#TALL SHIPS - Celebrating the arrival of the Tall Ships to Dublin, the Allianz All-Aboard Liffey Cruise for St Michael's House invites the public to join its maiden voyage of the River Liffey next weekend 23-26 August for just €1.

The unique tour of the city includes a cruise along the Liffey to the new developments at Docklands and the IFSC, and will get you up close and personal with the Tall Ships at Dublin Port - which begin arriving in the capital over the next few days for this year's festival.

Hosting what promises to be fun day out for all ages will be Allianz’s very own Captain Pete, who will be handing out treats to the younger - and not so young! - seafarers on board.  

And what's more, your euro will go towards the great work done by St Michael's House for people with intellectual disabilities. St Michael's House is Allianz's chosen charity this year - find out more about its work.

The tour normally costs €12.60 but a limited number of places are available for booking for just €1 via the Allianz All-Aboard Facebook app HERE. Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. See terms and conditions.

#cruiseliner – A $250million luxury cruise liner, the 59,000 tonne, 251 metre "MSC Lirica" with almost 3,000 passengers and crew on board sailed into Dublin Port at 7am this morning on her maiden call to Ireland. The MSC Lirica, carrying passengers mainly from Germany, Austria, Spain, France and Italy, boasts an array of luxurious facilities including swimming pools, health spa, Turkish baths, nightclub and cabaret, theatre, casino, bars, restaurants and shopping.

Her arrival marks the first of two cruise calls to Dublin secured by Dublin Port Company with leading cruise company MSC Cruises. MSC Lirica will return to Dublin on 25th August as part of Dublin Port Company's 90-strong cruise liner schedule for 2012 and ongoing efforts to attract this valuable tourism business to the city. In addition, Dublin Port Company will welcome two further new cruise calls from MSC Cruises with the arrival of the $547million, 294 metre "MSC Magnifica" cruise ship already scheduled to make her maiden call to Dublin Port in May 2013.

The arrival of these luxury cruise ships generates a significant boost to Dublin of between €35 and €50 million for the local economy, bringing over 100,000 high spend passengers and crew to the city and surrounding areas' shops, attractions and eateries each year.

The cruise sector has become a hugely important part of the city's tourism product since Dublin Port Company first targeted this trade in the mid 1990s. It is estimated that cruise liners have contributed over €350 million to the city in the last decade alone so Dublin Port Company is pleased to have played its role in attracting and developing this growing business for the city.

Dublin Port Company's Masterplan 2012-2040 identified the construction of a new cruise facility adjacent to the east of the East Link Bridge as one of a number of major projects for development within the next five years at a total investment of €110 million. The dedicated cruise terminal will enable Dublin Port to accommodate growing cruise passenger numbers and larger vessels within easy reach of the Luas and city centre.

To progress the project, Dublin Port Company is preparing to launch "Cruise Dublin", a joint initiative with Dublin City Council and Dublin Chamber of Commerce to further the cruise tourism trade in Dublin, as well as the findings of a study on how a suitable cruise terminal can be provided in Dublin with a view to having the new cruise terminal in place by 2015.

Mr. Eamonn O'Reilly, Chief Executive, Dublin Port Company said, "Dublin Port Company is delighted to welcome MSC Lirica on her maiden call to Ireland as one of 90 luxury cruise liners scheduled to call in Dublin this year. We're in the heart of Dublin and developing a strong reputation as the go-to city for high end cruise calls thanks to our proximity to Dublin's shops, eateries and tourist attractions, as well as Dublin airport. The addition of MSC Cruises to Dublin Port's cruise liner schedule is testament to the fantastic offering here at Ireland's largest gateway for cruise visitors. We're already working to increase this valuable trade for Dublin in 2013 and the work of Cruise Dublin will help us to achieve this in the best possible way forward for the city."

Naoise Ó Muirí, Lord Mayor of Dublin, said, "It's fantastic to see Dublin developing a reputation as a world-class cruise tourism destination year on year. I congratulate Dublin Port Company on its efforts to secure the addition of MSC Cruises as part of its busy cruise schedule this year. The passengers of MSC Lirica can be assured of a warm welcome in Dublin, while our city's retailers, eateries and attractions will benefit immensely from the welcome boost to the local economy brought by these luxury vessels."

#CRUISE LINERS – In dense sea-fog conditions, three cruiseships arrived into Dublin Bay at dawn and proceeded to dock in Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Of the trio, Kristina Katarina (1982/12,668grt) today made her inaugural call to the port. As previously reported on Afloat.ie she is operated by Finnish owners Kristina Cruises based in Kotka, a city midway between Helsinki and sharing the border with the Russian Federation.

