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Displaying items by tag: Celtic Link Ferries

15th October 2013

The Ferry Mobile Way to Book

#FerryMOBILE – Celtic Link Ferries have now made available the option to book a ferry crossing via the mobile phone to those travelling on the operator's service between Rosslare and Cherbourg.

Passengers will be able to research their crossing and or make their reservation via the new mobile booking system.

"Celtic Link Ferries wants to give its passengers as many booking opportunities as possible" said a company spokesperson. "Mobile booking is something that we feel that both our customers and we can benefit from".

Bookings on the French route can be made on smart-phone by visiting www.celticlinkferries.com and from where people can access the responsive website.

The Wexford based ferry operator is one of the first companies in Ireland to use this responsive technology.

 

Published in Ferry

#UCDyacht – The UCD Yacht Team are heading off to France tomorrow to compete in the World Cup.The team are travelling with the support of Celtic Link Ferries which operate services on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route.

Last years winners UCD are returning to try and retain their phenomenal accolade.

"Celtic Link Ferries would like to lend its support to the UCD team" said Rory McCall, Marketing Manager of Celtic Link Ferries. "It's a real honour for any person to compete at this level, at any sport. That's why Celtic Link Ferries wanted to be involved".

Celtic Link Ferries would like to extend the very best of luck to the participants who are travelling to France this week. The route operated by ro-pax Celtic Horizon sails thrice weekly round trips.

 

Published in Ferry

#Sailfor€1As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Celtic Link Ferries are re-launching a special single sailing fare of just €1 on 16 March 2014 between France-Ireland in advance of St. Patrick's Day.

Celtic Link Ferries are offering passengers this unique opportunity to travel with any tourist vehicle (car, van [up to 6.5m long and 2.5m high], motor-home, motorcycle, caravan, minibus or trailer) for as little as €1. The deal also includes everybody that is in the vehicle.

The special sailing offer on the Cherbourg-Rosslare route operated by ro-pax ferry Celtic Horizon, is timed to take advantage of visiting Ireland for St. Patrick's Day on 17 March.

Passenger will be able to their vehicle for some of the best prices ever seen on a ferry service between France and Ireland.

"Its simply an effort to get as many people to come to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day as possible" said a company spokesperson. "We have more direct crossings than anybody else and with that we want as many people to use it as possible".

To book this special deal visit:www.celticlinkferries.com

 

Published in Ferry

#FerryNews – Celtic Link Ferries have recorded an increase in both passenger and vehicle traffic for the month of May.

Passengers making southbound Rosslare-Cherbourg sailings have increased by a modest 1.5% for the month compared to the same time last year. In the opposite direction, passenger making sailings to Ireland have increased by more than 14%.

"May figures have been very encouraging" said Rory McCall, Tourist Passenger Manager. "There is a strong desire still for people to go on holidays- our business has grown, simply because we have the best value rates".

The operator which runs ro-pax Celtic Horizon on the thrice weekly round trip service, has seen growth in all types of vehicle traffic that includes not just cars but campervans, motorcycles and coaches.

Published in Ferry

#CelticGiroDItalia – Celtic Link Ferries Italian flagged ro-pax Celtic Horizon will be carrying the cycling cavalcade for one of the world's greatest cycling events, the prestigious 2014 Giro D'Italia, which takes place next May with an all island staged route, writes Jehan Ashmore.

According to Wexford Chamber of Commerce, the ferry operator which runs between Rosslare-Cherbourg, recently transported a fleet of Volkswagon vehicles to see this year's Giro D'Italia in Naples.

The Giro D'Italia in 2014 will stage its 'Grande Partenza', the Big Start in Belfast and will visit Armagh and also Dublin between 10-12 May.

Hosting three-day event, which will be its 97th edition, will cost in the region of €5,000,000.

It is also estimated the event will generate to the value of €12m and which has the backing of Northern Irish Tourist Board (NITB) and Tourism Ireland.

"Celtic Link Ferries are delighted to be involved with this great event which will be the focus of the entirety of Europe" said Tourist Passenger Manager, Rory McCall.

"We are a perfect fit for something like this" added McCall. "Celtic Link Ferries will give intending passengers the best value means of travelling between Europe and Ireland with a vehicle".

Celtic Horizon which is registered in the Adriatic Sea port of Bari, has a total 2.25 kilometres of vehicle lane metres spread across its decks from where traffic is transported on the thrice weekly operated service.

