Irish Port and Shipping News

ESPO has under the slogan “Transport for EU recovery” along with 32 organisations are calling on MS to ensure the transport sector receives adequate consideration in the National recovery and resilience facility (RRF) plans.

ESPO Launch "Transport for EU Recovery" to Keep Transport Going Forward

10th February 2021 Ports & Shipping

The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) with the slogan “Transport for EU Recovery” has issued a Statement on the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The statement was issued along with a further 31 other organisations. “The transport and logistics sectors play a…

Decision to resume physical inspections of animal-based products in Belfast and Larne follows a threat assessment provided by the PSNI

Brexit Agricultural Staff Checks Resume at Northern Ireland Ports

10th February 2021 Ports & Shipping

Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture staff which were withdrawn from Brexit checks at two ports because of claims of threats last week return to work today. According to RTE News, the decision to resume physical inspections of animal-based products in…

Up to UK 40 ports have reportedly submitted proposals, including some of the biggest names in the British ports sector, as they seek to attract benefits of 'Freeport'status among them Port of Milford Haven (above) in Pembrokeshire, south Wales. The leading UK port handles over 30m tonnes of cargo annually and is a major energy port. AFLOAT has identified in this 'file' photo the black hulled short-sea products tanker MV Brabourne / MV Blackrock (in 1989 the newbuild was named after the Dublin Bay suburb with a ceremony held in Dun Laoghaire Harbour) which Afloat reflected upon in recent years.

Post-Brexit Sees Dozens of UK Ports Apply for 'Freeport' Status

8th February 2021 Ports & Shipping

In the UK numerous ports, port groups and ports and logistics consortia appear to have applied for freeport status by last Friday’s deadline set for England by the UK government. This according to LloydsLoadingList, was to enable applicants seek to…

Arvin was a river-sea cargo vessel type and vulanerable to storms

Cargo Ship ‘Snaps in Half’ During Storm (Video)

7th February 2021 Ports & Shipping

A ship ‘snapped in half’ and sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast while en route to Bulgaria. Now, as Marine Industry News reports, a shocking video has been shared showing the crew making an emergency mayday call as the bow…

Latest development of the new Arklow Arrow, a 8,500dwt trader, which is carrying out a series of shipbuilders sea trials in Wadden Sea off the Dutch and German coast. AFLOAT adds in tracking some other ASL ships, this led to the classic cruiseship (former liner) Marco Polo which served cruisegoers directly from Belfast and regularly called to Irish Ports - has gone to the breakers!

Arklow Newbuild On Sea Trials While Another Fleetmate Dry Docks After Short Hop from Avonmouth

4th February 2021 Arklow Shipping

Arklow Shipping, operators of a fleet of dry-cargo short-sea traders and deep-sea ocean going bulkers, is where Afloat catches up with a sample of their ships in waters much closer to home, writes Jehan Ashmore. Before this one cannot ignore…

UK prime minister Boris Johnson has said he is prepared to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Irish protocol to ensure there is no barrier down the Irish Sea. Above: Belfast Harbour along with the Port of Larne, where on Monday, threats were made to customs border post staff who were stood down from duties due to concerns for their security.

UK Prime Minister Is Prepared to Invoke Article 16 to Ensure No Barrier Down the Irish Sea

3rd February 2021 Ports & Shipping

The British prime minister Boris Johnson has said he is prepared to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Irish protocol to ensure there is no barrier down the Irish Sea. As The Irish Times writes, Mr Johnson told the House…

Volumes held up significantly in Warrenpoint Port last year despite Covid lockdown and trade drop off. Above a busy scene of ships lining the Co. Down among them AFLOAT adds on left, a ro-ro freightferry which Seatruck operate to Heysham, England.

Volumes at Warrenpoint Port Despite Covid to Deliver Continued Growth in 2021

3rd February 2021 Ports & Shipping

Tonnage details for Warrenpoint Port during 2020 have been released which show they have held up significantly. Figures were down by less than 5% on 2019 volumes and only 0.9% behind pre- Covid expected volumes. This is despite the lockdown…

Operational Update from a Government review one month after the end of the Brexit transition period: Trade volumes on ROI/GB routes (above: an Irish Sea freight ferry) were 50% of those reported in January 2020, but continuing to gradually increase week by week. For much more including trading relationships to mainland Europe and impact of Covid-19, scroll down 'headings' below.

