Displaying items by tag: Irish Marine Sector

11th December 2011

Arklow Shipping Expands Fleet into Handysize Bulker Market

#PORTS & SHIPPING – Arklow Shipping is further expanding its bulker fleet and moving into the market for larger vessels with an order for three ships in South Korea, according to Tradewinds.

The company which is headquartered in the Co. Wicklow port has booked two 35,000-dwt handysize-bulkers and a general cargoship at Daesun Shipbuilding. TradeWinds sources say Arklow is paying a premium for the ships against more competitive pricing from China.

Brokers price the Daesun bulkers at around $25.5m, which compares to similar deals in China at around $22m. As for the general cargoship, she will be delivered in the first half of 2013 and the bulkers in the second half of the year. Arklow previously signed up for a series of 14,000-dwt multipurpose (MPP) vessels at Mokpo, which later went into administration.

The orders were then passed on to Sekwang Shipbuilding only for it also to fall into financial difficulties. Daesun has had its problems too and was delisted from the Seoul Stock Exchange in April as it did not meet the bourse's financial requirements.

The latest order appears to have taken Arklow's owned fleet into the larger-handysize segment. So far it has focussed mainly on bulkers, general-cargo and MPP ships up to 14,000 dwt. It has a fleet of 55 ships including 12 newbuildings, most of which are registered in the Republic of Ireland. Arklow declines to comment on the Daesun order.

Published in Ports & Shipping

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€6.4 billion EU Fund has Opportunities for Irish Marine Sector

EU Commission Launches €6.4 billion for Smart Growth and Jobs

The European Union has opened its latest round of financial support for collaborative research and innovation announcing nearly €6.4 billion in new investment under its 7th Framework Research Programme (2007-2013).

According to the Commission Press Release, the package, the biggest ever, covers a vast range of scientific disciplines, public policy areas and commercial sectors. This funding will advance scientific boundaries, increase European competitiveness and help solve societal challenges such as climate change, energy and food security, health and an ageing population.

Around 16,000 participants from research organisations, universities and industry, including about 3,000 SMEs, will receive funding. Grants will be awarded through competitive calls for proposals and evaluations over the next 14 months. This package is an economic stimulus expected to create more than 165,000 jobs and a long-term investment in a smarter, sustainable and more inclusive Europe. It is also a key element within the EU's Europe 2020 Strategy and in particular the Innovation Union flagship initiative, which will be launched in autumn 2010.

A summary of opportunities relevant to the marine sector and direction to further sources of information is available in the attached FP7 Marine Information Note MarineSciencesFundingOpportunitiesinFP7July2010.pdf

€6.4 billion EU Fund for Smart Growth and Jobs has Opportunities for Irish Marine Sector.

This new call offers a range of competitive opportunities to support collaborative pan-European research across a number of sectors including health, food, ICT, energy environment, maritime transport, etc., as well as support for regional and specialist research infrastructures and support for SMEs.
According to the Commission Press Release, the package, the biggest ever, covers a vast range of scientific disciplines, public policy areas and commercial sectors. This funding will advance scientific boundaries, increase European competitiveness and help solve societal challenges such as climate change, energy and food security, health and an ageing population.
Around 16,000 participants from research organisations, universities and industry, including about 3,000 SMEs, will receive funding. Grants will be awarded through competitive calls for proposals and evaluations over the next 14 months. This package is an economic stimulus expected to create more than 165,000 jobs and a long-term investment in a smarter, sustainable and more inclusive Europe. It is also a key element within the EU's Europe 2020 Strategy and in particular the Innovation Union flagship initiative, which will be launched in autumn 2010.
A summary of opportunities relevant to the marine sector and direction to further sources of information is available in the attached FP7 Marine Information Note MarineSciencesFundingOpportunitiesinFP7July2010.pdf

Published in Marine Science

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour