Irish Port and Shipping News

European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has called on Member States and the EU to take port projects on board in the recovery and resilience plans. Above Afloat adds a shipping scene at the Port of Rotterdam where an inland waterway container-feeder barge is underway while and a deep-sea containership is berthed at Europe's largest port.

ESPO Calls On Member States & EU to Take Port Projects On Board In Recovery & Resilience Plans

1st April 2021 Ports & Shipping

European ports in recent months have been playing a critical role in the supply and distribution of essential goods and in keeping the economy running. As gateways to the world, being at the crossroads of supply chains, hubs of energy,…

GLOBAL SHIFT: Søren Skou (CEO of A.P. Møller-Maersk) believes further exposure of the fragility of just-in-time models adds additional momentum to the move towards just-in-case stockholding and diversification of suppliers. Above AFLOAT adds, the stricken Suez vessel, Ever Green, of the 20,000 (TEU) 'Golden' class, is one of the largest containerships in the world, based on the capacity of TEU (Twenty-foot equivalent unit) containers. Above AFLOAT's photo of a previous title holder, Mette Maersk of the Triple E-class (18,000 TEU) berthed at the UK's biggest 'box-boat' Port of Felixstowe. The Danish flagged containership, had transitted the Suez, is currently off Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean and according to AIS, is scheduled to arrive in Singapore on 3rd April (this Saturday).

Blockage of the Suez Will Hasten Global Supply Chain Shift, Says Maersk CEO

30th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Blockage of the Suez Canal that had been caused by Evergreen's containership ‘Ever Given’ since 23 March, will hasten the global shift away from just-in-time supply chains after further exposing their fragility, according to A.P. Møller-Maersk CEO Søren Skou. The…

Onshore Power Supply (OPS): Calls by Europe’s ports for more onshorepower where it makes sense. Read about the Europen Sea Ports Organisation's (ESPO) proposal for an intelligent approach towards OPS.

Call by Europe’s Ports For More Onshore Power Supply (OPS) Where it Makes Sense

30th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Onshore Power Supply (OPS) is part of the solution to greening the shipping sector. It is an important tool for reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution at berth and in ports. The greening of the shipping sector is a…

Over the moon…..the huge Ever Given (beam is 200 metres, length 1400 metres) is finally back in line this (Monday) afternoon in the Suez Canal, thanks to a a useful combination of wind and tide and tugs and dredgers and salvage skills

Suez Ship is Freed at Last

29th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

The enormous container ship Ever Given was finally freed this (Monday) afternoon from her global trade-wrecking blockage of the Suez Canal. After days of struggle, salvage crews freed the giant container ship. Human error is considered in the cause of…

This proposal for a solution of the problem of mega-load of containers on the Ever Given has taken thoughtful account of local sensitivities and an ancient culture

Suez Canal Blockage? New Container Pyramid Would Add to Egypt’s Historic Tourist Attractions

29th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

As the old business school saying has it, there are no problems - there are only fresh opportunities. The acute problem of the relatively rare blockage of the Suez Canal, with the salvors of the 400m Ever Given faced with…

Salvage efforts are continuing to free a mammoth container ship, Ever Given that has blocked the Suez Canal for six days, crippling international trade and causing losses worth millions of euro.

Crisis on Suez As President of Egypt Orders Ship Cargo Lifted Off As More Tugs Join Operation

28th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Ever Given, the giant container ship remains stuck in the Suez Canal on Sunday after authorities tried and failed to make use of the high tide to free the vessel and reopen the crucial waterway. Two attempts to free the…

Matters of Draught: At the High Court, Arklow Shipping claims it cannot operate in any port without reliable information about depth, readings of which it says should be taken on a daily basis. Above: Arklow Valour in the company colours of a green hull of the single-hold cargoship.

