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Displaying items by tag: Proposed Cruise Terminal

16th August 2014

Cruiseship Trio to Highlight Dublin Port Plans for Expansion

Cruiseship Trio to Highlight Dublin Port Plans for Expansion

#CruiseDublinTrio- As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a partner has been sought by Dublin Port Company for the promotion and expansion of the cruise ship business, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Currently the port handles 110,000 annually which generate €50 million into the local economy and the popularity of the capital as a cruiseship destination continues by major cruise brand operators.

Among them will be the visit of three cruise ships next Wednesday and together they contribute to around 100 cruise calls this season, likewise to last year and an increase from 2012 when 89 ships visited.

So what cruiseships make up this forthcoming trio of callers, they are listed below. Notably the 5-star luxury sail-assisted Sea Cloud II is to set sail into the port as the first of these callers.

Sea Cloud II (2001/3,849grt) Flag: Malta Operator: Sea Cloud Cruises Passengers: 94 Crew: 65
For more details click HERE

MSC Magnifica (2010/92,128grt) Flag: Panama Operator: MSC Cruises Passengers: 2,500 Crew: 1,000                                                                           For more details click HERE

Thompson Spirit (1983/33,390grt) Flag: Malta Operator: Thompson Cruises Passengers: 1,254  Crew: 520                                                                     For more details click HERE

Despite the above cruiseships which are to berth in Alexandra Basin where the vast majority berth, the size of such vessels continues by considerably larger newbuilds. This has led to the port proposing to develop the sector by building a dedicated €200m cruiseship terminal.

Plans for the new terminal were submitted to An Bord Pleanála in March, which is to examine the largest infrastructural project planned in the port's history. The facility would accommodate the world's biggest ships and bring increased passenger numbers to 320,000 annually.

Dublin Port Company also aims to development the cruise industry by making the new terminal (closer to the city centre beside the East-Link bridge) into a hub-port or 'turnaround' destination where cruises start and finish.

This would create a whole new option for the cruise industry through fly-cruises marketed at lucrative international markets. In addition to attracting the domestic market where direct cruises to date have at best been sporadic.

 

Published in Cruise Liners
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1st April 2014

Discovery Launches Dublin Port Cruise Season in Year of Great Expectations

Discovery Launches Dublin Port Cruise Season in Year of Great Expectations

#DublinCruisecalls – Dublin Port welcomed its first cruiseship caller for the 2014 season, Discovery (1971/20,135grt) a 700-passenger vessel chartered to Cruise & Maritime Voyages and she is one of around  90 visitors so far scheduled to visit, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Last year she also opened the Dublin Port cruise season which was had a record season with 100 cruise-callers. An added bonus was the 1 millionth cruise-passenger to visit the capital over the last 20 years.

The cruise passenger was on board Carnival Cruises giant 292m long Carnival Legend with more than 2,100 cruise-goers who were on a repositioning cruise from Europe to New York.

Cruise rate rowth has exceeded all expectations of the Dublin Port Company, as it was predicted that this level of cruise callers would not be realised until 2025, so the port claim they are 12 years ahead of schedule.

The dramatic surge in demand for cruising is reflected by the world's leading cruiseship industry brands among them Princess Cruises which is to see another giant the 3,082 passenger Emerald Princess (2007/113,561grt) arrive towards the end of this month.

Even larger sized cruiseships are expected to dock closer to the city-centre as part of Dublin Port's Masterplan 2012-2040, where a proposed €200m Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project (ABR) is to include a dedicated cruise terminal completed by 2015.

The located of the proposed terminal is along North Wall Quay Extension, close to the East-Link Bridge and neighbouring O2 Theatre with its nearby tram (LUAS) connection to the city-centre.

Currently only smaller cruiseships can come up the River Liffey close to the city centre and this is dictated by the width of the East-Link toll-lift bridge and depth of water.

As for medium to large vessels they predominantly dock in Alexandra Basin's Ocean Pier and further downriver at the adjoining Alexandra Basin East which are approximately 2kms from the city centre.

To consult the cruise ships expected in Dublin Port over the season (click this link), which traditionally runs up to September, however there are further calls outside the high-season including calls beyond mid-December.

