#BantryTakeover – The Cork Port Authority which is to propose a takeover of the Bantry Harbour Board on 1 January is a 'retrograde step' and is a 'huge opportunity missed for the greater Bantry area', according to Senator Denis O'Donovan.

The Southern Star which has much more on this story, writes that the deal orchestrated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport under Minister Leo Varadkar 'offers little for the future of Bantry Harbour', said the Bantry-based senator, who has been a long-time opponent of such a takeover.

#ShippingReview - Over the last fortnight Jehan Ashmore has reported from the shipping scene where the Ramsey Steamship Co. in its 100th year came to an of an era with the sale of two coasters. Earlier this year, their Ben Maye was chartered for the 'Lockout 1913' re-enactment voyage.

Thamesteel I loaded with further fermentation tanks for Guinness, docked in Dun Laoghaire Harbour with the cargo bound for the St. James Gate brewery plant's upgrade.

Conor Mowlds appointed as new Head of the National Maritime College of Ireland.

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has welcomed two new continental ferry routes linking Ireland and Europe. LD Ferries Rosslare route to Spain via western France and Irish Ferries Dublin-Cherbourg to be operated by Epsilon which arrived to her new homeport this week.

MCIB releases report of the Irish flagged "MV Huelin Dispatch" containership which struck a rock off Alderney on its maiden voyage serving the Channel Islands.

Work is due to begin at the site of a new multi-million pound power plant in Londonderry Port, creating 200 construction jobs.

The Marine Institute is seeking to employ a Director for the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) following Glenn Murphy who has stepped down from this position. Murphy having been the first person to take the helm of the IMDO which was founded more than a decade ago.

#MCIBreport – A report into the 2012 incident of the Irish flagged "MV Huelin Dispatch" has been recently published by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board.

As reported on Afloat.ie, the then brand new containership during its maiden voyage to the Channel Islands struck a rock off Alderney in the English Channel.

To download the report about the Dutch built 2,545grt cargo vessel, click this link from the MCIB website.

#PortPowerPlant- Work is due to begin at the site of a new multi-million pound power plant in Londonderry, creating 200 construction jobs.

BBC Foyle & West reports that Evermore Renewable Energy had secured more than £80m in funding for the wood-fuelled power plant that will be built at Londonderry Port and Harbour, Lisahally.

#Ports&Shipping –The latest IMDO Weekly Shipping Market Review includes the following stories as detailed below.

Newbuilding: World's largest vessel floated - The hull of the world's largest vessel, the Prelude, was floated for the first time last week, as Royal Dutch Shell push forward in their move to revolutionize Liquefied Natural Gas production, according to the Irish Times.

Container Market: G6 box lines expand operations in face of P3 threat - The G6 alliance announced plans to expand operations to both the transatlantic and Asia-West coast US routes last week in a bid to compete with the proposed P3 alliance, Lloyds List reported. The move by the G6 follows an expansion onto the transpacific east coast route earlier in the year and will see 240 vessels deployed in total, connecting 66 ports in Europe, Asia and America.

Maritime Fuel: EU to co-fund methanol testing - As part of the European Union's Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) programme, €11.2mn of funding will be provided to support a pilot study and trials of methanol use as a maritime fuel, the European Commission has confirmed.

For more on each of the above and other stories click the downloadable PDF IMDO Weekly Markets Review (Week 49). In addition to Afloat.ie dedicated Ports & Shipping News section.

#Ports&Shipping –The latest IMDO Weekly Shipping Market Review includes the following stories as detailed below.

Europe: Modest recovery for EU Beef production-Beef output across Europe will experience a modest recovery next year according to Bord Bia. Output across the EU-15 region is expected to increase by approximately 1% in 2014, following an estimated
drop of 2.2% in the current year. While notable producers France and Italy are set to experience significant falls in output this year (3% and 8% respectively), growth in Ireland –along with the Netherlands and Belgium –has partly offset falling output.

Shipping Routes: Northern Sea gaining popularity- The Northern sea route from Russia and Europe to the Far East has gained further popularity this year with record cargoes according to Fairplay. For the year-to-date 63 ships have used the route, up from 46 in 2012 as a whole. Marco Graziotto, director of Arctic Bulk, a consultancy providing assistance on the route explained the route was gaining favour due to shorter sailing times and better security.

