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Displaying items by tag: Animal Feed

#Ports&Shipping - A Panamanian flagged bulk-carrier loaded with 18,000 tonnes of animal feed arrived in Warrenpoint Port, Co. Down following a voyage from a Black Sea port in Romania, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The bulker, Fanaria according to Warrenpoint Port was assisted onto its berth using two tugs on 11 September. Afloat has identified the tug at the stern as Mourne Shore, the veteran vessel dating to 1964 was formerly the German serving Bugsier 29. Working the mooring lines at the bulker's bow is understood to be the tug's fleetmate, Mourne Valley. 

Warrenpoint Port which is Northern Ireland's second largest port including Seatruck's ro-ro freight services to Heysham, England. In addition to handling containers, dry-bulk and break-bulk cargoes. The port as previously reported this month, announced a new proposal for dredging operations in Carlingford Lough.

The port sought views and comments from the public and key stakeholders on the proposed changes to how dredged material from the harbour is dealt with. A public consultation was scheduled to have taken place this day last week at Warrenpoint Town Hall.

On the southern shores of Carlingford Lough is Greenore Port, Ireland's only privately operated port. Last year saw the launch of the first ever car-ferry service on the cross-border lough linking the Co. Louth port with Greencastle in Co. Down. 

Published in Warrenpoint Port

#LargestShip - The largest ever cargoship to dock at Drogheda Port berthed at the Co. Louth's downriver terminal at Tom Roes Point.

The MV Botnia arrived on 20 January from Klaipeda in Lithuania. The vessel having taken a seven day sea voyage with a cargo of 5,500 tonnes of animal feed for Cefetra Limited.

Drogheda has been building considerable trading links with Klaipeda over the past few years with regular calls increasing each year. It is one of the few ice-free ports in northernmost Europe and has a throughput volume larger than any port in Ireland.

The Botnia is registered in Antigua and Barbuda and has a deadweight carrying capacity of 8,300 tonnes.

The previous largest vessel was the MV ‘Arklow Bridge’ in 2012 with a deadweight carrying capacity 7,175 tonnes.

Botnia at 121m in length was assisted by the tug Mourne Pride which was dispatched from Greenore Port and the workboat tender Boyne Protector. 

Published in Drogheda Port

#FodderShipments – As Irish Farmers struggle with one of the worst fodder crisis in over 50 years, ports across the country have seen unprecedented levels of animal feed imports, according to the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).

Most of the State's ports have seen notable throughput increases since the third quarter of 2012, after a poor summer period for farmers. The IMDO noted that the first quarter of 2013 saw volumes of animal feed increase by over 80% in terms of bulk shipments, on the corresponding period last year.

In the recently published Irish Maritime Transport Economist, the IMDO reported substantial annual growth in animal feed imports, which increased by 34% during 2012.

A number of farming interest groups have come together to support the importation of animal feed from the UK and France in recent months, resulting in increased activity on Irish Sea ferry services, particularly over the last three weeks.

The IFA sourced the first consignment of hay from France which arrived at Rosslare Europort on the 9 May aboard the ro-pax ferry Celtic Horizon.

During this month's bank holiday, ports also recorded increased fodder imports from bulk shipments.

The western and northern parts of the country appear most severely impacted and it is anticipated that fodder will continue to steadily arrive at Irish ports for the foreseeable future.

 

Published in Ports & Shipping

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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