As part of the inaugural Irish Port Safety Week, among the ports participating was Shannon Foynes Port Company and which involved the call of a short-sea petroleum products tanker, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Thun Gemini arrived to the Shannon Estuary port of Foynes to discharge a cargo of petroleum. Such berthing requires preparedness and which is key to ensure safe and effective mooring operations are adhered to.

Berthing of the 4,100dwt Thun Gemini involved planning and appropriate procedures are followed as safe mooring must withstand the combined potential natural forces, such as wind, current and tide.

Thun Gemini is no stranger to Irish Ports including the east coast with fleetmates of the Thun Tankers operated vessel frequently plying in the Irish Sea having made passage through the Celtic Sea laden with cargoes loaded at the Pembrokeshire estuary of Milford Haven in south Wales. This is the UK's largest energy port that handles over 30 million tonnes of cargo annually.

Since last week's exercise took place at Foynes, Afloat tracked the Thun Gemini, having departed and rounded the south-west coast before heading off the entrance of Cork Harbour where the vessel currently remains at anchorage.

The 2003 built G-class vessel is operated by a Swedish lake-based shipowner, Thun Tankers (Erik Thun Group) whose homeport of Lidköping is located on Lake Vänern. This is the third largest lake in Europe which is connected by a sea canal to the west coast of the Scandinvian nation.

In recent years the 114m Dutch flagged tanker made an unusual call to Dun Laoghaire Harbour, this was to facilitate maintenance work which took place alongside the Carlisle Pier.