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12th June 2020

Rare Opportunity As Ferry 'Cruises' from Carlingford Lough Out to Haulbowline Lighthouse

Car ferry Frazer Aisling Gabrielle is to offer rare 'walk-on' Lighthouse themed cruises (Saturday, 20 June) from Greenore, Carlingford Lough out to the impressive Haulbowline Lighthouse. In these times of Covid-19, Frazer Ferries cross-border service is suspended. AFLOAT on Wednesday observed the domestic ferry offshore of Dublin make a coastal passage to home waters following annual routine dry-docking at New Ross Boatyard. The call to the south-east also enabled the ferry to cover in for Frazer Tintern on the Passage East-Ballyhack route on the Waterford estuary. Above is another ferry from the operator's Lough Foyle service, in which over the years their ferry fleet are redeployed on routes.

In an effort to restore even a hint of tourism activity while the Covid-19 restrictions are gradually eased across Ireland, Carlingford Lough Ferry is launching special 'Lighthouse' cruises out to entrance of the scenic lough, writes Jehan Ashmore

The car-ferry Frazer Aisling Gabrielle had been operating the 15 minute cross border Co.Louth (Greenore)/Down (Greencastle) service but due to the escalating Covid19 situation in March, sailings were suspended until further notice.

Operator, Frazer Ferries hope to resume the service in the summer. In the meantime, Frazer Aisling Gabrielle is instead to offer ‘walk on’ passenger cruises onboard the 45m long ferry. The cruises departing from Greenore terminal in Co. Louth is to take place on Saturday, 20 June.

These special and rare 1 hour cruises will involve the ferry been within 400m of the impressive Haulbowline Lighthouse. (See Shine a Light for Healthcare Heroes) The structure to aid mariners jutts dramatically out of the sea and marks the entrance to the stunning scenery of Carlingford Lough.

Those intending taking a cruise are advised to book as soon as possible, due to demand noting passenger numbers are strictly limited in line with the current public safety guidelines.

Onboard will be a fascinating audio tour that will offer insights into glacial fjord with panoramic views sweepong between the Cooley peninsula and as they say the Mourne Mountains that sweep down to the sea!

The Lighthouse themed cruises are especially designed to allow guests to travel in safety and comfort on board the 45m long ferry which with the abscence of cars will provide platforms to take in the views. In order to do, safe social distancing and standing areas will be clearly marked on the upper and lower decks.

In light of current Covid Safety guidelines and for passengers safety, Frazer Ferries request those with families of young children, book tickets for the lower viewing deck area which offers greater space and allows for additional movement, whilst adhering to the required social distancing during the cruise.

According to the operator this Friday afternoon, there are still some tickets available HERE for the cruises. Scroll down the page for additional information on parking in Greenore.

The first sailing on Saturday, 20 June is at 11.30 returning at 1pm and the second sailing is at 2.30 returning at 4pm.

Sailing time is approx 70 mins and the rest of time allows for boarding - departure - arrival and disembarkation.

Whatever cruise is booked, it is strongly advisable to arrive at the terminal 20 minutes prior to the departure for check-in.

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About Dublin Port 

Dublin Port is Ireland’s largest and busiest port with approximately 17,000 vessel movements per year. As well as being the country’s largest port, Dublin Port has the highest rate of growth and, in the seven years to 2019, total cargo volumes grew by 36.1%.

The vision of Dublin Port Company is to have the required capacity to service the needs of its customers and the wider economy safely, efficiently and sustainably. Dublin Port will integrate with the City by enhancing the natural and built environments. The Port is being developed in line with Masterplan 2040.

Dublin Port Company is currently investing about €277 million on its Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR), which is due to be complete by 2021. The redevelopment will improve the port's capacity for large ships by deepening and lengthening 3km of its 7km of berths. The ABR is part of a €1bn capital programme up to 2028, which will also include initial work on the Dublin Port’s MP2 Project - a major capital development project proposal for works within the existing port lands in the northeastern part of the port.

Dublin Port has also recently secured planning approval for the development of the next phase of its inland port near Dublin Airport. The latest stage of the inland port will include a site with the capacity to store more than 2,000 shipping containers and infrastructures such as an ESB substation, an office building and gantry crane.

Dublin Port Company recently submitted a planning application for a €320 million project that aims to provide significant additional capacity at the facility within the port in order to cope with increases in trade up to 2040. The scheme will see a new roll-on/roll-off jetty built to handle ferries of up to 240 metres in length, as well as the redevelopment of an oil berth into a deep-water container berth.