 

Published in Dublin Port
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Dublin Bay

Dublin Bay on the east coast of Ireland stretches over seven kilometres, from Howth Head on its northern tip to Dalkey Island in the south. It's a place most Dubliners simply take for granted, and one of the capital's least visited places. But there's more going on out there than you'd imagine.

The biggest boating centre is at Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the Bay's south shore that is home to over 1,500 pleasure craft, four waterfront yacht clubs and Ireland's largest marina.

The bay is rather shallow with many sandbanks and rocky outcrops, and was notorious in the past for shipwrecks, especially when the wind was from the east. Until modern times, many ships and their passengers were lost along the treacherous coastline from Howth to Dun Laoghaire, less than a kilometre from shore.

The Bay is a C-shaped inlet of the Irish Sea and is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and 7 km in length to its apex at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south. North Bull Island is situated in the northwest part of the bay, where one of two major inshore sandbanks lie, and features a 5 km long sandy beach, Dollymount Strand, fronting an internationally recognised wildfowl reserve. Many of the rivers of Dublin reach the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay: the River Liffey, with the River Dodder flow received less than 1 km inland, River Tolka, and various smaller rivers and streams.

Dublin Bay FAQs

There are approximately ten beaches and bathing spots around Dublin Bay: Dollymount Strand; Forty Foot Bathing Place; Half Moon bathing spot; Merrion Strand; Bull Wall; Sandycove Beach; Sandymount Strand; Seapoint; Shelley Banks; Sutton, Burrow Beach

There are slipways on the north side of Dublin Bay at Clontarf, Sutton and on the southside at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, and in Dalkey at Coliemore and Bulloch Harbours.

Dublin Bay is administered by a number of Government Departments, three local authorities and several statutory agencies. Dublin Port Company is in charge of navigation on the Bay.

Dublin Bay is approximately 70 sq kilometres or 7,000 hectares. The Bay is about 10 kilometres wide along its north-south base, and seven km in length east-west to its peak at the centre of the city of Dublin; stretching from Howth Head in the north to Dalkey Point in the south.

Dun Laoghaire Harbour on the southside of the Bay has an East and West Pier, each one kilometre long; this is one of the largest human-made harbours in the world. There also piers or walls at the entrance to the River Liffey at Dublin city known as the Great North and South Walls. Other harbours on the Bay include Bulloch Harbour and Coliemore Harbours both at Dalkey.

There are two marinas on Dublin Bay. Ireland's largest marina with over 800 berths is on the southern shore at Dun Laoghaire Harbour. The other is at Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club on the River Liffey close to Dublin City.

Car and passenger Ferries operate from Dublin Port to the UK, Isle of Man and France. A passenger ferry operates from Dun Laoghaire Harbour to Howth as well as providing tourist voyages around the bay.

Dublin Bay has two Islands. Bull Island at Clontarf and Dalkey Island on the southern shore of the Bay.

The River Liffey flows through Dublin city and into the Bay. Its tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac.

Dollymount, Burrow and Seapoint beaches

Approximately 1,500 boats from small dinghies to motorboats to ocean-going yachts. The vast majority, over 1,000, are moored at Dun Laoghaire Harbour which is Ireland's boating capital.

In 1981, UNESCO recognised the importance of Dublin Bay by designating North Bull Island as a Biosphere because of its rare and internationally important habitats and species of wildlife. To support sustainable development, UNESCO’s concept of a Biosphere has evolved to include not just areas of ecological value but also the areas around them and the communities that live and work within these areas. There have since been additional international and national designations, covering much of Dublin Bay, to ensure the protection of its water quality and biodiversity. To fulfil these broader management aims for the ecosystem, the Biosphere was expanded in 2015. The Biosphere now covers Dublin Bay, reflecting its significant environmental, economic, cultural and tourism importance, and extends to over 300km² to include the bay, the shore and nearby residential areas.

On the Southside at Dun Laoghaire, there is the National Yacht Club, Royal St. George Yacht Club, Royal Irish Yacht Club and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as Dublin Bay Sailing Club. In the city centre, there is Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club. On the Northside of Dublin, there is Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club and Sutton Dinghy Club. While not on Dublin Bay, Howth Yacht Club is the major north Dublin Sailing centre.

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