheda Port Company is pleased to announce the inaugural visit of the Clipper Adventurer to our port. This is the beginning of something special for Drogheda and the Boyne Valley.

The area has tremendous potential as a regular cruise destination with world class and potential world class attractions such as Newgrange, Slane Castle, Beaulieu House, the Battle of the Boyne site, the Hill of Tara and medieval Drogheda town itself, to mention just a few.

We will very much welcome the Clipper Adventurer and its passengers to our port and town and intend to give them a memorable visit to our locality. The port company has also commenced a dialogue with a number of interested parties to build and brand a full local itinerary for attracting and growing cruise business and tourism."

In the same month of the inaugural cruise, Drogheda will host a second cruise also by Clipper Adventurer, with Danish passengers organized through Copenhagen-based tour operator, Albatros Travel. They will undertake a 10-day Irish and Scottish itinerary that finishes in Bergen, Norway.

Clipper Adventurer is an exploration vessel which otherwise is often found cruising in polar waters, either Antarctica or the Arctic from Spitsbergen through Iceland, Greenland and Canada's Northwest Passage.

Over the last decade she has called to several Irish ports to include a once-off call to Arklow, where the Serbian-built vessel anchored offshore.

With a short-turn around in port, more cruise-goers will be boarding for a mid-afternoon departure, marking the start of a 13-night Canary Islands & Madeira cruise. When she heads out of the port, the first port of call is Falmouth then it's off to Leixoes (Portugal), Agadir (Morocco), Arrecife (Lanzarote), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria), Funchal (Madeira), Lisbon (Portugal) and Vigo (Spain) before returning to Dublin.

The vessels final end-of season cruise from Dublin is on 25 October, with a 10-night cruise to Nice (returning by air). The interim ports of call are to Falmouth, Leixoes, Lisbon, Cartagena (Spain) Palma and Mahon (Menorca). To read more about this cruise click HERE.

In addition to Dublin calls the former Cunard Countess, also called this season to Cork Harbour. It was during a call last month to Ringaskiddy that another 'Cunarder' the flagship, Queen Mary 2 was also in port on a call to Cobh. To read more of that visit click HERE.

At 192m in length, the 600-passenger capacity cruiseship is operated by Pheonix Reisen. The German based travel agency also runs fleetmates Albratross and Artania. The later Finish built vessel was best known as Princess Cruises Royal Princess, when launched by the late Diana, Princess of Wales in 1984.

Apart from the handful of cruiseships that call, Bantry Bay is otherwise used by oil tankers bringing supplies to the Whiddy Island Oil Terminal. The terminal consists of an offshore single point mooring, tanker Jetty, and an onshore tank farm. The bay runs some 35kms long and is 10km wide at its broadest at the entrance and steadily narrows to 3-4kms at its head. In addition the bay is largest of the main inlets in the south-west.

Glengariff in recent years has also welcomed another German operator, Peter Deilmann's Deutschland (1988/22,496grt) and the UK based Cruise & Maritime Voyages Marco Polo (1966/20,080grt). To read more on this vessel which regularly calls to Irish ports click HERE.