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Displaying items by tag: Irish Sea Shipping Line Award

#SeatruckAWARD – This year's Irish Sea Shipping Line of the Year is Seatruck Ferries, the award was presented at the Export & Freight Transport & Logistics Awards held in Belfast.

The much coveted award, sponsored by DSV was presented at a ceremony held at the Ramada Hotel.

Hauliers were asked to anonymously pick one service which offered the optimum level of service, quality, on-board facilities and choice of routes.

The votes were registered via a totally secure and carefully policed on-line 'one customer one vote' system. The results were counted and the winner was the shipping line that received the most votes.

Those watching the awards ceremony heard, 'this award is all about what the customer thinks and hauliers have voted for a company that has grown substantially over the last decade and a half, not only in size of fleet but in the quality of a service that has successfully filled a gap in the market for a freight operation serving Ireland.'

One customer waived anonymity and added to his vote the following: "Seatruck are a long way in front of their competition, with customer services, co-operation, a willingness to help, treating customers like family and letting you know that they want you rather than need you; a great all round shipping company, in a league of their own."

With 16 categories the awards are organised by Hillsborough based publishers of Export & Freight magazine, 4SM (NI) Ltd.

The event is widely regarded as the premier event in the Irish transport and logistics calendar, attracting entries, support and sponsorship from leading players in the industry.

 

Published in Ferry

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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