Rare Call of Arklow Shipping Cargoship to Neighbouring Wicklow Port

11th March 2021

Arklow Vanguard arriving to Wicklow Port today - on what is a rare call by an ASL to the east coast port. The Dutch flagged vessel had sailed across the Celtic Sea from Avonmouth Docks on the Bristol Channel. Credit: Wicklow Maritime -facebook

Before signing off for Afloat's report on RV Celtic Voyager's Dun Laoghaire call and bad weather forecast for Wicklow Head, this led to tracking an Arklow Shipping cargoship on a rare call bound to the nearby port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Arklow Vanguard had anchored overnight off Wicklow Head having sailed across the Celtic Sea from Avonmouth Docks (see: story), one of the two Bristol Port Co. ports. The other is Royal Portbury Docks on the opposite bank of the River Avon.

This morning the Royal Bodewes built Arklow Vanguard (2017/2,999grt) berthed alongside the Packet Quay, where the berth is the most used by commercial shipping in Wicklow Port. The cargoship was in ballast to load recyclable metals.

Arklow Vanguard's 'maiden' call to the east coast Irish Port is the first Arklow Shipping cargoship in almost a decade to Wicklow when Afloat reported on previous coaster's call to load scrap metal.

On that occasion in June, 2011, the Irish flagged Arklow Rebel (exactly same tonnage) of today's 'V' class though at 86.93m long is slightly shorter compared to the 'R' class (89.99m) dating to 2005.

Arklow Vanguard is the first to carry this name for ASL, albeit this particular cargoship is managed by their Dutch arm, Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V.

Among other vessels in port are AMS Retreiver and Husky, both belonging to Wicklow based Alphamarine and otherwise previously known as Island Shipping.

Published in Arklow Shipping, Ports & Shipping

Published in Arklow Shipping

Tagged under

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

About Arklow Shipping

Arklow Shipping Limited, one of Ireland's leading shipping companies, has marked over 50 years of operation following its establishment in 1966.

The company, which began with a fleet of seven ships, has grown steadily over the years and now boasts a fleet of 59 vessels.

The company was founded by Captains James Tyrrell, Michael Tyrrell, and Victor Hall, who collaborated to create an umbrella company to operate their ships. This move allowed them to reduce overheads and strengthen their position in the market. The original fleet comprised seven ships, namely Tyrronall, Murell, Marizell, Valzell, Kilbride, River Avoca, and Avondale, all of varying sizes.

The shipping industry in Ireland underwent a significant transformation in the 1960s, with the replacement of traditional auxiliary schooners with modern crafts.

Arklow Shipping was at the forefront of this change, and the founders recognized the need for a new approach to shipping in Ireland. They built a company that could adapt to the changing market demands, and this has been a key factor in the company's continued growth.

Over the years, Arklow Shipping has bought, sold, and built ships, facing the challenges and opportunities that come with operating in the shipping industry. Despite these challenges, the company has remained committed to meeting market demand and providing high-quality services to its clients.

Today, Arklow Shipping is a leading player in the shipping industry, with a strong reputation for reliability and professionalism. The company's success story is a testament to the vision and dedication of its founders, who laid the foundation for a company that has stood the test of time.