Dublin Port FAQ

Dublin was little more than a monastic settlement until the Norse invasion in the 8th and 9th centuries when they selected the Liffey Estuary as their point of entry to the country as it provided relatively easy access to the central plains of Ireland. Trading with England and Europe followed which required port facilities, so the development of Dublin Port is inextricably linked to the development of Dublin City, so it is fair to say the origins of the Port go back over one thousand years. As a result, the modern organisation Dublin Port has a long and remarkable history, dating back over 300 years from 1707.

The original Port of Dublin was situated upriver, a few miles from its current location near the modern Civic Offices at Wood Quay and close to Christchurch Cathedral. The Port remained close to that area until the new Custom House opened in the 1790s. In medieval times Dublin shipped cattle hides to Britain and the continent, and the returning ships carried wine, pottery and other goods.

510 acres. The modern Dublin Port is located either side of the River Liffey, out to its mouth. On the north side of the river, the central part (205 hectares or 510 acres) of the Port lies at the end of East Wall and North Wall, from Alexandra Quay.

Dublin Port Company is a State-owned commercial company responsible for operating and developing Dublin Port.

Dublin Port Company is a self-financing, and profitable private limited company wholly-owned by the State, whose business is to manage Dublin Port, Ireland's premier Port. Established as a corporate entity in 1997, Dublin Port Company is responsible for the management, control, operation and development of the Port.

Captain William Bligh (of Mutiny of the Bounty fame) was a visitor to Dublin in 1800, and his visit to the capital had a lasting effect on the Port. Bligh's study of the currents in Dublin Bay provided the basis for the construction of the North Wall. This undertaking led to the growth of Bull Island to its present size.

Yes. Dublin Port is the largest freight and passenger port in Ireland. It handles almost 50% of all trade in the Republic of Ireland.

All cargo handling activities being carried out by private sector companies operating in intensely competitive markets within the Port. Dublin Port Company provides world-class facilities, services, accommodation and lands in the harbour for ships, goods and passengers.

Eamonn O'Reilly is the Dublin Port Chief Executive.

Capt. Michael McKenna is the Dublin Port Harbour Master

In 2019, 1,949,229 people came through the Port.

In 2019, there were 158 cruise liner visits.

In 2019, 9.4 million gross tonnes of exports were handled by Dublin Port.

In 2019, there were 7,898 ship arrivals.

In 2019, there was a gross tonnage of 38.1 million.

In 2019, there were 559,506 tourist vehicles.

There were 98,897 lorries in 2019

Boats can navigate the River Liffey into Dublin by using the navigational guidelines. Find the guidelines on this page here.

VHF channel 12. Commercial vessels using Dublin Port or Dun Laoghaire Port typically have a qualified pilot or certified master with proven local knowledge on board. They "listen out" on VHF channel 12 when in Dublin Port's jurisdiction.

A Dublin Bay webcam showing the south of the Bay at Dun Laoghaire and a distant view of Dublin Port Shipping is here
Dublin Port is creating a distributed museum on its lands in Dublin City.
 A Liffey Tolka Project cycle and pedestrian way is the key to link the elements of this distributed museum together.  The distributed museum starts at the Diving Bell and, over the course of 6.3km, will give Dubliners a real sense of the City, the Port and the Bay.  For visitors, it will be a unique eye-opening stroll and vista through and alongside one of Europe’s busiest ports:  Diving Bell along Sir John Rogerson’s Quay over the Samuel Beckett Bridge, past the Scherzer Bridge and down the North Wall Quay campshire to Berth 18 - 1.2 km.   Liffey Tolka Project - Tree-lined pedestrian and cycle route between the River Liffey and the Tolka Estuary - 1.4 km with a 300-metre spur along Alexandra Road to The Pumphouse (to be completed by Q1 2021) and another 200 metres to The Flour Mill.   Tolka Estuary Greenway - Construction of Phase 1 (1.9 km) starts in December 2020 and will be completed by Spring 2022.  Phase 2 (1.3 km) will be delivered within the following five years.  The Pumphouse is a heritage zone being created as part of the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project.  The first phase of 1.6 acres will be completed in early 2021 and will include historical port equipment and buildings and a large open space for exhibitions and performances.  It will be expanded in a subsequent phase to incorporate the Victorian Graving Dock No. 1 which will be excavated and revealed. 
 The largest component of the distributed museum will be The Flour Mill.  This involves the redevelopment of the former Odlums Flour Mill on Alexandra Road based on a masterplan completed by Grafton Architects to provide a mix of port operational uses, a National Maritime Archive, two 300 seat performance venues, working and studio spaces for artists and exhibition spaces.   The Flour Mill will be developed in stages over the remaining twenty years of Masterplan 2040 alongside major port infrastructure projects.

Source: Dublin Port Company ©Afloat 2020. 

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