The latest Marine Notice from the Irish Maritime Administration notes that as of 00:01am on Sunday 6 March, the COVID-19 travel requirements set out in SI No 45 of 2021 and SI No 135 of 2021 have been revoked by the Department of Health.

This means that there is no longer a requirement for any person travelling to Ireland to have:

• a completed passenger locator form;
• evidence of having been fully vaccinated;
• evidence of recovery from COVID-19; or
• evidence of a negative/not-detected result from a RT-PCR/Antigen test.

The department requests that all port authorities take note of this change and remove any signage associated with such requirements.

Passenger ferry operators are also requested to remove any signage related to the above restrictions from onboard vessels, to update their websites accordingly and to advise passengers scheduled to travel in the short term of the changes to travel requirements.

Queries in relation to this Marine Notice can be addressed to [email protected].

Marine Notice 16 of 2021 is withdrawn.

Following a review of current circumstances locally and internationally by the HSE and Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), it has been decided to stand down the health reporting requirements around COVID-19 set out in Marine Notice No 06 of 2020.

As of Monday 10 January, there is no longer a requirement for every vessel arriving in Ireland from outside the island of Ireland to issue a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDOH).

In line with the requirements of the Infectious Diseases (Shipping) Regulations 2008 (SI No 4 of 2008), a vessel need only submit a MDOH when:

1. There is a case, or a suspected case, of an infectious disease on board and this has resulted in illness or death, or
2. upon a request to do so as part of a local arrangement with local port health authorities.

Further queries relating to the submission of MDOHs may be directed to the Environmental Health Service at [email protected]. Additional guidance on COVID-19 in Ireland is available from the HSE.

The Department of Transport adds that Marine Notice No 06 of 2020 is hereby withdrawn.

Authorities have confirmed that crew of privately owned leisure craft arriving in Ireland who do not have a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test less than 72 hours old will not be permitted to land.

Dun Laoghaire Marina general manager Paal Janson sought clarity from Dublin Port’s immigration office after being contacted separately by two yachts on passage to Dublin — one with a crew member without a vaccination certificate, the other having crew members with older negative PCR tests.

In response, Sergeant Sharon Burke of An Garda Síochána’s Dublin Port Immigration Unit confirmed that “without a Vaccination Certificate or a Negative PCR Test taken within the previous 72 hours prior to arrival, those crew members are not…permitted to land in the State”.

The Irish Marine Federation has confirmed with the Government that restrictions against visiting vessels in Irish ports remain for the time being.

Last week Afloat.ie reported on contradictory advice that emerged in the wake of the latest update to maritime travel restrictions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic from the Department of Transport.

Following that update on Wednesday (23 June), Irish Sailing said its understanding was that “the previous ban on foreign leisure vessels travelling to Irish ports has been lifted”. As of Wednesday morning 30 June, the statement remains on the Irish Sailing website.

This view was not shared by all in the marine industry, and in response the Irish Marine Federation (IMF) says it was “contacted by a number of members who were uneasy at the apparent downgrading of the ‘essential travel only’ advice currently in force”.

The IMF sought clarification from the Department of Transport, which has since confirmed that “there has been no change” and the current restrictions on travel to Ireland remain in place until at least 18 July.

“The IMF and its affiliated body, the Irish Marina Operators Association, have been keenly watching the travel situation develop throughout this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and our members continue to suffer the financial loss of foreign leisure vessels excluded from coastal harbours and marinas,” the federation added.

“Nobody is more eager to see a safe and responsible return to marine tourism than our members are. We strongly recommend however that Government and public health advice is adhered to, as is clearly set out, and this is the only source of information used when assessing the risks and feasibility of international travel.”

Meanwhile, Afloat.ie has received its own confirmation from the Department of Transport that no cruise ships are permitted to enter any Irish port or anchor in Irish waters.

“While this decision will be kept under review, there are no plans at present for the resumption of cruises into Ireland,” the department added. “Government advice continues to be that only essential travel is to be undertaken in accordance with health authorities’ guidance.

“The focus at present is on minimising the risk of infection across all sectors. Any decision regarding the resumption of cruise tourism into Ireland will be based on the advice from public health officials.”

Contradictory advice has emerged in the wake of the latest update to maritime travel restrictions from the Department of Transport.

