The construction of a sustainable transport bridge at the Port of Waterford between the North and South Quays was expected to begin on Monday 24 July.

These works will be ongoing until the end of 2024, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Three barges will be in operation during the works: the ACN5, the Ardon and the Skerchi — the latter of which will be relocated at various times during construction. The barges will exhibit a sign that reads “Warning – Marine Works – KEEP AWAY”.

Barge masters will maintain a continuous VHF watch on Channels 6 and 16. A safety boat will be always in attendance with the barges during construction works.

All vessels approaching the area of operations should communicate with the barges on VHF Channel 6 and proceed with caution, giving them a wide berth where possible.

The channel will remain navigable between Pier C and Pier D but temporary navigation lights will be established. The existing red lights on the east and west ends of the clock tower pontoon will be replaced by yellow lights.

In addition, to facilitate the works the pontoon at the clock tower will be partially dismantled and is no longer available for use.

Coordinates and a map of the work area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 51 of 2023, attached below.

Vermilion Exploration & Production Ireland Limited is carrying out a maintenance campaign at the Corrib Gas Field subsea infrastructure, with spot rock placement along the main umbilical.

Works were due to commence in the field on Sunday 25 June to last for around three days, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The vessel FFPV Stornes (Callsign PCKX) is undertaking the subsea scope of work during day and night hours, displaying all appropriate lights and signals while carrying out rock placement activities using a fall-pipe system and associated acoustic survey equipment.

All equipment will be vessel and/or remote operated vehicle (ROV) mounted. Visual and acoustic surveys will be conducted by means of vessel- and ROV-mounted cameras and sensors. The work vessel will be listening on VHF Channel 16 throughout the project.

Coordinates and a map of the survey area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 36 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised that geotechnical surveys will be undertaken in the Irish Sea off the Wicklow coast to provide site investigation information to facilitate the development of phase two of the Arklow Bank Wind Park project.

It’s anticipated that the survey works will commence by the end of June and be completed by the end of October 2023, subject to operational and weather constraints.

Surveys will be conducted by the jack-up barge OCM 80 Mariner (Callsign OCM 80) and MV Connector (Callsign OYOJ2). The survey activities will include approximately five boreholes and various seabed penetration tests, and the vessels will be operating on a 24-hour basis.

The OCM 80 Mariner is an 18m jack-up barge with a draught reported to be 1.2m and beam of 12m; the barge is positioned by a support tug. The MV Connector vessel is a 90m DP2 multipurpose vessel, with a current draught reported to be 7m and beam of 19m.

As these vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre when surveying, all other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth. Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area.

A fisheries liaison officer will be available to discuss operations in advance and throughout the duration of the survey campaign.

Coordinates and a map of the survey area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 37 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised that a geophysical and geotechnical surveys is being undertaken by Green Rebel Marine in the Irish Sea to assess cable burial on behalf of MDM.

The survey work was anticipated to start on Monday 19 June and will be completed by the end of September, subject to weather and operational constraints.

Surveys will be conducted by two vessels: the semi-SWATH catamaran Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5) which will conduct 24-hr operations, and the Lady Kathleen (callsign EIXT2), a catamaran which will conduct 12-hr operations. Both vessels will display appropriate lights and signals.

As the survey vessels will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre when surveying, due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment from the vessel for the duration of the survey activities, other vessels are kindly requested to keep a wide berth.

Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area.

Coordinates and a map of the survey areas as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 40 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at University College Cork that on on Tuesday 12 June it deployed 12 benthic sensors between the Seven Heads and the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.

These sensors are being used in scientific research which aims to track skate using acoustic tracking equipment.

The benthic sensors will be deployed for 12 months. Each sensor consists of a mooring weight and an acoustic sensor for tracking tagged skate in the area. None have surface markers.

A map and coordinates of the sensor positions as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 39 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by Donegal County Council that works will begin on the construction of a breakwater outside the entrance of Greencastle Harbour on Lough Foyle in Co Donegal.

These works will begin on Monday 12 June and are anticipated to continue until December 2023, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The works include, but are not limited to, the following main construction elements:

• Construction of a 150m extension to the existing breakwater
• Construction of temporary works to include access roads, storage, temporary quay and weigh bridge at Queensport in Greencastle
• Removal of existing Aids to Navigation (AtoN) and installation of new temporary AtoN’s
• Importation of circa 350,000 tonnes of rock core and rock armour by land and also by sea from Foyle Port
• Placement of circa 350,000 tonnes of rock core and rock armour using split hopper barges, jack-up barge platform and tugs

The works are being carried out by marine civil engineering contractors working from a temporary quay at the Queensport in Greencastle and the Greencastle pontoon using work vessels, jack up barges, heavy civil engineering plant and equipment. Divers may also be employed from time to time on site.

