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Displaying items by tag: Operators Impacted

The Irish Exporters Association chief executive has warned that a number of Irish companies are going to be impacted by the coronavirus.

Simon McKeever told RTÉ radio’s News at One that markets are being affected by the virus as it is difficult to get items into and out of China. He also said that members are also beginning to see a slow down in payments from China as businesses have closed because of the virus.

The lack of components from China will have an impact at micro level for a number of Irish companies, he said as the production of source items has come to a halt.

His members are saying that the difficulties caused by the virus will have “an acute impact” in four to six weeks and even if the peak of the virus has passed, there could still be a six to eight week tail back as logistical systems get back on line.

Freight companies are also having to ship into other countries as Chinese ports are full, he said.

The Irish Examiner has more here relating to Irish people on board two cruise ships where the virus has been detected. 

Shipyards

Afloat will be focusing on news and developments of shipyards with newbuilds taking shape on either slipways and building halls.

The common practice of shipbuilding using modular construction, requires several yards make specific block sections that are towed to a single designated yard and joined together to complete the ship before been launched or floated out.

In addition, outfitting quays is where internal work on electrical and passenger facilities is installed (or upgraded if the ship is already in service). This work may involve newbuilds towed to another specialist yard, before the newbuild is completed as a new ship or of the same class, designed from the shipyard 'in-house' or from a naval architect consultancy. Shipyards also carry out repair and maintenance, overhaul, refit, survey, and conversion, for example, the addition or removal of cabins within a superstructure. All this requires ships to enter graving /dry-docks or floating drydocks, to enable access to the entire vessel out of the water.

Asides from shipbuilding, marine engineering projects such as offshore installations take place and others have diversified in the construction of offshore renewable projects, from wind-turbines and related tower structures. When ships are decommissioned and need to be disposed of, some yards have recycling facilities to segregate materials, though other vessels are run ashore, i.e. 'beached' and broken up there on site. The scrapped metal can be sold and made into other items.