Government's Operational Update Reviews Trading Relationships Since Post-Brexit Transition

2nd February 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Department of the Taoiseach has released an Operational update one-month on following the post-Brexit transition which includes highlighting the shipping trading relationships between Ireland-UK in addition developments of direct (in particular freight-ferry) connections with mainland Europe. • Reduced trade volumes on ROI/GB routes…

An AFLOAT photo of an Irish Sea ferry in stormy seas that also faces the ferry sector that is keenly felt at the north Wales port of Holyhead due to Brexit & Covid. While offshore south of Anglesey today, heavy seas and east winds has led to a trio of other merchant shipping vessels that took to the relative shelter off the Welsh coastline along the Llŷn Peninsula.

Stormy Seas Face Ferryport of Holyhead While Offshore Cargoships Ride Out the Weather

30th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

As stormy seas hit the commercial reality of a post-Brexit Holyhead ferryport, the UK Met Office marine forecast for the Irish Sea was up to severe gale force 9, with ships today riding out bad weather off Anglesey, writes Jehan Ashmore…

European Parliament adopted report on revision of Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) guidelines, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has welcomed.

European Parliament's Report on TEN-T Guidelines ESPO Welcomes

30th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

The European Parliament has adopted the report on the revision of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) guidelines (2019/2192(INI)) with a large majority. With the adoption of the own-initiative report last week, the Parliament set out its position on the upcoming…

A new weekly service sees Samskip launch today a new Dublin route connecting Irish businesses direct to importers and exporters via Amsterdam in the key European hinterland. The Dutch company with its headquarter in Rotterdam (route to Dublin too and other Irish ports) was in 1990 founded originally in Iceland. As reported by AFLOAT in 2017, it is in Icelandic waters where the former and final Galway-Aran Islands passenger/cargo ferry the Oileáin Árann operated. The 40m ferry also handled hoisted-vehicles, was sold by O’Brien Shipping in 2006 to Samskip and renamed Sæfari where it remains in service.

Samskip's New Dublin-Amsterdam Container Service Brings Irish Business to European Hinterland

25th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

In addition to the recent dramatic boost in direct ferry routes to mainland Europe, Samskip is ramping up its shortsea container services by introducing today an additional dedicated link connecting Amsterdam and Dublin Port. The weekly connection will mean Irish…

Seafarers: A Liverpool headquartered maritime training provider, launched a first ever live-stream mass to seafarers aboard an offshore support vessel.

Maritime Training Company Stages First Ever 'Live-Stream' Mass to Seafarers Worldwide

19th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

In the UK Liverpool based maritime training company, Tapiit Live, has staged the first ever live-stream mass to seafarers aboard an offshore support vessel. The inaugural ‘offshore live mass’ was broadcast over WIFI by Father Paulo H Prigol, chaplain of…

Arriving from China is a heavy-lift vessel at the Port of Liverpool from where Peel Ports welcomed last week additional port crane infrastructure as part of the next phase of growth at Liverpool2, the port’s deep-water container terminal.

'Liverpool2' Container Terminal's £400m Expansion Nears Next Phase of Completion

12th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

Across the Irish Sea at the Port of Liverpool, the owners Peel Ports Group have welcomed an additional five cantilever rail-mounted gantry (CRMG) container shipping cranes that arrived at the UK port from China. The delivery which was completed last…

A seafarer welfare app ‘Crew Matters’ has gone live to around 10,000 seafarers working on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag. This is a first such app developed by a flag state and its launch is notably timely as thousands of seafarers began the New Year separated from their families, with 400,000 currently working beyond their contracts, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Seafarer Welfare App ‘Crew Matters’ Goes Live to 10,000 Crew

12th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Isle of Man Ship Registry has formally launched the first ever seafarer welfare app designed by a flag state as Afloat previously reported. Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry Cameron Mitchell said the app, named ‘Crew Matters’,…

Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA2020) has appointed a DFDS executive Poul Woodall as Executive Director of the alliance that represents ship owners and other key maritime industry stakeholders as an advocate and science research body for the environmental benefits of marine Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS). In addition to other marine environmental issues.

Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA2020) Appoints New Executive Director

11th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA2020) has confirmed the appointment of ferry operator DFDS executive Poul Woodall as its Executive Director which took place at the start of this year. CSA 2020 (website) represents ship owners and other key maritime…

Larne Harbour To Get Post-Brexit Facilities for Checks on GB Imports

8th January 2021 Ports & Shipping

Larne Harbour is set to get dedicated facilities for post-Brexit checks on imports of food and livestock from Great Britain later this year, as the Belfast Telegraph reports. Currently a team of 12 environmental health officers are working “24/7, in…