Afloat.ie adds that Rosslare Europort is no stranger to such sport-related logistics, as the Tour de France made its first and only visit to Ireland in 1998.

On that occasion, ferries transported the cycling cavalcade from the Wexford port and also out of Cork to Roscoff.

 

Published in Ferry

#FrenchFerry– As summertime officially starts over the Easter Weekend, perhaps it's also time to set a sailing time of your choice by booking with Celtic Link Ferries, noting the half-price cabin sale!

The operator which runs the ro-pax ferry Celtic Horizon on the thrice weekly Rosslare-Cherbourg route has launched the half price cabin sale and where there's a selection of accommodation ranging from 2-berth, 4-berth and 6-berth cabins plus luxurious suites.

For further information and to make a booking visit: www.celticlinkferries.com

 

Published in Ferry

#GatheringVoyage – As previously reported on Afloat.ie Celtic Link Ferries were proud to have transported over 400 passengers on board Celtic Horizon from mainland Europe to Ireland for St. Patrick's Day 2013.

The only ferry company which sails between Ireland and France (Cherbourg-Rosslare) all-year-long gave passengers a unique opportunity last weekend to sail with a vehicle, a cabin and occupants for only €1.

The special priced fare was tied to promote Ireland's year-round Gathering celebration and to encourage people to visit Ireland.

"There was a great atmosphere on board, people delighted with the great offer and getting to come home and see their loved ones" said Tourist Passenger Manager, Rory McCall.

"Celtic Link Ferries did their best to insure that people got to visit Ireland for St. Patrick's Day as comfortably as possible, as cheaply as possible."

McCall added "This will be the first of many offers trying to increase visitors to Ireland and more specifically to Wexford and the rest of the South-East".

"Celtic Link Ferries have been very fortunate to have the support of Rosslare Europort on this offer and look forward with working with them on more special offers for the rest of 2013."

Throughout 2013 Celtic Link Ferries will be offering competitive fares to insure that even more tourists visit Ireland on the thrice-weekly operated Cherbourg-Rosslare route.

 

Published in Ferry

#GatheringVoyage –Passengers today on board Celtic Horizon which is due to make a lunchtime arrival in Rosslare Harbour are taking advantage of a special celebratory 'Gathering' sailing, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported, Celtic Link Ferries had been promoting a €1 euro motorist fare on this particular crossing which departed Cherbourg yesterday in advance of St. Patrick's Day festivities held across the nation in this year of The Gathering.

In addition to Irish and continental passengers, there are representatives from the tourism sector travelling on this Gathering sailing.

As the Celtic Horizon heads towards the Tuskar Rock Lighthouse, there will no doubt be an on board atmosphere of excitement as the Emerald Isle looms increasingly closer.

Celtic Horizon is the newest and fastest vessel operating on the French-Irish route and among the facilities are the aptly named Tuskar Lounge, Rosslare Bar and Cherbourg Café.

 

Published in Ferry

#GatheringVoyage- Passengers booked on a Celtic Link Ferries sailing from France one month from today (15 March) in advance of St. Patrick's Day, will be taking advantage of a special €1 euro 'Gathering' fare, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The special offer was an initiative by CLF in this year-long Gathering of events and next month's National Day of festivities.

Celtic Horizon operates three round-trip sailings weekly and among the 27,522 tonnes ro-pax facilities are the Cherbourg Café, Tuskar Lounge and Rosslare Bar. In addition there are a choice of cabin accommodation for the overnight 17-hour crossing between Normandy and Wexford.

Rory McCall, passenger sales manager said "Celtic Link Ferries will ensure that passengers get great value crossings to and from France all year long in 2013. It is only fitting that we give our passengers the best value deal ever between France and Ireland on 15 March".

This month CLF celebrate their eighth year in service, having taken over the route in 2005, following the closure of the service the previous year run by P&O Ferries.

 

Published in Ferry

#FERRY FOCUS – Two Rosslare Europort ferries, past and present are profiled in the latest issue of Ships Monthly. Normandy having served a near decade long career with Irish Ferries and Celtic Horizon as previously reported on Afloat.ie which has only been in service since late 2011 serving Celtic Link Ferries.

The former Normandy, a month ago today was beached at Alang, India to undergo scrapping, following failed plans by Singapore owners to convert her to an offshore accommodation vessel for the energy industry.

She had served several routes throughout Northern Europe since her completion in 1982 as Prinsessan Birgitta for her original owners Sessan Line, before becoming part of Stena Line and at one stage she became 'Sealink's flagship St.Nicholas.

Incidentally during Normandy's career until 2007, her younger sister launched as Kronprinsessan Victoria, now named Stena Europe, was by sheer coincidence sailing out of Rosslare and still remains on Stena Line's route serving Fishguard.

Normandy was the first of the Irish Ferries fleet to change flag, where the Irish tricolour was replaced under the Bahamas flag. This initially led to strike action by UK, French and Irish unions that led to a longer-running hostile dispute during 2005/2006 by Irish seafarers whose jobs were ultimately replaced through outsourcing of lower paid agency crews mostly from Eastern Europe.

Eventually the remaining Irish Ferries vessels, flagship Ulysses, cruiseferry Isle of Inishmore and fast-ferry Jonathan Swift also changed flags, but to Cyprus and with a change of port registry to Limassol.

As for Celtic Horizon she is on a charter contract to Celtic Link Ferries Rosslare-Cherbourg service, the 2006-built ro-pax having served Naples-Sicilian routes for Caronte & Tourist.

The introduction of Celtic Horizon brings increased space and higher standard passenger facilities compared to her predecessor Norman Voyager, which too was delivered from the same Italian shipbuilder Visentini near Venice.

At this time of the year CLF are the only operator providing Irish-French sailings until Irish Ferries re-launch cruiseferry Oscar Wilde sailings for their 2013 season starting in late February, initially to Cherbourg followed in May by additional high-season sailings to Roscoff.

Published in Ferry
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The Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard is Ireland's fourth 'Blue Light' service (along with An Garda Síochána, the Ambulance Service and the Fire Service). It provides a nationwide maritime emergency organisation as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies.

The purpose of the Irish Coast Guard is to promote safety and security standards, and by doing so, prevent as far as possible, the loss of life at sea, and on inland waters, mountains and caves, and to provide effective emergency response services and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The Irish Coast Guard has responsibility for Ireland's system of marine communications, surveillance and emergency management in Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and certain inland waterways.

It is responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue and counter-pollution and ship casualty operations. It also has responsibility for vessel traffic monitoring.

Operations in respect of maritime security, illegal drug trafficking, illegal migration and fisheries enforcement are co-ordinated by other bodies within the Irish Government.

On average, each year, the Irish Coast Guard is expected to:

  • handle 3,000 marine emergencies
  • assist 4,500 people and save about 200 lives
  • task Coast Guard helicopters on missions

The Coast Guard has been around in some form in Ireland since 1908.

Coast Guard helicopters

The Irish Coast Guard has contracted five medium-lift Sikorsky Search and Rescue helicopters deployed at bases in Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo.

The helicopters are designated wheels up from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours and 45 minutes at night. One aircraft is fitted and its crew trained for under slung cargo operations up to 3000kgs and is available on short notice based at Waterford.

These aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains of Ireland (32 counties).

They can also be used for assistance in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and aerial surveillance during daylight hours, lifting and passenger operations and other operations as authorised by the Coast Guard within appropriate regulations.

Irish Coastguard FAQs

The Irish Coast Guard provides nationwide maritime emergency response, while also promoting safety and security standards. It aims to prevent the loss of life at sea, on inland waters, on mountains and in caves; and to safeguard the quality of the marine environment.

The main role of the Irish Coast Guard is to rescue people from danger at sea or on land, to organise immediate medical transport and to assist boats and ships within the country's jurisdiction. It has three marine rescue centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal, and Valentia Island, Co Kerry. The Dublin National Maritime Operations centre provides marine search and rescue responses and coordinates the response to marine casualty incidents with the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Yes, effectively, it is the fourth "blue light" service. The Marine Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Valentia is the contact point for the coastal area between Ballycotton, Co Cork and Clifden, Co Galway. At the same time, the MRSC Malin Head covers the area between Clifden and Lough Foyle. Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Dublin covers Carlingford Lough, Co Louth to Ballycotton, Co Cork. Each MRCC/MRSC also broadcasts maritime safety information on VHF and MF radio, including navigational and gale warnings, shipping forecasts, local inshore forecasts, strong wind warnings and small craft warnings.

