Displaying items by tag: Ardmore Bursary Cadet

8th March 2023

International Women’s Day: Interview with Ardmore Shipping Bursary Cadet, Anwesha Das

On International Women’s Day (8 March) Ardmore Shipping which has chemical/product tankers trading globally and a principle operating office in Cork, highlights the maritime industry historically has lacked gender diversity, however this is changing as more women pursue careers in the field.

In recent years Ardmore have been improving diversity in shipping which has been a core priority for them and resulting in their participation in a variety of initiatives. This includes the Diversity Study Group (DSG) – the first organisation dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace across the global shipping and maritime sectors.

After joining the DSG, Ardmore played a leading part in the initiation of a charter that would allow signatories to make a public commitment to DEI across the industry. With the subsequent involvement and support of the Global Maritime Forum, this idea was realised through the recently-launched All Aboard Alliance.

Ardmore believes that nurturing and supporting talent is crucial to its success as a company, and DEI is an essential part of this. Together with our partners, we are working to attract women into the seafaring community, while addressing other core aspects of diversity.

On International Women’s Day, Ardmore taken the opportunity to highlight the invaluable role women contribute in their team of dedicated sea staff. Among them is Anwesha Das, an Ardmore Bursary Cadet who joined her first vessel in June 2022 after completing pre-sea training at the Anglo Eastern training academy in Karjat, India.

She shares her experience as a woman in maritime and highlights the increasingly gender-equal space the industry is becoming as various challenges are addressed.

Click HERE to read the interview in full.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.