The other vessels, P&O Cruises Adonia (2001/30,277grt) and Silverseas Cruises Cloud (1994/16,927grt) are berthed within Alexandra Basin, nearby Kristina Katarina is moored on the river berth at Ocean Pier.

Reported last month another tree-some of cruiseships gathered in the port, which this year is scheduled to see around 90 such cruise callers during the season.

#CRUISE LINERS - Finnish operated Kristina Katarina is to make her inaugural 'Irish' call this Thursday when she and two other cruiseships are scheduled to arrive in Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the newcomer is run by Kristina Cruises based in Kotka which lies some 50kms from the border with the Russian Federation. In 2010 the former Russian ship was brought to replace the ageing twin funnelled Kristina Regina.

The change of vessel was due to new safety regulations which forced the veteran vessel to withdraw from service with the replacement vessel built in 1982 at the New Szczecin Shipyard. The name of the Polish port city may sound familiar as the city is yet again the presenting sponsor of the prestigious Tall Ship Race Festival due to visit the capital in over a fortnight's time.

Kristina Katarina has a passenger certificate for around 400-passengers and she underwent renovations for her new owners. This saw changes to cabin accommodation where categories begin with the smallest inside cabins of 9m² to high standard ocean view cabins occupying 30m². In total she has a total of 193 cabins and 380 lower beds.

During the renovation new saunas were installed on deck 8 and on the pool deck there are three pools to cater for all the age-profiles of passengers.

After her Irish call she is to visit the Isles of Scilly and then to Brest, marking the end of a cruise. From the Breton port with its naval base, a new cruise embarks with passengers on a week long fly-cruise starting from Helsinki. The itinerary includes calls in Portugal, Gibraltar and Spain, where in Malaga the cruise terminates and a return flight to the Finnish capital.

#MANX FERRY - This busy August Bank Holiday weekend sees the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. Ltd's larger ferry Ben-My-Chree (Manx for 'Girl of my Heart') make an overnight round-trip sailing to Dublin Port, rather than the smaller fast-ferry craft Manannan, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Normally Ben-My-Chree, a conventional ro-pax ferry plies the Douglas-Heysham route, however with this evening's sailing taking 4hrs 45 minutes, she is scheduled to dock in Dublin Port just after midnight.

She is to berth at the same berth used frequently by Irish Ferries, however her turn-around is a mere 45 minutes before she returns to the island. Otherwise the Manannan, a 96m wave-piercing catamaran fast-ferry takes only 2hrs 55 minutes to cover the Irish route which is a seasonal-only service.

Instead Manannan is to operate this evenings Liverpool-Douglas sailing. She will stay overnight in the Manx capital so to take up tomorrow morning's crossing to Belfast, which is also run on a seasonal basis.

#FORMER DUNDALK DREDGER – Hebble Sand (1963/757grt), a grab-hopper dredger which has remained in Dublin Port for more than one year departed Dublin Port and is currently heading for Campbeltown, on the Mull of Kintyre Peninsula, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the veteran vessel was purchased last October by Northern Ireland based Abco Marine Ltd. The marine-plant and engineering equipment company is headquartered in Lisburn. Prior to then the former Dundalk Port Company owned dredger had remained laid-up since her repositioning voyage from the Louth port in July of 2011.

The change of port, followed the transfer of the Dundalk Port Company assets, liabilities and operations to Dublin Port Company by an order of statutory instruments, which saw the capital port divest in the business of dredging.

Since then for the majority of her time spent in the port, she had moored in Alexandra Basin West, except for a short spell spent as reported at the nearby dry-dock facility after Abco brought the ship.

Yesterday she made the short passage across the basin to the river-berth alongside Ocean Pier in readiness for her first repositioning voyage under her new owners, in a career that has so far spanned just short of half a century.

This timeframe is pretty good going for a vessel, particularly engaged in the rough and tumble work of a humble dredger which remains in excellent condition. So her career continues and remarkably still retaining her original name since her launching from Richard (Shipbuilders) of Lowestoft who built her for British Dredging.

In this photo-link of the vessel in recent years, she is seen alongside Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin Port, where she carried site preparatory work prior to the installation of the Samuel Beckett swing-bridge, which was towed on a barge from the Netherlands.

Note to the left of the small ship can be seen the gable-end of the last dockland warehouse sheds that were built on both sides of the campshires that line the Liffey, in an area now named the 'Docklands' quarter of the port.

With cargoships long gone, including the famous Guinness stout-tankers, the sheds historically represent the last such buildings in what was the 'real' docklands close to the inner-city.

One of the two-adjoining sheds (built in the 1880's) was occupied by BJ Marine and now the river-fronted 'Nama' property, formerly owned by the DDDA, have recently been placed on the market for sale or to let.

