#spatialplanning– Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is coming to prominence as a new approach to the governance of the seas and oceans.  The European Union has taken important steps to promote the uptake of MSP by Member States. Trans boundary planning in the European Atlantic is a project funded by DG Mare and the first workshop in the project is being held in Newry, Co. Down today.

The project is a partnership between the University of Liverpool and the Coastal Management Resource Centre of UCC. Delegates from a number of N Ireland government departments and the Republic have joined with industry stakeholders to discuss in the workshops some of the issues surrounding MSP. The Irish Marine Federation is the single voice representing the marine leisure sector.

Already the group are settling in to try to develop a methodology to ensure that all sectors will contribute to the debate from a social, environmental and an economic view point.

Steve Conlon of the IMF stated that it is important that the marine leisure industry full engages with this type of forum to ensure that the leisure boating voice continues to be heard.

#marinescience – The Irish Marine Federation (IMF) is representing Ireland's marine leisure industry at the Atlantic Forum held at University College Cork (UCC).
Today's agenda is very much about the action plan and its implementation for marine research.
Future funding is also on the agenda and there will be presentations on Horizon the 2020 EU Programme for research and innovation, Cohesion Funds and also ERDF funding for the period 2014 to 2020,
The networking opportunity that the forum presents assists organisations to develop new initiatives.
Contacts have been made for a potential new programme to fund the IMF's marine leisure developments for the next 18 months.
The IMF will also participate next week in a new transnational programme on Transnational planning in the European Atlantic run by the university of Liverpool and the CRMC at UCC.

#londonboatshow – Irish boating firm MGM Boats Ltd is flying the flag for Ireland at this week's London boat show at the Excel arena.

The Dun Laoghaire firm is promoting its brokerage listing of boats worth over €50m.

MGM will also be distributing information about the Gathering Cruise in Ireland this year both on its London and Dusseldorf Boat Show stands.

The leading Irish marine firm is the Sunseeker, Jeanneau and Aquador agent in Ireland and is embarking on a winter tour of the world's boat shows at Paris, London and Dusseldorf.

The main thrust of the firm's activity is the marketing of Ireland's largest brokerage listing in Ireland.

The Dun Laoghaire firm wrapped up several deals following the Southampton Boat Show, a venue where the Dublin firm had its own brokerage stand.

In the last 12 months, MGM has also travelled to many other foreign markets including Dubai, Sweden, Finland, Siberia and Moscow as well as the more common European yachting centres in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Balearic Islands.

The firm is also making a push on the Lagoon 39 catamaran, a brand new model from the French manufacturer. 'Live aboard cruising is a growth area on big catamarans' says the firm's Ross O'Leary who will be on the Lagoon stand at the Paris and Dusseldorf shows.

#loughree – Any threat to the water levels on Lough Ree would mean disruption to the navigation in a number of places say the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) in its latest newsletter in response to farming demands for lower water levels to prevent flooding.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has sought water level reduction on Lough Ree by 600mm the Athlone Callows region say the IMF but such a move would make the inner lakes no longer navigable.

The Farming body is also demanding a single authority rather than shared responsibility of ESB and Waterways Ireland be put in place to decide on when the levels should be reduced.

According to the IMF over the past 50 years a number of detailed studies have been produced by hydrologists and they have all come to the same conclusion that the Shannon flooding is not a manageable occurrence rather it is due entirely to the nature of the river.

The IMF claim say water level lowering would also cause disruption in the navigation to the south of Athlone.

The IMF has prepared a paper on the economic consequences of this action and plan to meet with the Minister responsible, Mr. Brian Hayes T.D. together with the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland.

#marine – Although there has been a small but steady recovery the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) says in its latest bulletin to members, a reliable barometer of boating actiivty, the Irish boating trade is still a long way from getting back to anything that resembles a normal level of business.

'Our major dealers are relying on business generated from overseas clients, however, there has been some business done with Irish clients. Whilst consumer confidence remains low this trend will continue, says industry spokesman Steve Conlon.

The IMF's original estimate of quarter four of 2013 as marking the beginning of a consumer recovery now seems to be slipping further back.

Chandlery

Chandlery companies report a flat season with some exceptions in demand largely driven by the odd occasion of better weather or special events. The sector in common with others in the retail sector report low growth or at best flat with a halt to the downward trend of previous years.

It is expected the rise in the cost of Sterling will help counter the increase in online selling from UK based mail order companies.

Marinas

Business trends at marinas across the country vary with Dublin based marinas being the worst affected in terms of a loss of regular annual contracts.

There is an estimate of a 28% loss in annual contracts on the east coast. Cork marinas continue to have few or any vacancies with the marinas further west suffering a decline of approx 12% according to the IMF. 

In spite of the industry wide decline there has been growth in seasonal contract business for some marinas and some marinas also report strong visiting numbers.

The federation says 'It is too early to say as to whether overseas visitors are down overall this year but the Failte Ireland survey may give us an accurate national picture for the first time'. 

