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Displaying items by tag: Celine Christening

#DublinPort - A big day awaits Dublin Port and major customer, CLdN ro ro SA as their newbuild MV Celine, the world's largest short-sea ro-ro ship arrived in the port today in advance of tomorrow's christening ceremony, writes Jehan Ashmore. 

The giant MV Celine of 74,000 gross tonnage will be christened and adopted by her Godmother,Geraldine O'Reilly wife of Dublin Ports CEO Eamonn O'Reilly at a ceremony to be held at Ocean Pier within Alexandra Basin. This is where a purpose-built flexible ro-ro ramp linkspan was installed in recent months to accommodate the requirements of the 234m long Celine.

Since Celine's introduction in October, the ship has added considerable capacity for Irish exporters with greater flexibility by trading with markets in continental Europe, in particular, given the backdrop of post-Brexit. More recently a sister, Delphine, joined the service connecting Dublin with Rotterdam, Netherlands and Zeebrugge from where the ship arrived from Belgium this morning.

The new berth infrastructure in Dublin Port permits the unloading and discharging of Celine's impressive 8,000 freight lane metre capacity. In addition to 600 freight units, easily surpassing the largest Irish Sea ro-ro ferry currently operating through the port to the UK. 

The sisters can handle a wide range of cargoes, unaccompanied trailers, tank containers, project cargo, new cars and a capacity for 12 driver accompanied units. The ro-ro ships will also include a North Sea link from Belgium to the UK. Luxembourg based CLdN ro-ro SA also operate an extensive route network linking mainland Europe with Scandinavia and Iberia.

The South Korean built Celine is a clear indicator of increasingly larger tonnage that is expected to use the port. Construction of phase one of the Dublin Port Masterplan is already underway with the Alexandra Basin Redevelopment (ABR) project that will enable larger ships to dock in port following dredging and realligned quays. 

  

Published in Dublin Port

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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