#PORTS & SHIPPING REVIEW - Over the last fortnight Jehan Ashmore has reported from the Shipping scene which saw 'signature' cruiseship Mein Schiff 2 with her striking visual livery-scheme calling to Irish ports.
The Naval Service has been made detentions of Irish registered fishing vessels this week and also last month off the Clare and Cork coastlines, bringing to date 12 such incidents so far this year.
The world's smallest 5-star luxury cruiseship Hebridean Princess (1964/2,112grt) which was chartered twice in recent years for the Royal Family, called to Dublin Port recently and is currently on a return cruise from Cork with anchorage calls in Kerry waters.
Dublin Based d'Amico have ordered a pair of 40,000dwt eco-product/chemical tanker vessels, believed to cost US$ 30.65 million, from a South Korean shipyard and delivered early in 2014.
Since her launch in 2010, Cunard Line's newest cruiseship Queen Elizabeth (90,901 tonnes) made her second only visit to Dublin Port, where she called last year and also to Cork, which too was revisited by the 2068 passenger vessel.
The on-going saga to retain the veteran WWI Battle of Jutland survivor HMS Caroline in Belfast, her homeport since 1924 was given a reprieve. The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in Portsmouth secured a four-week extension to the original deadline (1 Aug) which was set for scrapping of the historic warship.
The near fifty year-old Hebble Sand (1963/757grt), a grab-hopper dredger which has remained in Dublin Port for more than one year departed Dublin Port and reached Campbeltown last week for new Northern Irish owners Abco Marine.
Port of Cork Company was awarded 'Large Company of the Year for the 2nd Quarter 2012' by the Cork Business Association. This season the port is to welcome 60 cruiseships between April and November, bringing more than 100,000 passengers and crew to the region.
While in Dublin Port, Finnish based Kristina Cruises 400 passenger Kristina Katarena made her inaugural Irish call, the 1982 built vessel was launched from New Szczecin Shipyard. The name of the Polish city may sound familiar as they are the presenting sponsor of Tall Ships Races which are coming to the capital later this month.
