A third foreign frigate within four weeks has visited Dublin Port; the latest is from the Spanish Navy, following those from France last weekend and Germany in February, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The SPS Santa María (F81) entered Dublin Bay this morning via North Burford off the Howth Peninsula, and when it passed through the port entrance, tugs Shackleton and Beaufort took up duties fore and aft of the 138-metre frigate, respectively. This led to the 3,160-ton displacement frigate berthing at the Deepwater Berth 47 along the South Bank Quays, where the naval visitor can be seen downriver beyond Ringsend from the Tom Clarke (East Link) bridge.
SPS Santa María is the lead ship of six Spanish-built Santa María-class frigates based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design and was built in 1982 and launched two years later. In 1996 it was commissioned and has served in NATO maritime operations. It has a crew complement of more than 200 and aviation personnel with associated twin hangars for helicopters.
The visitor follows a French Navy frigate, FN Commandant Blaison (F723), which called to the capital during the St. Patrick's Festival, arriving last Sunday and departing two days after the national day of celebration. The D'Estienne d'Orves-class frigate, commissioned in 1982 and weighing 1,100 tons, also took up a berth at the Deepwater Quay. However, it is scheduled to be withdrawn from service in 2027 and replaced by one of a new class of ocean-going patrol vessels.
Last month the German Navy frigate FGS Baden-Württemberg (F222) as Afloat reported, made a visit, but instead the 7,200-ton namesake of its class occupied berth 18 along the North Wall Quay Extension just short of the East Link bridge.
On a domestic scene, the Irish Naval Service Offshore Patrol Vessel, LÉ Samuel Beckett (P61), was open to public tours on St. Patrick’s Day in neighbouring Dún Laoghaire Harbour, from where it departed yesterday morning. At the same time in Dublin Bay, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) patrol vessel Ocean Protector was inbound as it returned to the harbour from where it made its first appearance on 6 March to enable a four-day call.
The crew will repeat the current call by resting alongside Carlisle Pier.
Another naval visitor from the French state also called at Dublin Port; this took place before the festival, with the FN Croix de Sud (M646), which is a Tripartite-type minehunter of the Eridan class that has been in service since 1986.
At just 615 tons, the 50m minehunter took up a much closer berth to the city centre, having been allocated berth 8 at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay.
