The Irish Nautical Trust has provided Afloat.ie with more details about its Safe Passage and Communication Course for all users of leisure craft in the Dublin Bay and Dublin Port area, in conjunction with Dublin Port Company.

With up to 50 or more commercial ship movements per day, a figure that’s set to grow substantially in the future, it’s never been more crucial for leisure craft uses in the Dublin Bay and Dublin Port area to be aware of commercial traffic movements across the bay and inbound/outbound from the port.

The course, which is free of charge and takes approximately one hour, covers a number of topics that include:

• How and where to cross the shipping channel if your journey is for example from Dun Laoghaire to Howth or vice versa.
• The importance of calling the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) on VHF Channel 12 when entering or exiting the port area. VTS is a marine traffic monitoring system based in Dublin Port (similar to air traffic control for aircraft) and is there for the safety of all marine traffic.
• Leisure craft users’ responsibility to call VTS on Channel 12 if they intend to navigate within the Port area, inbound or outbound (Poolbeg lighthouse to Poolbeg Marina).
• The passage line for leisure craft navigating inbound/outbound from Poolbeg lighthouse to Poolbeg Marina.

Remember the message that Dublin Port Company want to get out there to everyone is to “keep you, your crew and your vessel safe.”

The Irish Nautical Trust highly recommends that all clubs sign up to avail of this course. Currently it is not available for online delivery. However, the trust will gladly visit your club on a date that best suits your members. This will give everyone the opportunity to ask any questions they may have.

“We understand this is sailing/holiday time; however, we would still invite all clubs to contact us and at least sign up to the concept of the SPCC,” the trust says. “We can then arrange a time and date, maybe in the autumn, to roll the course out.”

Contact your home club or [email protected] for more information.

Dublin Port Company in conjunction with The Irish Nautical Trust are promoting a Safe Passage Communication Course for all users of leisure craft in the Dublin Bay and Dublin Port area.

Call VTS Channel 12 and contact your home club or [email protected] for more information.