For safety reasons, mariners are advised to proceed slowly and with caution within the area south-west of the entrance to Greencastle Harbour and to give the works area a wide berth. Wave wash from vessels should be avoided.

A map and plan of the planned works as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 38 of 2023, attached below.

The Department of Transport has been advised by PSE Kinsale Energy Limited that rock placement works will take place in the Celtic Sea between this Saturday 10 June and the end of July.

Works will take place at various locations along the routes of decommissioned, but remaining in-situ, pipelines to the Kinsale Head and Seven Heads Gas Fields in the Celtic Sea.

The start date of the works and the estimated duration of 20 days are subject to weather conditions and operational constraints.

Works will be conducted using the vessels Rollingstone (callsign PHYR) and Flintstone (PBZD). Both will operate during day and night hours and will display all appropriate lights and signals.

Within each of the defined work areas, the vessels will be undertaking rock placement works using a fallpipe system and associated acoustic survey works using a multi-beam echosounder.

All other vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to give the vessels a wide berth and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas. The vessels can be contacted on VHF Channel 13.

Further details including a map, coordinates and contact information can be found in Marine Notice No 34 of 2023, attached below.

PSE Kinsale Energy Limited will be carrying out debris clearance activities in the Celtic Sea from this Thursday 1 June for an estimated duration of 25 days, subject to weather and operational constraints.

The works will take place at locations of previously decommissioned infrastructure on the Kinsale Head and Seven Heads Gas Fields and will be conducted by the construction support vessel Dina Star (callsign LDJG3) using subsea construction equipment.

The Dina Star will operate during day and night hours and will display appropriate lights and signals.

All other vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to give the Dina Star a wide berth during the operations and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas. The vessel can be contacted on VHF Channel 13.

Coordinates, a map and contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 33 of 2023 attached below.

The Department of Transport wishes to highlight the provisions of SOLAS Chapter V to small, privately owned recreational craft.

Although regulation 34 of Chapter V — “Safe navigation and avoidance of dangerous situations” — only applies when proceeding to sea, the department advises all recreational craft users to comply with the voyage planning principles.

These were previously highlighted in Marine Notice No 19 of 2021 following an MCIB report into the rescue of five Kinsale Yacht Club sailors from the yacht Loa Zour amid severe storm conditions off the Spanish coast in June 2019.

In Marine Notice No 30 of 2023, the department underscores this as well as the benefits of radar reflectors, the need for access to an illustrated table of the recognised life-saving signals, requirements around the assistance of other craft, the consequences of misuse of distress signals and more.

Full details can be found in Marine Notice No 30 of 2023 attached below.

The Department of Transport has issued an updated advisory for 2023 over the risk of vessels becoming entangled in ropes used in pot fishing.

Marine Notice No 31 of 2023 supersedes No 43 of 2021 and reminds all vessel owners, agents, shipmasters, skippers, fishers, yachtsmen, seafarers and those engaged in pot fishing about the risks of vessels’ propellers becoming entangled in ropes of marker buoys used to indicate the position of pots used for fishing lobster, crab or other fish or shellfish.

This can occur because the length of rope used to fix marker buoys is too long, resulting in the line floating on or just below the surface.

The use of too long a line of rope can result in a situation where even vessels that have taken a wide berth around marker buoys could have their propellers fouled by the rope.

Specifically, the department reminds those engaged in pot fishing not to use unsuitable ‘floats’ (eg empty drink cans, plastic bottles, dark-coloured floats, etc) which offer poor visibility and/or could be mistaken for floating debris.

Fishers who carry out pot fishing (whether commercially or non-commercially) are reminded of their obligations to other users of the sea.

Furthermore, non-commercial pot fishers are reminded of the regulations made by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine covering such activity (SI No 31 of 2016 - Non-Commercial Pot Fishing (Lobster and Crab) Regulations 2016) which, inter alia, limits the numbers of pots permitted per boat to a maximum of six, and such pot fishing to the months of May to September.

Any mariners who spot any marker buoys/ropes (or any other object) in the water, which they deem to represent a danger to navigation, should communicate information on same to other vessels in the area and to the Irish Coast Guard or to the local competent authority so that a hazard warning can be issued if appropriate, and any required follow-up action can be taken.

An updated guide on good practice for pots and marker buoys is included in Marine Notice No 31 of 2023 attached below.