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Naval Visits
A French Navy ship FNS Garonne is nearing the end of a visit to Cork City Quays. The offshore specialist support ship is the newest of the four ‘Loire’-class with the leadship namesake (above) underway in the Mediterranean Sea.
Cork City Quays is where a French Navy ship is berthed having arrived from a naval base in Brest, Brittany to the Munster city for an extended weekend port of call, writes Jehan Ashmore After a voyage of two days in…
The first foreign naval ship to visit Ireland this year involved the UK Royal Navy minehunter HMS Brocklesby which this morning arrived to Dublin Port where the vessel will remain until Monday.
HMS Brocklesby became the first foreign naval ship to visit Ireland this year with an arrival in Dublin Port this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore. The visit of the UK Royal Navy minehunter in the Irish capital also takes place during…
Russian vessel 545
The Naval Service and Air Corps say they have observed north America, Russian and French vessels both inside and outside Ireland's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over the past week. These observations include two Russian warships within the Irish EEZ and…
Former Defence Forces chief of staff Mark Mellett
The Russian military exercises which had been due to take place within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone ( EEZ) raise some serious questions, according to former Defence Forces chief of staff Mark Mellett. Mellett believes the Russian Federation’s original plan was…
Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said that “Irish fishermen got their diplomatic game on! “
The EU’s fisheries commissioner has paid tribute to Irish fishermen for their role in shifting the location of Russian military exercises outside the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In a tweet, Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said that “Irish fishermen got their…
Map showing the area (in red) where Russia plans to conduct military manoeuvres from next week
Two fishing industry organisations have sought to clarify what they describe as “confusion” in some media outlets over their talks with Russian ambassador Yuriy Filatov on the forthcoming Russian military exercises off the south-west Irish coast. Irish South and West…
The Russian “spy ship”, the Yantor, which turned up off the Donegal coast last August.
The Russian Embassy in Ireland has described as “constructive” and “positive” the outcome of discussions with two Irish fishing industry organisations in relation to proposed Russian military exercises next week in the Porcupine Seabight off the south-west Irish coast. Irish…
Russian Ambassador Yuriy Filatov
Irish fishermen planning a peaceful protest over Russian naval exercises off the south-west Irish coast have been invited to talks by the Russian Ambassador to Ireland. Ambassador Yuriy Filatov asked members of the Irish South and West Fish Producers’ Organisation…
File image of a Cuvier’s beaked whale
Irish fishing crews are planning to peacefully disrupt the planned Russian military exercise off the Cork coast next month, as RTÉ News reports. Patrick Murphy, chief executive of the Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation, said he told an…
The UK Royal Navy's HMS Grimsby, a Mine Counter Measures Vessel (MCMV) is making a visit to an Irish Port (Dublin) the first RN vessel to do so since Covid-19 struck more than 18 months ago.  The Sandown class minehunter (launched in 2008) with crew of 38 departed from the Firth of Clyde with an overnight crossing through the Irish Sea.
HMS Grimsby (M108) became the first UK Royal Navy vessel to visit an Irish Port since the pandemic started, when the minehunter sailed overnight from Scotland to arrive in Dublin Port this morning, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Royal Navy Minehunter HMS Grimsby,…
The visiting Dutch Navy's HNLMS Karel Doorman today arrived in Cork Harbour alongside Cobh's Deepwater Quay (as above) marking the second of two naval ship calls to Irish Ports, the other been Dublin Port.
Foreign naval ships have called to Irish Ports for the first time since the pandemic begun, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Royal Netherlands Navy's largest ship HNMLS Karel Doorman, displacing 27,800 tonnes, arrived in Cork Harbour this afternoon to berth at…
Minehunter HMS Ramsey arrives into Bangor Harbour on Belfast Lough
The minehunter HMS Ramsey under the command of Lieutenant Commander Joel Roberts, arrived into Bangor Harbour on Belfast Lough over last weekend on an exercise visit. The 53m vessel is moored alongside the Eisenhower Pier, so-called as before departing for the…
Cobh's cruiseship berth proved ideal for the visiting French Naval Frigate Latouche-Tréville
The visiting French Naval Frigate Latouche-Tréville was alongside in Cork Harbour at the weekend moored at the Cruise Liner berth in Cobh. As Afloat previously reported, the frigate and her crew of 244 were in the south coast port in…
French frigate FASM Latouche-Tréville visits Cork Harbour, where female crew joined in a local charity event at the Naval Base opposite Cobh as pictured above.
Female crew from a French Navy (Marine Nationale) frigate visiting Cobh, Cork Harbour joined the Naval Service Women’s Network as guests for a charity event, writes Jehan Ashmore. The event to in aid of the 'Denim Day 4 Dementia' took place…
New French Naval vessel BMAS Rhône currently on call to Cork City this weekend
To those in Cork City this weekend and travelling down J.J. Horgan's Quay may have noticed a sleek new naval arrival making its way upriver to the quay. According to CorkBeo, the shiny arrival is a new French Naval ship,…
Officers of the Argentinian Navy on parade through Foxford in Co Mayo to Honour Admiral William Brown - founder of the south American nations' navy
Around 200 Argentinian military personnel reports RTE, travelled to Co Mayo to visit the town where the founder of the country's Navy was born. Admiral William Brown hailed from Foxford and today’s (yesterday) trip was the largest to take place…

Naval Visits focuses on forthcoming courtesy visits by foreign navies from our nearest neighbours, to navies from European Union and perhaps even those navies from far-flung distant shores.

In covering these Naval Visits, the range of nationality arising from these vessels can also be broad in terms of the variety of ships docking in our ports.

The list of naval ship types is long and they perform many tasks. These naval ships can include coastal patrol vessels, mine-sweepers, mine-hunters, frigates, destroyers, amphibious dock-landing vessels, helicopter-carriers, submarine support ships and the rarer sighting of submarines.

When Naval Visits are made, it is those that are open to the public to come on board, provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate up close and personal, what these look like and what they can do and a chance to discuss with the crew.

It can make even more interesting for visitors when a flotilla arrives, particularly comprising an international fleet, adding to the sense of curiosity and adding a greater mix to the type of vessels boarded.

All of this makes Naval Visits a fascinating and intriguing insight into the role of navies from abroad, as they spend time in our ports, mostly for a weekend-long call, having completed exercises at sea.

These naval exercises can involve joint co-operation between other naval fleets off Ireland, in the approaches of the Atlantic, and way offshore of the coasts of western European countries.

In certain circumstances, Naval Visits involve vessels which are making repositioning voyages over long distances between continents, having completed a tour of duty in zones of conflict.

Joint naval fleet exercises bring an increased integration of navies within Europe and beyond. These exercises improve greater co-operation at EU level but also internationally, not just on a political front, but these exercises enable shared training skills in carrying out naval skills and also knowledge.

Naval Visits are also reciprocal, in that the Irish Naval Service, has over the decades, visited major gatherings overseas, while also carrying out specific operations on many fronts.

Ireland can, therefore, be represented through these ships that also act as floating ambassadorial platforms, supporting our national interests.

These interests are not exclusively political in terms of foreign policy, through humanitarian commitments, but are also to assist existing trade and tourism links and also develop further.

Equally important is our relationship with the Irish diaspora, and to share this sense of identity with the rest of the World.