The Irish Coast Guard handles about 3,000 marine emergencies annually, and assists 4,500 people - saving an estimated 200 lives, according to the Department of Transport. In 2016, Irish Coast Guard helicopters completed 1,000 missions in a single year for the first time.

Yes, Irish Coast Guard helicopters evacuate medical patients from offshore islands to hospital on average about 100 times a year. In September 2017, the Department of Health announced that search and rescue pilots who work 24-hour duties would not be expected to perform any inter-hospital patient transfers. The Air Corps flies the Emergency Aeromedical Service, established in 2012 and using an AW139 twin-engine helicopter. Known by its call sign "Air Corps 112", it airlifted its 3,000th patient in autumn 2020.

The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is responsible for the Northern Irish coast.

The Irish Coast Guard is a State-funded service, with both paid management personnel and volunteers, and is under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. It is allocated approximately 74 million euro annually in funding, some 85 per cent of which pays for a helicopter contract that costs 60 million euro annually. The overall funding figure is "variable", an Oireachtas committee was told in 2019. Other significant expenditure items include volunteer training exercises, equipment, maintenance, renewal, and information technology.

The Irish Coast Guard has four search and rescue helicopter bases at Dublin, Waterford, Shannon and Sligo, run on a contract worth 50 million euro annually with an additional 10 million euro in costs by CHC Ireland. It provides five medium-lift Sikorsky S-92 helicopters and trained crew. The 44 Irish Coast Guard coastal units with 1,000 volunteers are classed as onshore search units, with 23 of the 44 units having rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and 17 units having cliff rescue capability. The Irish Coast Guard has 60 buildings in total around the coast, and units have search vehicles fitted with blue lights, all-terrain vehicles or quads, first aid equipment, generators and area lighting, search equipment, marine radios, pyrotechnics and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Community Rescue Boats Ireland also provide lifeboats and crews to assist in search and rescue. The Irish Coast Guard works closely with the Garda Siochána, National Ambulance Service, Naval Service and Air Corps, Civil Defence, while fishing vessels, ships and other craft at sea offer assistance in search operations.

The helicopters are designated as airborne from initial notification in 15 minutes during daylight hours, and 45 minutes at night. The aircraft respond to emergencies at sea, on inland waterways, offshore islands and mountains and cover the 32 counties. They can also assist in flooding, major inland emergencies, intra-hospital transfers, pollution, and can transport offshore firefighters and ambulance teams. The Irish Coast Guard volunteers units are expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time of departing from the station house in ten minutes from notification during daylight and 20 minutes at night. They are also expected to achieve a 90 per cent response time to the scene of the incident in less than 60 minutes from notification by day and 75 minutes at night, subject to geographical limitations.

Units are managed by an officer-in-charge (three stripes on the uniform) and a deputy officer in charge (two stripes). Each team is trained in search skills, first aid, setting up helicopter landing sites and a range of maritime skills, while certain units are also trained in cliff rescue.

Volunteers receive an allowance for time spent on exercises and call-outs. What is the difference between the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI? The RNLI is a registered charity which has been saving lives at sea since 1824, and runs a 24/7 volunteer lifeboat service around the British and Irish coasts. It is a declared asset of the British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency and the Irish Coast Guard. Community Rescue Boats Ireland is a community rescue network of volunteers under the auspices of Water Safety Ireland.

No, it does not charge for rescue and nor do the RNLI or Community Rescue Boats Ireland.

The marine rescue centres maintain 19 VHF voice and DSC radio sites around the Irish coastline and a digital paging system. There are two VHF repeater test sites, four MF radio sites and two NAVTEX transmitter sites. Does Ireland have a national search and rescue plan? The first national search and rescue plan was published in July, 2019. It establishes the national framework for the overall development, deployment and improvement of search and rescue services within the Irish Search and Rescue Region and to meet domestic and international commitments. The purpose of the national search and rescue plan is to promote a planned and nationally coordinated search and rescue response to persons in distress at sea, in the air or on land.

Yes, the Irish Coast Guard is responsible for responding to spills of oil and other hazardous substances with the Irish pollution responsibility zone, along with providing an effective response to marine casualties and monitoring or intervening in marine salvage operations. It provides and maintains a 24-hour marine pollution notification at the three marine rescue centres. It coordinates exercises and tests of national and local pollution response plans.