#CUNARDER REVISIT – Since her launch in 2010, Cunard Line's newest cruiseship the 90,901 tonnes Queen Elizabeth has only called to Dublin Port once and that was last year. She was then on her maiden 'Irish' port of call and the 2068 passenger vessel is to return on Saturday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Joining her on the schedule of visiting cruiseships this August, which not surprisingly is the busiest period of the high-season, will be Holland America Line's Maasdam. She is to arrive only an hour later that morning.

The month is scheduled to see 28 cruise callers (list) in total, the first caller having already arrived yesterday with the Hebridean Princess staying overnight in the port.

Following the Cunarder's call she will her head overnight bound for Cobh Cruise Terminal, where the Italian built vessel also made an inaugural port of call (list) in 2011.

#CRUISELINERS- She may be one of the smallest cruiseships operating, however Hebridean Princess (1964/2,112grt) which is to call to Dublin Port this evening, is big in terms of her status, writes Jehan Ashmore.

A plaque was unveiled on board in May to recognise that the ship has been granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II, as the Royal Family chartered the 5-star luxury vessel in Scottish waters in 2006 and 2010.

The warrant for the provision of cruise holidays came into effect at the start of this year and her owners Hebridean Island Cruises will be the only travel brand honoured in such a way.

The interiors are modelled on those of a large country mansion, where each of 30 cabin suites are individually decorated in opulent style. This is a far cry to her origins as a humble ferry. In that guise she ran as Columba, serving ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne.

This evening she is set to pass through the East-Link toll-lift bridge, due to her smaller dimensions compared to larger cruiseships which have to dock elsewhere in the port. For example today also see 30,000 tonnes sisters Nautica and Azamara Journey dock in Ocean Pier at berths 33 and 37 respectively.

Hebridean Princess is to tie-up on Sir John Rogerson's Quay at berth 8 where she moored last year. In addition this berth was where another equally luxurious vessel the superyacht M.Y. Majestic, which as previously reported called to last weekend. The four-deck Caymen Islands registered vessel is currently on a visit to Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

#CRUISESHIP SISTERS – Oceania Cruises Nautica (2000/30,277grt) currently docked in Dublin Port will later today be joined by a sister, Azamara Journey, operated by Azamara Club Cruises, writes Jehan Ashmore

Azamara Journey had departed Leith and is heading through the Irish Sea and is expected to arrive in the capital port around mid-afternoon.

Both vessels (circa 680 passengers) form part of an original eight-strong sister fleet of French built 'R' class ships ordered for Renaissance Cruises, which ceased trading in 2001, resulting in the splitting of the ships to various owners.

Incidentally Oceania Cruises also operate two more such sisters. Regatta built as R Five and Insignia, the former R1, the lead-ship of the series all having the previous owner's rather simplistic naming theme. Likewise Azamara Club Cruises operate the former R Seven, rechristened Azamara Quest.

Another 'R' class sister operating for P&O Cruises, the Adonia, which led the seven-strong spectacular sail-past in Southampton waters for the 'Grand Event' to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the famous company, is due to call to Foynes in a fortnight's time.

Noting that Adonia, led the liner line-up which included Arcadia (as previously reported), seen third in line astern and where each ship set off on separate cruises as they headed out of the Solent.

#PORTS & SHIPPING REVIEW - Over the last fortnight Jehan Ashmore has reported from the Ports & Shipping Scene which saw trade volumes in Drogheda Port continue to rise. An increase of over 44% was recorded for the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period last year.

Off the west coast, a record breaking 48 tonnes of silver bullion has been recovered from the wreck of S.S. Gairsoppa, a 412-ft British cargoship that was torpedoed by U-Boat in WWII.

The Competition Authority is to conduct an in depth review of how our ports perform and how they are to be funded and to examine whether Dublin Port has an economically dominant position.

A boost on all fronts for traffic figures on Stena Line's Belfast-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route was welcomed by the ferry operator which completed the takeover of operations from DFDS Seaways last summer.

Single-route operator Celtic Link Ferries reached an agreement with Rosslare Europort, to end a stalemate in over €100,000 relating to unpaid port landing fees.

Deutschland, one of the three cruiseships that visited Dublin Port last weekend completed its cruise in London, where the vessel is currently moored as a floating hotel for the German Olympic Sports Federation.

Belfast M.P. Nigel Dodds is leading a campaign to keep the WWI battleship cruiser HMS Caroline, the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, from leaving the city. The 1914 built ship could be moved to Portsmouth for preservation or even face scrapping.

At the other end of the island, Cork based Irish Mainport Holdings has acquired a new seismic-support ship. The vessel renamed Mainport Kells has recently taken up a long-term charter contract for clients operating in the North Sea.