Displaying items by tag: CLND Cobelfret Group

27th November 2010

IEA Export Industry Awards to Shipping

French shipping giant CMA-CGM was announced the winner of the Deep Sea Shipping Company of the Year Award at the annual Irish Exporters Association (IEA) Export Industry Awards, which was held in Dublin on Thursday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The award sponsored by the Port of Cork, recognises the strategically important role of deep sea shipping to our island economy. CMA-CGM offers a range of transport options to Irish exporters selling to Europe.

In the category of Short Sea Shipping Company of the Year, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office, which recognises the strategically important role of short sea shipping to our economy, the winner of the award was CLDN Colbefret Group.

The Belgium operator opened two new routes from Dublin to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge in November last year, providing a range of transport options to Irish exporters selling to Europe. Since then Cobelfret have gradually introduced new Con-Ro (Containers and Roll-On/Roll-Off) vessels onto the continental routes. The six 25,000 gross tonnes newbuilds were built by FGS Flensburg, Germany and the latest unit Opaline, is due to make a Dublin debut tomorrow.

Cobelfret's operations in Dublin are based in Alexandra Basin East using the ports No. 2 ro-ro linkspan berth. A previous linkspan built in the 1950's was demolished last summer to develop a larger linkspan, to cater for larger tonnage like the Opaline. The new vessel has 2,907 lane metres for freight vehicles spread over three decks and a container capacity for 854 TEU mafi-trailers.

Donegal based Marine Harvest won the Seafood Export Award, sponsored by Bord Biá. The company is an indigenous fully-integrated salmon breeding, farming and processing operation, exporting premium products to Europe and North America.

The overall winner of the IEA's Export Industry Award for 2010 was the Irish Dairy Board.

Published in Ports & Shipping

Tagged under

Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.