The first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty was Caitriona Lucas, a highly trained member of the Doolin Coast Guard unit, while assisting in a search for a missing man by the Kilkee unit in September 2016. Six months later, four Irish Coast Guard helicopter crew – Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith -died when their Sikorsky S-92 struck Blackrock island off the Mayo coast on March 14, 2017. The Dublin-based Rescue 116 crew were providing "top cover" or communications for a medical emergency off the west coast and had been approaching Blacksod to refuel. Up until the five fatalities, the Irish Coast Guard recorded that more than a million "man hours" had been spent on more than 30,000 rescue missions since 1991.

Several investigations were initiated into each incident. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board was critical of the Irish Coast Guard in its final report into the death of Caitriona Lucas, while a separate Health and Safety Authority investigation has been completed, but not published. The Air Accident Investigation Unit final report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash has not yet been published.

The Irish Coast Guard in its present form dates back to 1991, when the Irish Marine Emergency Service was formed after a campaign initiated by Dr Joan McGinley to improve air/sea rescue services on the west Irish coast. Before Irish independence, the British Admiralty was responsible for a Coast Guard (formerly the Water Guard or Preventative Boat Service) dating back to 1809. The West Coast Search and Rescue Action Committee was initiated with a public meeting in Killybegs, Co Donegal, in 1988 and the group was so effective that a Government report was commissioned, which recommended setting up a new division of the Department of the Marine to run the Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC), then based at Shannon, along with the existing coast radio service, and coast and cliff rescue. A medium-range helicopter base was established at Shannon within two years. Initially, the base was served by the Air Corps.

The first director of what was then IMES was Capt Liam Kirwan, who had spent 20 years at sea and latterly worked with the Marine Survey Office. Capt Kirwan transformed a poorly funded voluntary coast and cliff rescue service into a trained network of cliff and sea rescue units – largely voluntary, but with paid management. The MRCC was relocated from Shannon to an IMES headquarters at the then Department of the Marine (now Department of Transport) in Leeson Lane, Dublin. The coast radio stations at Valentia, Co Kerry, and Malin Head, Co Donegal, became marine rescue-sub-centres.

The current director is Chris Reynolds, who has been in place since August 2007 and was formerly with the Naval Service. He has been seconded to the head of mission with the EUCAP Somalia - which has a mandate to enhance Somalia's maritime civilian law enforcement capacity – since January 2019.

  • Achill, Co. Mayo
  • Ardmore, Co. Waterford
  • Arklow, Co. Wicklow
  • Ballybunion, Co. Kerry
  • Ballycotton, Co. Cork
  • Ballyglass, Co. Mayo
  • Bonmahon, Co. Waterford
  • Bunbeg, Co. Donegal
  • Carnsore, Co. Wexford
  • Castlefreake, Co. Cork
  • Castletownbere, Co. Cork
  • Cleggan, Co. Galway
  • Clogherhead, Co. Louth
  • Costelloe Bay, Co. Galway
  • Courtown, Co. Wexford
  • Crosshaven, Co. Cork
  • Curracloe, Co. Wexford
  • Dingle, Co. Kerry
  • Doolin, Co. Clare
  • Drogheda, Co. Louth
  • Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
  • Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
  • Fethard, Co. Wexford
  • Glandore, Co. Cork
  • Glenderry, Co. Kerry
  • Goleen, Co. Cork
  • Greencastle, Co. Donegal
  • Greenore, Co. Louth
  • Greystones, Co. Wicklow
  • Guileen, Co. Cork
  • Howth, Co. Dublin
  • Kilkee, Co. Clare
  • Killala, Co. Mayo
  • Killybegs, Co. Donegal
  • Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
  • Knightstown, Co. Kerry
  • Mulroy, Co. Donegal
  • North Aran, Co. Galway
  • Old Head Of Kinsale, Co. Cork
  • Oysterhaven, Co. Cork
  • Rosslare, Co. Wexford
  • Seven Heads, Co. Cork
  • Skerries, Co. Dublin Summercove, Co. Cork
  • Toe Head, Co. Cork
  • Tory Island, Co. Donegal
  • Tramore, Co. Waterford
  • Waterville, Co. Kerry
  • Westport, Co. Mayo
  • Wicklow
  • Youghal, Co. Cork

Sources: Department of Transport © Afloat 2020