Tanker Market: VLCC outlook positive - The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) market
continues to experience high earnings, with rates higher than $50,000 per day on the industry's main route from the Middle East to Asia, as Saudi Arabia has increased production of crude to record levels to offset the loss of Libyan output.

For more on each of the above and other stories click the downloadable PDF IMDO Weekly Markets Review (Week 48). In addition to Afloat.ie dedicated Ports & Shipping News section.

#GuinnessTanks - Loaded with fermentation tanks for Guinness, Thamesteel I (1989/1,984grt) picked up a pilot in Dublin Bay as she approached Dun Laoghaire Harbour this evening, writes Jehan Ashmore.

It transpires that this extra shipment of the stainless steel fermentation tanks weighing up to 30 tons each are required for the €153m plant upgrade at the Guinness St. James's Gate Brewery facility in central Dublin.

Thamesteel I had sailed from Rotterdam-Maasvlakte from where previous shipments were discharged by a trio of cargoship's earlier this year, the last been Blue Tune which called to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in March. 

On this occasion, the Marshall Islands flagged vessel which features a telescopic wheelhouse was raised due to the large cylindrical tanks positioned as deck cargo on the cargo hatch covers.

She berthed at Carlisle Pier from where the pilot was transferred back to the Camac, a Dublin Port pilot cutter built by Cork Harbour based Safehaven Marine.

#ShippingReview - Over the last fortnight Jehan Ashmore has reported from the shipping scene where the EU Parliament agreed on the European budget for 2014-2020 of the Trans European Network (TEN-T) and for financial regulation.

Irish Ferries are to launch in 2014 a new direct passenger car ferry service linking Dublin with the French port of Cherbourg with the first sailing departing from Dublin Port on Saturday 18 January.

Irish shipping and port activity rose by 3% in Q3 of 2013 when compared to the corresponding period of 2012, according to the latest quarterly iShip Index and quarterly traffic review published by the IMDO.

The Competition Authority has published a study of competition in the ports sector in Ireland which found competition in port services could be improved.

#EUtransTEN - The EU Parliament gave its final agreement on the European budget envelope for 2014-2020, the Trans European Network (TEN-T) and for financial Regulation, the Connecting Europe Facility.

EPSO, the European Seaports Organisation welcomed the Parliament's vote. This decision defines the EU's infrastructure policy for the coming decades and establishes a budget of €23.17 billion earmarked for priority transport projects for the financial period 2014-2020.

This means that the budget for financing transport infrastructure will be tripled compared to the last period (2007-2014). More than 320 sea ports feature on the new TEN-T maps and 94 ports are part of the core network.

ESPO's Secretary General Isabelle Ryckbost said: "This vote is an important step towards establishing a real transport "network". We fought hard to defend this budget and to have our ports well represented in the network and network corridors. We now look forward to see a fair share of these funds used to improve Europe's port infrastructure and to better integrate these core nodes in Europe's transport network. There is a plan, there is a budget".

She added, "Let us now start looking at the implementation. The core network corridors structures will be powerful instruments. I do hope ports will have their say in the set up and functioning of these corridor structures. Moreover, as ESPO we must also focus on the Motorways of the Sea priority. If well used, it can be an important instrument to increase intra-EU maritime transport and strengthen the cooperation between European ports".

#Ports&Shipping –The latest IMDO Weekly Shipping Market Review includes the following stories as detailed below.

Irish Economy: Businesses confident for year ahead - Findings from three separate business sentiment surveys last week showed an overwhelmingly high confidence rate amongst Irish-based firms. IBEC's quarterly Business Sentiment Survey recorded its first positive reading since the surveys inception in 2009.

Container Market: Increased capacity for Asia-Europe in 2014 - The container trade between Asia and Europe is estimated to increase 6.5% year-on-year in 2014, the equivalent to 2.4 extra services. According to analysts SeaIntel, average weekly capacity is expected to increase by 20,000teu to 370,000teu.

New marine fuel: Research into Glycerol - A new research project is underway by a group of UK businesses (GLEAMS) to investigate the potential use of glycerol as a fuel for marine diesel engines. The group believe there is a global surplus of glycerol, a by-product of the expanding bio fuel industry. Glycerol's characteristics make it attractive for marine usages as it burns with higher efficiency than diesel, has very low Nitrous Oxide and zero Sulphur emissions.

For more on each of the above and other stories click the downloadable PDF IMDO Weekly Markets Review (Week 46). In addition to Afloat.ie dedicated Ports & Shipping News section.