Irish Port and Shipping News

RMS St. Helena at anchor off Jamestown, St. Helena having completed a final Cape Town, South Africa voyage to the remote UK overseas territory today. The deep-sea voyage took five days and the return leg next Saturday to the South Africa port will mark the final ever passenger and cargo-ship sailing.

RMS Ship Runs Out of Steam as St. Helena Island’s Airport takes Off

29th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - RMS St.Helena, the last ship from a mighty fleet that once bound Britain’s scattered empire together will arrive today (Monday, 29 January) after its final voyage to St Helena. As the UK newspaper, The Times reports the isolated British…

Royal Mail Ship RMS St Helena departed Cape Town, South Africa yesterday on a final voyage to the remote UK territory of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Afloat adds the passenger/cargoship made a once-off visit to Irish ports in 1995 during a private-charter cruise with calls to Dublin and Cork (Cobh).

Royal Mail Ship Embarks on Final Voyage to St Helena

25th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - RMS St Helena, a UK flagged Royal Mail Ship as previously reported on Afloat, that was once a lifeline to the outside world for St Helena is making its last voyage to the remote South Atlantic island where…

ESPO Supports New Ports Directive for Responsible Management of Waste from Ships

23rd January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - The European Commission last week published the new proposal on the revision of the Port Reception Facilities (PRF) Directive. In response to the new proposal, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has welcomed in principle its objective to…

South Wales ABP Ports See Strong Growth in 2017

22nd January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - Five ports in south Wales that are part of Associated British Ports (ABP) a major UK ports operator, saw the group's regional network handle 12.5 million tonnes of cargo in 2017. The strong performance of ABP South Wales…

Irish Sea Freighter Seatruck Ferries Surge Continues

22nd January 2018 Ports & Shipping

Irish Sea freight specialist Seatruck Ferries had another strong year of growth in 2017. Volume across the three routes increased at just over 10% compared with an overall market growth of *3.9%. (* source IRN Freightstat) Since 2015 Seatruck volumes…

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) welcomes the fact that the Commission proposal is stressing the importance of an open investment environment. Above: Ringaskiddy Deep Water Terminal located in lower Cork Harbour, is where larger and deep draft ships are increasingly calling to the Port of Cork.

EU Ports Welcome Foreign Investment Screening As Instrument for Open Investment Environment

18th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - The European Commission published a Proposal for a Regulation last September, establishing a framework for screening of foreign direct investments into the EU and a Communication entitled “Welcoming foreign direct Investment while Protecting Essential Interests”. The European Sea…

End of an Era As Unique Passenger-Cargoship RMS St. Helena Prepares to Bid Farewell

13th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - The unique Royal Mail Ship, RMS St Helena (see related ship for sale report), will depart on a final voyage from the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena on Saturday, 10 February, having dutifully served for the…

Babcock International Group leads a consortium wanting to construct Type 31e ships for the UK's Royal Navy - and says Devonport, Cornwall will play key role. The group also has a shipyard in Appledore, Devon where an Irish Naval Service OPV90 newbuild is currently under construction.

Dockyard Firm Babcock Bids for £1.25bn MoD Frigate Contract for Devonport Shipyard

9th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - Dockyard operator Babcock International Group plc has made a bid for the £1.25billion contract to build the UK’s new frigates in Devonport. The engineering giant writes the UK's The Herald, will lead a consortium which wants to construct…

Tug safety training courses on offer using the marine navigation simulation suite at the Port of Milford Haven, south Wales

Welsh Port Offers Tug Safety Training Courses Using State-of-the-Art Simulation Suite

9th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - The Welsh port of Milford Haven in south Wales, is offering tug safety training courses that uses a powerful virtual-reality ship simulation system, which will assist tug boat operators from across Britain. The Navigation Suite, based at Milford…

A screenshot of M.V. Ziltborg taken this morning while berthed in the frozen icy waters of the Finnish Port of Kokkola located on the Gulf of Bothnia. Temperatures at the port are currently -4° and are to drop further overnight to -6° (feeling like -9°). Last year, the port participated in celebrating the nations independence a century ago with the 'Finland 100' years campaign, which involved the installation of a new crane “Karsten” during the jubilee year.