Boat Hire

Irish Boat Rental Association (IBRA) members reported a better than expected start to the season with a tailing off in September. Overall the business remains flat although preseason bookings were up slightly. The bad summer can be blamed for the slow up take from the domestic market, the Federation says.

#BOATSHOW–The Irish Marine Federation (IMF) holds its Annual General Meeting at 18.00 on Wednesday, 30th November at the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire.

Top of the agenda, in these challenging times, is the staging of next year's boat show which the board are keen to press ahead with in spite of the downturn. Options being discussed are a scaled back show as well as an on the water focus.

The AGM is open to all members of the IMF,  whose subscriptions are up to date.

The meeting will be followed by drinks at the NYC bar.

#RIP – Warm tributes have been paid to Cork Yacht Broker Paul Kingston (53), formerly of Kilmacsimon boatyard, who died unexpectedly at the weekend. A one time Irish Marine Federation (IMF) board member the news of his death has shocked both the local Cork boating community and his boating friends round the coast of Ireland. Paul ran a long established boat yard and brokerage business in the area first set-up in the 1970s by his father George.

Yacht Broker Paul Kingston. Photo: David O'Brien

A member of Kinsale Yacht Club, Paul was a keen Dragon keelboat sailor and a motorcycle enthusiast. He was a big supporter of the Irish Boat Shows and a popular marine industry figure along the south coast.

Funeral details as follows:

Lying in repose at the Temple Hill Funeral Home, Boreenmanna Road of Jerh O'Connor Ltd from tomorrow, Thursday. Removal at 7pm (same evening) to the Church of Christ the King, Turners Cross, Cork. Requiem Mass on Friday at 11am.  Funeral afterwards to St Catherine's Cemetery, Kilcully.

Afloat now in its 43rd year of production is a vibrant specialist magazine which has continually adapted to the demands of its readership, with an industry insight which is quite simply unique. Edited by David O'Brien (47), a former European and World sailing champion and Olympic sailor from the 2000 Games, it is produced by a group of dedicated watersports enthusiasts and has become essential reading for all those who have more than a passing interest in the development of Irish watersports.

Afloat is the only publication dedicated to serving the needs of the sector, and it does so with a truly independent voice. Afloat's association with the industry's twin governing bodies  the ISA and IMF  allows it to offer an insider view, but the magazine maintains independent editorial control.

Packaged as a glossy magazine with an emphasis on colour photography, no other specialist magazine in Ireland offers such an impressive range of comment, information and advice in such an attractive format.

Click the links below for more on Ireland's sailing and boating magazine:

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The Irish Marine Federation marked the retirement of Mr. Wally Morrissey of Crosshaven Boatyard from its board after a 30 year involvement with the industry body. The presentation was made at an IMF meeting in the Port of Cork offices today. 

Photo: IMF board members (seated) from left are David O'Brien (chairman), Wally Morrissey, Bernard Gallagher and Hal Bleakley.  
Standing: Steve Conlon, Mark McAuley, Hugh Mockler, Wietse Buwalda, Derek Reamsbottom, Ian O'Meara, Angus Levie. Photo: Bob Bateman.

Irish Marina Operators Association (IMOA), c/o Irish Federation of Marine Industries, Confederation House, 84–86 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 605 1621, fax: 01 638 1621, email: [email protected]
 
The Irish Marina Operators Association was founded in May 2003 and represents 23 of the coastal marinas around our shores. The IMOA is a self managing special interest group within the Irish Marine Federation, the trade association affiliated to IBEC representing the marine industry in Ireland. The IMOA elects its own representative board of directors, the chairman automatically having a seat on the main IMF board.

The objectives of the IMOA are to provide a forum for discussion within the marina industry in Ireland and to represent the views of the marina operators to government in regard to legislation, regulation, training, insurance and health and safety issues.

The IMOA is an effective lobbying body and has achieved some success in relation to approved waste management plans for marinas and also with the new Development and Foreshore Act. The objectives of the IMOA are to ensure that Ireland’s marina industry develops in a sustainable way and will eventually provide for a necklace of marinas around our coastline.

In the future the IMOA will seek to have our marina infrastructure effectively marketed overseas as part of an integrated marine leisure tourism campaign.

Regional Contacts

Chairman – Mr Damien Offer, Malahide Marina. Tel: 01 845 4129, email: [email protected]

East – Mr Hal Bleakley, Dun Laoghaire Marina. Tel: 01 2020 040, email: [email protected]

South – Mr Wietza Buwalda, Salve Marina. Tel: 021 483 1145, email: [email protected]

South West – Mr Brian Farrell, Dingle Marina. Tel: 066 9151629, email: [email protected]

West – Mr John Hehir, Kilrush Creek Marina. Tel: 065 9052072, email: [email protected]

North West – Ms Nancy Doherty, Lough Swilly Marina. Tel: 074 9360008, email: [email protected]

North – Mr Andrew Jaggers, Bangor Marina. Tel: 028 91453297, email: [email protected]