Displaying items by tag: New LiverpoolCork

27th March 2017

'Rivers With Jeremy Paxman' Canal Boxboat Begins New Sea Service

Afloat has identified the Thea II which featured in 'Rivers with Jeremy Paxman' when running on the Manchester Ship Canal, but as of this morning had completed an inaugural sailing for BG Freight Line's new Liverpool-Cork containership service.

#PaxmansBoxboat– Thea II the containership that featured in ‘Rivers with Jeremy Paxman’ on Channel 4, has completed the first sailing for BG Freight Line’s new Liverpool-Cork service this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In the penulimate episode of the River series that focused on the Mersey, the 360 TEU capacity container Thea II was boarded by the former BBC Newsnight anchorman for a hop along the Manchester Ship Canal. In stark contrast to Thea's routine operations on the inland 36 mile /58km canal connecting to Liverpool, the vessel now has sea-going duties. The 94m vessel is currently berthed at the Port of Cork’s Tivoli Container Terminal.

BG Freight Line which is a fully-owned subsidiary of Peel Ports Group, operator of the Port of Liverpool, have introduced the new weekly container service to Cork. This is the first time that the two ports have been connected directly with a container lo-lo service. BG Freight Line also operate an Irish Sea feeder service network in which Afloat.ie monitored Thea II at the weekend call to Dublin Port.

As for new Mersey-Lee service, this will provide a quay-to-quay route for tank operators, and door-to-door opportunities into the North of England, Midlands and Scotland - regions previously only accessible via Dublin.

It is also intended that the new service will also allow customers from the south of Ireland to also make onward deep-sea services now calling at Liverpool, particularly from Canada, the east coast of the US and the Mediterranean.

In addition to Thea II, the Cork-Liverpool route will also be initially served by a sister RMS Veritas. At the end of the each week, whatever ship is serving will continue to offer services between Belfast, Greenock and Liverpool.

As Afloat reported last year, BG Freight will take delivery of four tailor-made short-sea feeder vessels optimised for the company’s Irish Sea Hub services. One of the new build ‘Green Vessels’ due to come into service in 2018, BG Diamond will operate on the new route.

Returning to Thea II, this containership begin service on the Manchester Ship Canal in 2014 having increased capacity of more than 100 TEU per sailing to that of the Coastal Deniz. When this containership was employed on the canal it too featured on a UK TV series ‘Ade to Sea’ as previously reported on Afloat.ie. On that occasion it was presenter comedian, Ade Edmondson who also boarded this ship along the waterway.

Published in Port of Cork

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About the Loughs Agency

The Loughs Agency is a governmental body established under the 1998 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. The Agency's goal is to provide sustainable social, economic, and environmental benefits by effectively conserving, managing, promoting, and developing the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

The Agency's governing legislation confers several specific functions, including the promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery, and aquaculture matters. Moreover, the Agency is responsible for managing, conserving, protecting, improving, and developing the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Additionally, the Agency has the task of developing and licensing aquaculture, as well as the development of marine tourism.

The Loughs Agency reports to the North South Ministerial Council and its government Sponsor Departments, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) in Ireland. The Departments fund the Agency on an equal basis.

The Loughs Agency's focus on sustainable development is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, environment, and local communities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. The Agency's efforts to conserve and enhance the region's marine resources, including fisheries and aquaculture, are expected to benefit local communities, promote tourism, and contribute to economic growth.

In conclusion, the Loughs Agency plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable social, economic, and environmental development of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Its work on marine conservation and development is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the region's natural resources and in promoting sustainable economic growth.