Displaying items by tag: Dispute

12th January 2019

Cork Harbour Concerns Over Port’s Closure of Cobh Path

The cruiseship, Disney Magic docked in Cobh, Cork Harbour. The Five Foot Way was closed for over four hours during the ship’s visit in September last year.

#corkharbour - The Echo Live reports of a dispute in Cork Harbour between locals and the Port of Cork over the right of way on a long-established walkway in Cobh, could have national consequences, according to a local councillor.

Locals are outraged that the Port of Cork has been closing an area known locally as Five Foot Way on Deepwater Quay — from the Annie Moore statue to the train station at Whitepoint — when cruise vessels are docked.

Last September, the walkway was closed to public use for a period of over four hours when the Disney Magic cruise vessel was docked at the site.

Private security personnel also prevented cars from parking in the area and restricted access, according to locals.

Locals say the Port of Cork does not have a right to do this as it does not own the land.

Councillor Diarmaid Ó Cadhla said little-known legislation under the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 requires all rights of way to be registered before 2021.

The newspaper has more on the dispute, be clicking here.

Published in Cork Harbour

Tagged under

19th December 2017

Stevedore Doyle Shipping and Stena On Course to Meet in Court Again

Earlier this month Doyle Shipping won an injunction allowing it to continue to provide services to Stena Line ferries docking in Dublin Port

#Dispute - A Dublin Port stevedore, Doyle Shipping, whose case against Stena Line was back in court recently, where a ruling on costs was reserved.

Earlier this month as The Irish Times reported, Doyle won an injunction allowing it to continue to provide services to Stena Line ferries docking in Dublin Port. Stena told Doyle last August that it was terminating a contract, worth €4 million annually to the Irish company, to provide services to the ferry company in Dublin.

However, Doyle maintains that this is in breach of a verbal agreement negotiated between the pair for the provision of those services until 2022. So the High Court ordered that Doyle continue to do the work until the case itself is tried. That will happen next year, and Stena is contesting Doyle’s claim on several grounds.

For more, The Irish Times continues with the story here.

Published in Dublin Port

Tagged under

2nd December 2017

Injunction Secured by Doyle Shipping Against Stena Line

At the Commercial Court on Friday, Mr Justice Brian McGovern granted DSG injunctions restraining Stena breaching the contract with DSG or transferring any of DSG’s contractual obligations to any other party.

#dispute - An injunction has been secured by Doyle Shipping Group allowing it continue to provide services to Stena Line’s ferries docking at Dublin Port.

According to The Irish Times, the order applies until the full hearing of proceedings over the purported termination of the contractual relationship between the companies.

DSG had operated a contract, worth some €4m annually, with Stena Line Limited to provide services to allow Stena’s ferries dock at Dublin port for more than 20 years.

The services include stevedoring, checking-in and out of passengers, loading and unloading freight and administration services.

The contract was renewed periodically but, on August 31st last, Stena informed DSG it was ending the agreement and gave DSG three months notice.

DSG, which provides services at all of Ireland’s major ports, claims the termination notice is in breach of an oral agreement negotiated with Stena in 2015 for provision of services at Dublin Port until 2022.

For more on the story click here.

Published in Ferry

Tagged under

7th November 2017

Ferry Operator Stena Line and Doyle Shipping in Court Over Contract Termination

Stena, which has entered into a contract with another party to provide the services at Dublin Port (as above), has, in its proceedings against DSG, sought a declaration its termination notice is valid.

#dispute - A dispute between ferry operator Stena Line and Doyle Shipping Group writes The Irish Times over the provision of services for docking at Dublin Port has come before the Commercial Court.

Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) had operated a contract with Stena Line Limited to provide services to allow Stena’s ferries dock at Dublin Port.The services include stevedoring, checking-in and out of passengers, loading and unloading freight and administration services.

The contract for providing the services was worth €4 million annually and was renewed periodically. On August 31st last, Stena informed DSG it was ending the agreement and gave DSG three months notice.

DSG, which provides services at all of Ireland’s major ports, argues the termination notice is in breach of an oral agreement negotiated with Stena in 2015 for provision of services at Dublin Port until 2022.

In its proceedings against Stena, DSG wants declarations including the termination notice is invalid and of no effect, and that the 2015 agreement is binding. It also wants injunctions restraining Stena breaching the contract with DSG or transferring any of DSG’s contractual obligations to any other party.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!