Displaying items by tag: Logistics Conference

8th May 2015

Motorways of the Sea (MoS) Conference Held During UK Export Week

#MOSconference – A conference on the European Commission's Motorways of the Sea (MoS) initiative to streamline and promote intermodal maritime-based logistics chains is to be held in Liverpool.

The free-to-attend conference is being held at No. 1 Mann Island on 20-21 May, during the United Kingdom's Trade & Investment (UKTI) Export Week, also being held in the city.

Keynote addresses will include former Deputy Prime Minister and Ship's Steward, Lord Prescott. Technical sessions will showcase learning and solutions from 20 EU-funded projects, and highlight key issues to be addressed via future EU policy and funding.

The conference will be moderated by former North West MEP and European Parliament Transport Committee chair Brian Simpson, who is now the Motorways of the Sea project coordinator.

Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership executive director Mark Basnett said: "Do not be mistaken that this event is just a talking shop: it has real purpose, not least during UK Export Week. The chance to get the latest information and influence policy and funding decisions, combined with the opportunity for a face-to face session with key officials, makes this is a must-attend event for anyone interested in trying to secure funding from the Motorways of the Sea and wider Connecting Europe Facility programmes."

To attend the free event, delegates should register at http://attending.io/events/liverpoolmos2015

In advance of the event, on the afternoon of 19 May, 30-minute surgery sessions are available with EU Commission and UK Department of Transport officials in order to discuss potential projects. For further details contact [email protected] to arrange

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.