Drogheda Harbour Pilot Captain Says ‘We All Underestimated’ Underwater Clearance

27th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

A Drogheda Harbour pilot boat captain has told the High Court “we all underestimated” the underwater clearance a cement-laden cargoship needed before it ran aground at the Co. Louth port in 2018. Captain Andrew Breach was giving evidence in a €1.4 million…

They should build coffer dams ahead and astern of the Ever Given

Get Suez Ship Afloat - Afloat.ie’s Suggestion

26th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

When Lou Grade produced the unsuccessful and ridiculously expensive movie Raise the Titanic, he said afterwards that it would have cost less to lower the Atlantic. Afloat.ie’s suggestion for the Ever Given blocked in the Suez Canal is the opposite.…

Vital Maritime Waterway: A salvage company, working to free the Ever Given, wedged between both Suez Canal banks, says the operation could take weeks

Suez Ship Blockage Holding Up $9.6bn of Gargo Goods a Day

26th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Ever Given the mega-container ship stranded in the Suez Canal is holding up an estimated $9.6bn (£7bn) of goods each day, according to shipping data, reports BBC News. This works out at $400m an hour in trade along the waterway which…

File image of a ship docked at Dublin Port

Department of Transport Confirms Limited Exemptions from Hotel Quarantine for Maritime Crews

25th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Department of Transport has confirmed limited exemptions for maritime crews from mandatory hotel quarantine for those entering the State from high-risk countries, which comes into effect from tomorrow, Friday 26 March. As detailed in Marine Notice No 16 of…

Owner of the enormous containership, Ever Given (above bulbous bow) wedged across Suez Canal apologises for major disruption to international trade route. The giant ship is causing a traffic jam in one of the world's busiest waterways

Suez Canal 'Remains' Blocked As Owner of Container Ship Apologises

25th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

The giant containership owned by a Japanese owner, that has been blocking Egypt's Suez Canal since Tuesday has apologised for the disruption to global trade. As BBC World News reports, Shoei Kisen Kaisha said it was trying to resolve the…

The cabinet’s Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 that enshrines carbon neutrality by 2050 has been welcomed by the Irish Exporters Association which is a professional body representing the sector. Above AFLOAT's photo of freight vehicles on a linkspan where is berthed a ro-pax vessel.

Climate Action Bill & Low Carbon Neutral Ecomomy by 2050 Welcomed by IEA

24th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Following the cabinet’s approval of the Climate Action & Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Irish Exporters Association has welcomed the bill. The bill enshrines carbon neutrality by 2050 into Irish law through the national climate objective - a…

According to Bloomberg, the giant containership blocking the Suez Canal has now been moved alongside the bank of the waterway, potentially easing the disruption to one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes

Giant Containership Blocks Suez Canal after 'Gust of Wind' Knocks it off Course

24th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

On the Suez Canal, tug boats and diggers are working to free a giant containership stuck on the waterway after it veered off course in a sandstorm, officials said. The incident, RTE reports has created huge tailbacks on one of…

Half of the world’s sailors are from countries where rollout of vaccines is slow, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. Above the deck-mounted cranes of a deep-sea bulker berthed at an Irish port.

Unvaccinated Seafarers Could See Global Supply Chain Crisis Deepen

24th March 2021 Ports & Shipping

Unvaccinated seafarers are threatening to tip the global supply chain into deeper crisis as countries introduce vaccine requirements at their borders, The Financial Times reports quoting international shipping industry sources. Of the world’s 1.7 million seafarers, 900,000 are from developing…

New UK west coast service initiative links Liverpool and China. DKT Allseas (part of Allseas Global Logistics), has announced it will operate a number of Supply Chain critical container vessel sailings from Shanghai and Ningbo to Liverpool. AFLOAT adds as previously reported the north-west English port recently secured 'Freeport' status, and the only such port to do on the Irish Sea.

New Liverpool-China Service An Initiative to Link UK and Asia

22nd March 2021 Ports & Shipping

A new Liverpool-China shipping service which is an initiative by DKT Allseas, is intended to provide relief to customers who are facing increased ocean freight rates, as well as, reduced reliability due to the knock-on impacts of the global pandemic.…

A €35m development of Rosslare Europort is paying dividends after Brexit

Rosslare Port Breathes Maritime Atmosphere & Will Have 36 Ferry Services Next Month

21st March 2021 Tom MacSweeney

Rosslare just breathes the atmosphere of the sea. Next month Rosslare Europort will hit a new record – a total of 36 shipping services a week operating from the port, which, its General Manager tells me, will make it the…