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Displaying items by tag: iShip Index Q4 2014

#ShippingVolumes - Irish ports and shipping activity rose by 7% in the fourth quarter of 2014 when compared to the corresponding period of 2013.

The figures released today are from the quarterly iShip Index* published by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO).

The latest analysis also indicates that four of the five principal freight segments grew in the second quarter of 2014.

The Ro/Ro freight segment experienced volume growth of 4% in the fourth quarter to 429,814 units and is the eighth consecutive quarterly increase in Ro/Ro traffic, the majority of which moves between Ireland and Great Britain and is a simple but reliable indicator of the level of trade between both economies.

Container traffic (Lo/Lo) grew by 8% to 157,077 units. Encouragingly, container imports have now risen for five consecutive quarters. Container exports continued to grow, increasing by 4% to 67,888 units.

The overall bulk traffic segment saw tonnage volumes increase by 7% when compared to the previous year. Break bulk, which largely consists of imports of construction and project related commodities, increased by 16%.

Break bulk has now seen seven consecutive quarterly increases. Liquid bulk also rose by 16% and dry bulk increased by 1%, having both experienced negative growth in recent quarters.

For a breakdown of figures for the previous quarter, Q3 of 2014, click HERE

*The iShip index is a volume index for all freight traffic moved to and from the Republic of Ireland. This does not include passengers or trans-shipment activity.

Note: All freight and passenger comparisons are done on a quarterly basis (Q4 2013 v Q4 2014).

Published in Ports & Shipping

About the Melges 15 Dinghy

The Melges 15 was designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by Melges.

The design prioritises stability, comfort, ease of use, and performance. 

The Melges 15 is built to be sailed by everyone from friends and couples to families and kids. The design offers performance, comfort, and stability in one sleek package.

The Melges 15’s stable hull shape and ergonomic cockpit make it a suitable layout for adult racing and educational sailing. Easy conversion from a club configuration (non-spinnaker) to a one-design setup, provides more versatility to club programs and options for individual owners.

“The Melges 15 creates a clear pathway for junior sailors to get started and stay excited about sailing while also being comfortable and accessible enough for adults to learn, race, or cross-train,” according to Harry Melges III.

With the main design goals focused on stability and performance in various conditions, the boat features a narrow overall beam and a flat cross-section shape for stability, righting moment, and ease of planing. For a more forgiving feel upwind and to navigate larger sea states, the Melges 15 has just the right amount of fore and aft rocker.

Melges conducted extensive research and product testing to produce this layout factoring in cockpit depth, backbone height, and floor plan. The result, they say, is a comfortable environment for both the skipper and crew. The deeper cockpit takes the load off the sailor’s knees helping them feel locked into the boat while the high boom and gnav vang system work together to make the boat easier to manoeuvre.

The asymmetric spinnaker offers an additional performance element, while the single-pull launch and retrieval system makes handling the sail easy and fast.

 

At a Glance - Melges 15 Specifications

  • LENGTH 15 ft 
    BEAM 5 ft 6 in
    DRAFT 2 ft 7 in 
    HULL WEIGHT 230 lbs
  • SAIL AREA
    MAIN 93.6 sq ft 
    JIB 39.8 sq ft 
    ASYMMETRICAL SPINNAKER 156 sq ft 
  • CREW 2

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