Maintenance dredging of all main navigation channels and berths within the Port of Cork is set to begin, with various stages between now and late September.

A survey of the harbour by the vessel Norse is scheduled to commence this Thursday 13 August, which will be followed by bed levelling operations by the Afon Liigwy from next Sunday 16 August.

The main dredging campaign by the TSHD Taccola will then progress from Wednesday 19 August over the following six weeks, as per the port's marine notice (available to download below).

Operations will continue 24 hours a day. When engaged in dredging, the vessels will display all required lights and shapes.

Mariners are requested to navigate with caution when in the vicinity of the work craft, to pass by as wide a margin as possible and proceed with minimum wash and speed.

Port operations and the aforementioned vessels may be contacted on VHF channel 12 to obtain further details pertaining to the dredging operations for the duration of the campaign.

Following the recent deployment of Metocean devices to provide data for the development of the Arklow Bank Wind Park, a geotechnical survey will take place in the same areas of the Irish sea off the Wicklow coast in the coming weeks.

The survey will start in late August or early September, weather depending, and will continue to November. Survey activity will involve drilling around 15 boreholes in the area detailed in Marine Notice No 33 of 2020, available to download below.

Survey works will be conducted by contractor Geoquip Marine using the Geoquip Saentis (Callsign C6UM8), an 80m dynamically positioned specialist survey vessel.

The Geoquip Saentis will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre during its 24/7 survey operations, and other vessels in the are are requested to leave a wide berth.

An update has been issued for the Seafarer/Fisher Medical Examinations Scheme, detailing medical and eyesight standards and a list of approved doctors.

The updated scheme supersedes that previously issued in mid 2014 and is included in Marine Notice No 34 of 2020, available to download below.

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has issued a reminder of guidance for all operators of domestic passenger vessels to prevent the spread of coronavirus on their services.

This includes the Covid-19 Marine Travel Protocol and guidance for ferry services to offshore islands, the Return to Work Safely Protocol, and Fáilte Ireland’s Covid-19 Safety Charter.

Further details are included in Marine Notice No 32 of 2020, which can be downloaded below.

Metocean devices will be deployed in the Irish Sea off the Wicklow coast) in the coming days, weather permitting, to provide environmental data for the development of the Arklow Bank Wind Park.

Similar to last autumn’s deployment, four separate devices to monitor waves and currents will be deployed, which will include a seabed frame with the sensors mounted on it, an anchoring system, and a surface marker buoy.

The devices will be deployed using either the AMS Retriever (Callsign MEHI8) or Husky (Callsign 2EQI7), both versatile multi-purpose shallow draft tugs. The devices will remain in place for approximately six months, serviced on a three-monthly basis.

During deployment and recovery operations, the AMS vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. The devices will be located using yellow special mark buoys which will have the relevant markers and ATON characters.

The location of the devices will be off the Wicklow coastline as detailed in Marine Notice No 31 of 2020, which is available to download below.

Canoeists, kayakers and relevant organisations are encouraged to review the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft, following a recent report into the death of a kayaker on Lough Gill.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the lone kayaker was believed to have become separated from his Canadian canoe in bad weather on the Co Sligo lough in late January 2019.

The vessel had not grablines to aid recovery after the casualty had entered the water, the MCIB report said, adding that he may have been weighed down by his Wellington boots, and had only a mobile phone and no other means of signalling for help.

The report recommended a Marine Notice highlighting the requirements for kayaks and canoes as set out in Chapter 7 of the Code, and in particular the following:

• Chapter 7, Section 7.1 (Training), page 84 of the Code: Undertake a recognised training course in the correct use of the specific type of canoe you wish to use.
• Chapter 7, Section 7.2 (Prior to entering the water), pages 84 and 85 of the Code: Ensure that you carry a mobile phone or Marine VHF radio in a suitable watertight cover for use to summon assistance in emergency situations.
• Check the hull is fitted with grab loops/towing lines.
• Ensure that you are a competent swimmer and capable of surviving in the areas you operate.

The MCIB also recommends that canoeists and kayakers should ensure that they wear clothing and footwear that will not affect their chance of survival in the water.

In addition, Chapter 7 of the Code of Practice contains general information on personal safety equipment, sea kayaking, river kayaking and canoeing.

Part A of the Code outlines the legislative requirements that apply to all recreational craft or specific types or size of craft, and Part B contains recommended guidelines and best practice for the safe operation of a range of recreational craft including canoes and kayaks.

The Code of Practice is a free document and hard copies can be obtained on request, in both English and Irish, from the Maritime Safety Policy Division at
[email protected]

The Code and individual chapters of the Code are available to view or download from dttas.gov.ie and a list of updates to the 2017 edition of the Code is also available.

Marine Notice No 30 of 2020 is available to download below, as is Chapter 7 of the Code of Practice.

Owners of the Ocean Signal SeaSafe E100 or E100G emergency radio beacons are reminded to perform their unit’s self-test function as soon as possible.

The manufacturer says all of its EPIRBs should be routinely tested on a monthly basis, as per the user manual.

All Ocean Signal beacons are designed to have sufficient capacity to accommodate a monthly self-test over the lifetime of the battery.

However, for those beacons that do not pass the self-test, an exchange process is being offered for affected units.

Details on how to perform the self-test — and seek a replacement if necessary — are detailed in Marine Notice No 29 of 2020 attached below.

A full schedule of the Irish Maritime Administration examinations for Certificates of Competency as Deck Officers, Marine Engineer Officers, Skippers and Second Hands for the year commencing 7 September 2020 is included in Marine Notice No 28 of 2020 attached below.

Owners and users of a range of pleasure and recreational craft in Irish waters are reminded to keep up to date with the Code of Practice for their safe operation.

The Code highlights the importance of personal responsibility for all those who take to the water.

Each person must take maritime safety seriously, prepare and plan for a safe trip, behave responsibly on the water and be properly equipped so as to be able to respond to any incidents that may arise.

The Code is intended for use by owners, operators and users of all pleasure and recreational craft operating in Irish coastal and inland waters and certain Irish vessels operating offshore, including:

• Sail and motor boats
• Sailing dinghies
• Personal watercraft (eg jet skis)
• Powerboats
• Canoes and kayaks
• Rowing boats
• Charter boats
• Ski boats and dive boats
• Windsurfers, stand-up paddleboard users and other non-powered craft

It contains information on legislative requirements, safe operation and advice on best practice when using a recreational craft.

The Code of Practice was most recently updated in late 2019. The free document is available to download from Gov.ie but hardcopies can be obtained on request, in both English and Irish, from the Maritime Safety Policy Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport at [email protected]

For more details on the Code, see Marine Notice No 27 of 2020, a PDF of which is attached below.

The latest Marine Notice from the Irish Maritime Administration advises that the Developing Site Investigation Methodologies (DeSIRE) Survey will be carried out in the North Irish Sea from next Monday 13 July.

This two-week survey will use seismic refraction and multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) equipment, as well as sparker seismic equipment, operated from the Ocean Navigator (Callsign EI018) and Fionn Mac Cumhall (Callsign EIDN2).

Work will be performed during daylight hours in accordance with safe operating practices regarding MMO procedures and cognisant of fishing gear. Both vessels will display appropriate lights and signals.

For further details, including co-ordinates for the survey area and contact information, see Marine Notice No 26 of 2020 attached below.