Following yesterday’s (Wednesday 23 June) update to Marine Notice No 16 of 2021, which can be downloaded below, Irish Sailing has said its understanding is that “the previous ban on foreign leisure vessels travelling to Irish ports has been lifted”.

However, this understanding is not shared by all — with at least one marina operator telling Afloat.ie that their business will hold off on lifting any COVID-19 travel restrictions until Government guidelines explicitly allow.

At time of writing, Government advice remains to “avoid non-essential travel” until at least 18 July.

Afloat.ie has contacted the Department of Transport for comment.

A wildlife charity has urged the public to take care when disposing of face masks after it’s alleged a puffin became entangled in a mask and died.

According to The Irish Times, the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) said it was sent the distressing image it shared on its Instagram, showing the seabird with a disposable face mask wrapped around its face and underneath a wing.

Birdwatch Ireland says it has also received reports of birds caught in recklessly discarded masks, though it is not clear how widespread the problem may be.

But the IWT says that even a small number of cases adds to “the issue of marine litter and plastic waste that we know presents serious issues for wildlife”.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

The Ocean Race Europe has partnered with Quirónprevención of the Quirónsalud group for the design and implementation of a strict COVID-19 prevention protocol for the first edition of the race, which is scheduled to start from Lorient in France on Saturday 29 May.

A multidisciplinary team of health professionals — who are experts in disease prevention — have designed a plan that aims to reduce the risk of an outbreak during the course of a regatta that will see 12 teams from nine countries racing to four European cities over a three-week period.

“This is a very challenging time to be organising live sport across different countries,” said race director Phil Lawrence. “The safety of our sailors, their support crews and all those working to make this event happen is of primary importance.

“With the support and expertise of Quirónprevención, we have been able to implement a plan that minimises the risk from Covid-19 and allows us to conduct a safer event.”

Fernando Camino, general director of Quirónprevención, added: “This first edition of The Ocean Race Europe can be a template for many other sports competitions that have seen their activity stopped due to the pandemic.

“We must convey the message that by doing things well and complying with a strict protocol of technical and sanitary measures, it is possible to reactivate the celebration of events and all the employment and economic activity behind it.”

The schedule and logistics of the event have been analysed by the professionals at Quirónprevención, who have prepared a series of recommendations and operational guidelines.

In addition, a team of health workers from Quirónprevención will be on site during The Ocean Race Europe in each of the stopover cities, ensuring compliance with a schedule of COVID-19 tests for sailing crew, shore support and organisation staff, with the goal of reducing the risk of transmission and conducting a safe event.

Anyone wishing to bring a yacht into an Irish port from abroad will have to wait a little longer as the official line remains “essential travel only”.

Despite last week’s slight relaxation of movement restrictions within Ireland — with people now allowed to travel within their own county or within 20km of home if crossing a county border — there has been no change for boaters hoping to sail here from abroad.

And indeed, the new mandatory hotel quarantine (MHQ) measures may further complicate matters.

As far as one prominent Dublin marina is concerned, there are no berths open for foreign vessels under the current level of COVID-19 restrictions.

“In general, as we in Dun Laoghaire Marina do not allow quarantining aboard at the marina, we are politely declining any requests for visits from foreign-owned boats,” general manager Paal Janson says.

While the Department of Transport “are happy for the marina to take responsibility for issuing or even collecting passenger locator forms”, DL Marina management have declined to take on this responsibility, he adds.

Other ports may have different arrangements, and interested parties are recommended to seek written consent from the relevant harbour/port authority. “It may be no harm to receive advice from [email protected],” Janson adds.

But as the official line remains ‘essential travel only’, he is of the opinion that “holidaying yachtsmen are not high on the list of priorities” for Transport officials for the time being.

“The feeling is once cruise ships are allowed into Irish ports and harbours again, then foreign yachts will be similarly welcomed back,” Janson says.

“I think now the focus should shift towards allowing people who are vaccinated to travel freely,” Janson says. “The issue of vaccination passports, harmonisation of travel within EU states, etc. must now be considered and a pathway back to normality be created.

“The end of this unprecedented pandemic is close at hand and we need now to be looking at all avenues for the resumption of travel, sport and business.”

Cancelling the Tokyo Olympics “remains an option” if the pandemic spread is not brought under control.

As the Guardian reports, those were the comments of Toshihiro Nikai, general secretary of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic party, in a TV interview that was as of his morning (Saturday 17 April) yet to be aired.

Nikai’s statement is at odds with his government’s insistence that the Games will go ahead in a little over three months’ time, on 23 July.

But public sentiment is not so clear-cut, with nearly two-fifths saying the Games should be cancelled, and nearly a third supporting a further postponement — an option the International Olympic Committee has already ruled out.

While no overseas visitors will be allowed to enter to be spectators at this year’s Olympics, the event is set to being thousands of athletes — including Ireland’s qualified sailors Annalise Murphy, Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove — together along with media, sponsors and officials for the two weeks of competition.

Hosting such numbers “domestic, political and economic purposes — ignoring scientific and moral imperatives — is contradictory to Japan’s commitment to global health and human security,” several medical experts have said.

The Guardian has more on the story HERE.

The Government's phased easing of some Covid-19 restrictions during the month of April was welcome news but there was also some disappointment expressed in boating circles over a lack of clarity contained in the announcement that makes it difficult to plan the season, especially the staging of major summer regattas.

The Government aims to continue its cautious approach, gradually easing restrictions, while a substantial level of the population is vaccinated during April, May and June, after which, it should be safe to reopen society more widely.

In his address, the Taoiseach used the phrase ‘distance sports' to describe a sporting activity that was permitted but what does this mean for sailing, a low risk, outdoor, no-contact sport?

In a response to a query from Afloat, a Sport Ireland spokesman said 'At present, these are activities that can take place on a socially distanced basis and take place between a maximum of two households'.

SB20 Sportsboat one-design racing on Dublin Bay pre-COVID Photo: Afloat

Single-handers

An interpretation of this means that single-handers, double handers and crews from two households can go sailing if they can 'distance' themselves.

But 'distance' does not extend to competition at this point, it refers only to private social sailing and it would exclude yachts with large crews from different households. So, Like golf or tennis, two parties can have a social game. Likewise, two individuals can have a recreational sail.

The spokesman said Sport Ireland has been in touch with the various National Governing Bodies, including Irish Sailing, on this matter.

Overall then, what we know is: 

From 12^th April

• travel within your own county or within 20km of your home if crossing county boundaries

From 26^th April:

• Outdoor sports facilities can reopen and sailing clubs may remain open.
• ‘Distance’ Sailing activities may take place between a maximum of two households
• School-aged children may resume training using the pod system (pods of 15)
• No matches or events may take place (other than exempted events)

By any interpretation, this does not appear to allow for cruiser-racer sailing, except for small crew numbers on board. Clearly, this could have a major impact on the most popular aspect of the sport, for early summer at least.

Even though we know that there is little difference between sailing in training and racing modes, the sport is reliant on the not so small matter of lockdown measures easing from Level Five to Level Two (when racing is permitted) but, as widely anticipated, this did not materialise in this week's announcement.

Still, on Dublin Bay, DBSC and ISORA, race organisers are both aiming for May starts in 'some form', subject to guidelines. In June, the Dun Laoghaire-Dingle Race and the Sovereign's Cup at Kinsale are due to get underway.

Reduced Crews?

It raises the question, that if this situation is to be considered the norm for the next two to three months, then sailing should be looking at reduced crews for racing in the future, as they are doing in the UK? Such a move was previously explored on Afloat here. 

This weekend, for example, one design keelboats are sailing in the Solent for the first time this year and boats that normally allow five are only taking four crew. Likewise, cruisers crew numbers in the UK are limited. 

The first race starts this weekend, the JOG Race, and below is one of the sailing instructions:

• 17.1 Crew numbers for this race are limited to a maximum of 6, irrespective of a family group or other considerations. This is a maximum and skippers may limit their own crew in line with social distancing and other requirements.

Coincidentally, the first RORC event also starts this weekend; long coastal day races over three weekends, with a maximum of 80% of normal crew numbers.

By reducing crew numbers it could help to comply with the 'distance sport' ruling and give sailing room to negotiate a return to competition because there is no way nine people sitting out on a 35-foot cruiser will meet these criteria.