A Cameroon-flagged cargoship at the Port of Sligo that was detained following Afloat's coverage of the ship's arrival more than two weeks ago to the north-west port has been released from impoundment today, writes Jehan Ashmore.

According to the Paris MoU, the Sheksna had been placed under detention at the Irish port on 16th October, which coincided on the same day of Afloat's report and two days after the ships arrival from the Mediterranean port of Sfax in Tunisia.

The Paris MoU is an international maritime organization whose mission is to eliminate the operation of sub-standard ships. This is carried out by a harmonized system of port State control including 27 maritime administrations, among which Ireland is a member State.

Afloat earlier today contacted the Department of Transport which commented that the ship was detained under the provisions of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and that the detention involved the ship's flag state which is Cameroon. The west African nation on the Gulf of Guinea neighbours Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. 

On Tuesday of this week Afloat tracked the 2,769dwt cargoship Sheksna which was noted still berthed at Sligo. This was surprising given the 82m ship has been berthed at the port's Deepwater Quay for almost a fortnight but explained by the ship's impounding carried out by the Irish Marine Survey Office (MSO). 

Afloat contacted the Port of Sligo which confirmed Sheksna had over 2,000 tonnes of olive stone granulate. The cargo was discharged before the MSO impounded the ship.

This afternoon the Port of Sligo informed Afloat that the Sheksna is no longer detained. 

In addition the 26 year old cargoship will sail light (without cargo) tomorrow after noon on the tide. 

#Cruiseliners - A megayacht cruiseship that has been docked in Dublin Port for the last five weeks due to detention by maritime authorities has finally been lifted today, writes Jehan Ashmore.

According to the Paris MoU, the principle regulatory authority for eliminating the operation of sub-standard ships, the authority has removed the M.Y. Variety Voyager from a list of ships under detention. 

The small luxury Maltese megayacht cruiseship at just 1,593 gross tonnes, had begun the detention a month ago (1st August) by Irish Port State Control (a member state of the Paris MoU: see related coverage). Afloat awaits further details as to reasons for the extended duration of the Greek operated ship which as previously reported was expected to depart in mid-August. 

Among the reasons cited for the detention of the Variety Cruises vessel as previously reported on Afloat, were concerns over the safe working order of lifeboats. According to the ship's agent last month this led to in port repairs to satisfy SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations.

Prior to the month-long detention, Variety Voyager arrived to Dublin Port on 27 July following a cruise-leg from a UK port (see original story). The four passenger deck ship offers intimate luxury cruising that is more akin to a private yacht based in the Meditteranean, from where the ship has operated since launched in 2012. 

Due to the detention, guests of the 72-passenger capacity cruiseship were forced to abandon the cruise and were flown out of the country.

This morning Afloat tracked Varierty Voyager vacate Sir John Rogersons Quay and shift berths involving the short passage to Ocean Pier located downriver in the main commercial part of the port. This would be a brief berthing as this lunchtime the cruiseship departed the port after 35 days. The next port of call is Copenhagen, Denmark.

In an uncanny coincidence, Berlin, the last detained cruiseship in Dublin Port, docked in the capital today having sailed from Falmouth. The FTI Cruises ship catering for 415 German clientele, had been placed into detention during a call in June.

A subsequent call to the Irish capital by the 9,570 tonnes cruiseship took place at the beginning of August, the same day Variety Voyager was detained.  

#DetentionLifted – The detention of a Dutch flagged general cargoship in Wicklow Port since the weekend has finally been lifted as the vessel is no longer currently listed by the Paris MoU, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Crown Mary had arrived to Wicklow last week to where packaged timber was discharged, however the 2,622 gross tonnage vessel was detained by the Paris MoU. Ireland is a member of The Paris MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on Port State Control (PSC) that came into effect in 1982. This has enabled the international organisation to eliminate the operation of sub-standard ships through a harmonized system of PSC.

The detention of the Crown Mary that only dates to 2010, involved the Irish PSC authorities to carry out an inspection of the vessel. This led to the 88m vessel shift berths to the port’s non-commercial East Pier so to free up the berth at the Packet Pier for another Dutch flagged cargoship, Thea Marieke. This similar sized vessel on Monday then called to Dublin Port to where that same day the then detained Crown Mary was originally next bound.

Instead Crown Mary remained in Wicklow to resolve matters pertaining to the detention that was lifted yesterday. This saw the ship depart last night not for Dublin and given the circumstances notably without a return cargo. As such the ship sailed 'light' and is bound for Harlingen, the Netherlands.