Another Corrib Cargoship Concentrates on Boliden Tara Mines Exports to Frozen Finnish Gulf Port

7th January 2018 Ports & Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - A Corrib Shipping cargoship loaded concentrates from Boliden Tara Mines facility in Dublin Port late last year, arrived at a Finnish port this first week of 2018 and where the sea is currently frozen over, writes Jehan Ashmore. The…

A pair of tugs fore and aft assist newbuild Arklow Venus yesterday along the freshwater Eemskanaal Canal, having departed the inland shipyard in Hoogezand to the salt waters in Delfzijl. Sea trails of the 'V' class short sea trader began today.

Newbuild for Arklow Takes First Dip Into Salt Waters Along Dutch-German Border

3rd January 2018 Arklow Shipping

#Ports&Shipping - Arklow Venus, the newest ship of the fleet that was launched in October is currently undergoing sea trials on an estuary along the Dutch-German border, writes Jehan Ashmore. The 89m Arklow Venus is part of the continues upgrading…

Seafarers are strangers wherever they go, however with assistance these smiling crew members over Christmas availed of the SeaFi Dockside facility, while away from families. The free wi-fi service developed by SEA-Tech, an Irish company, is provided to seafarers (above) by the Port of Waterford at the Belview Terminal. In the background, Afloat adds is the bow of Arklow Cliff, the newest in service of the 'C' class cargoships..

Irish Tech Company Help Seafarers Connect to Loved Ones Over Festive Period

31st December 2017 Ports & Shipping

#Seafarers - Over three million seafarers, both men and women live in the twilight world of big shipping according to the Seamens Christian Friend Service (SCFS). Seafarers are responsible for most of the goods you will of had acquired over the Christmas…

State Broke EU Rules Over Seafarer Qualifications Says High Court

23rd December 2017 Ports & Shipping

#Training - A marine notice issued earlier this year on accreditation for seafarers qualifications has “no legal basis” and must be quashed, says the High Court. According to The Irish Times, the court has also directed Transport Minister Shane Ross…

Seatruck's RO RO Cargo vessel Clipper Point enters Dublin Port. There was positive year on year growth across all major cargo markets. Notable however, has been the continued steady growth of Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro/Ro) trade at 5%, continuing a trend of strong growth within this sector which began in Q1 2014

Irish Shipping Volumes Increase By 5% in Q3 2017

20th December 2017 Ports & Shipping

The latest IMDO iShip Index indicates growth in shipping and port activity in the Republic of Ireland by 5% in Q3 of 2017 verses Q3 in 2016. There was positive year on year growth across all major cargo markets. Notable…

Arklow Bridge seen underway off Vlissingen has been disposed by Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V. Note near the bow, where the lower freeboard along the hull meets the cargo hatch coaming, this feature is reminiscent of the older V class series which too were disposed and are been replaced by 10 custom built newbuilds. The latest of these Arklow Venture was recently delivered to ASN.

Shipping Snippets: Ardmore Tanker Calls to Bantry, Arklow Disposes Cargoship & Mainport Chase Vessel Departs Cork Dockyard

20th December 2017 Arklow Shipping

#ShippingSnippets - A 183m tanker from Ardmore Shipping Corporation based in Bermuda which also has a principle operating office located in Cork, made a call to Bantry Bay recently, writes Jehan Ashmore. Ardmore Seaventure which at 49,999 dwt is on…

Statutory Radio Surveys Under Way For Irish Seagoing Vessels

17th December 2017 Ports & Shipping

#RadioSurvey - Further to this summer’s tender call for a panel of radio surveyors, the panel is now established and authors to conducts statutory radio surveys on Irish seagoing vessels, including fishing vessels. Owners of vessels in the categories listed…