It's refreshing for a change not to report on numerous big ships dubbed 'Brexit-Busters' that involve ro-ro freighters, ferries and containerships, but to focus on the smallest regularly calling cargoship to Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In fact having observed this cargoship's calls to the capital becoming more frequent last year and the first arrival in 2022 took place recently when the diminutive ship of just 870grt in question, the cement-carrier Ronez arrived into the port on Sunday, 2nd January. 

This followed a passage from Great Yarmouth, in the UK and when in Dublin Bay a pilot from the cutter DPC Tolka transferred to the cargoship close to The Muglins off Dalkey. On board is an international crew of seven who work a 6-hour shift, then a rest for another 6 hours.

It was due to the New Year's Day Bank Holiday held on Monday, that the Channel Islands based cargoship had to occupy a 'lay-over' berth in Dublin Port upon arriving the previous day. 

The lay-over involved the Ronez berth at the North Wall Quay Extension, close to the Tom Clarke (East-Link) Toll-Bridge. The cement-carrier remained there until shifting berths downriver to Ocean Pier, but not until the Wednesday.

On this occasion, Ocean Pier was where cement-products were loaded as exports for the Channel Islands, can otherwise take place opposite along the south bank at the Deepwater Berth. The ship's operator, Ronez Ltd, supplies the Islands also with aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and precast concrete products.

As for cargoship's operations are concerned, Ronez is a self-pneumatic discharging vessel which can carry around 950 tonne of cement in two holds. This within the ship whose overall dimensions are as follows: length of 62.19m and on a beam of 10.03m.

So indeed this is a very small ship, yet the UK (Exeter) registered Ronez plays an important role carrying cargoes for the Channel Islands and in the trading of Irish cement exports.

Ronez this year marks a milestone as 2022 represents 40 years in service having been built in 1982 at the shipyard of Scheepswerf van Goor Monnickendam BV, in the Netherlands.

The cargoship also harks to an era of coasters that used to ply more so into Dublin Port until arguably in the main up to the late 1980's? This was at a time when observing such activity in a personal capacity led to logging a record of shipping movements and now includes use of AIS.

Also for a vessel of this vintage, Ronez has surprisingly kept its original name despite several ownerships, among them Huelin-Renouf Shipping that in late 2010, chartered-in the then brand newbuild Irish flagged Huelin Dispatch from Dundalk Shipping.

The Irish owned short-sea trader continued for other C.I. operations until 2013 but now is currently in Spanish waters while at anchorage off Algerciras in the Bay of Gibraltar.

Back to the Channel Islands where Ronez Ltd has island based operations at the Les Vardes Quarry and Vale Castle in Guernsey, where also the Ronez is based from its homeport of St. Sampson's Harbour. This is also where other operators import fuel and bulk-cargos to the small port that is nearby of St. Peter Port, the island's capital. 

In addition, Ronez's run the St John’s Quarry in Jersey and so offers combined a range of construction materials for clients.

Quarrying activity on the Channel Islands, can be traced back to 1869 and continue to serve the island’s needs for quarried stone. Ronez has grown and developed the company over the years to produce precast materials, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and undertake contracting services.

Another aspect for Ronez is the cargoship's importation to the Channel Islands of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS). Both cement and GGBS is transferred from the 500 tonne silo terminals in the Islands to the concrete and concrete-products manufacturing facilities.

Returning to Ronez in Dublin Port from where when the ship was laden with cement departed on Saturday morning at 06.30hrs. Some two days later to arrive in Guernsey having berthed at 11.30hrs in St. Sampson's South Commercial Quay. 

Upon discharging cement, the coaster would be kept busy again as the ship last night made a passage to St. Helier, the capital on neighbouring Jersey.

The early hours inter-island passage was completed just shy of six hours using the 10-knot powered vessel's Stork Werkspoor main engines. This saw the ship arrive today just after 05.30hrs at St. Helier's Victoria Pier

So where will the next port of call be? for this small yet hard-working veteran vessel. 

A small cargoship built during the 'Swinging Sixties' when The Beatles were on the scene and the Hovercraft entered English Channel service, arrived into Dublin Port last week with a project cargo, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The veteran vessel, Saturn completed (as Wilma Frank) in 1966 by NV Scheepswerft in Foxhol, the Netherlands, had loaded the project cargo, a transformer in Szczecin, Poland.

The delivery voyage from the Baltic Sea port and through the English Channel, however was delayed due to severe weather conditions blasting Ireland and the UK.

Afloat tracked the Saturn take shelter in Torquay Bay, Devon due to prevailing north-westerly winds. It was not until Thursday of last week, that the cargoship, measuring only 53.6m in length and a 9.3m beam arrived in Dublin Port.

On the quayside at Ocean Pier, Alexandra Basin, heavy-lift cranes operated by Doyle Shipping Group (DSG) were tasked in unloading the transformer. The lift operation involving a pair of cranes hoisted the 120-tonne transformer from the cargoship's hold and safely ashore at Berth 33.

On completion of discharging, Saturn set a course around Scotland while in ballast. Four days later the ship arrived in Sunderland, UK on the North Sea. The ship has since departed (with a stabiliser as cargo) and is currently in the North Sea bound for the Orskov Shipyard in Frederikshavn, Denmark.

The ship's manager, Afloat has identified as Nørresundby Rederi & Shipping A/S located in Aalborg in the north of the Nordic nation. At only 627 in gross tonnage, the cargoship in today's shipping industry would be regarded as diminutive yet despite this it is pleasing to note this cargoship still trades on.

Saturn represents a rare survivor of a such a ship that were commonplace in decades past when operated as 'coasters'. Such vessels traded along coasts calling in between ports of the same country and or addition on short-sea distances to neighbouring nations. 

#electricoutboard – Torqeedo owner Jack O'Keefe from Cork Harbour tells of his sailing adventures in a Drascombe Coaster and how after swapping from a petrol version the rewards from his new electric outboard engine are less noise, no smells, more stowage, better sailing performance and a motor that can be started by a small child. But it's still not silent, there's a whine...!

The thinking behind it...
My Drascombe is a Coaster, which has a small cabin with two berths. Drascombes are normally used as motorsailers and are rarely to be seen afloat without an outboard hanging in the well at the transom. The concept of sailing without dependence on an outboard motor and all that goes with it. viz. Carrying petrol, unreliability and the difficulty of starting, has been in my mind for a few years. I had a very reliable petrol  8hp outboard that my wife never had the strength of arm to start, and in event of capsize would keep the Coaster swamped due to its weight. After a couple of seasons minimising the use of the outboard – a promised tax refund was the final push to go electric. I saw in the Torqueedo promo videos how their motor is very light and unaffected by immersion. The use of Lithium Ion batteries and the option of a remote throttle were also strong factors in selecting the Torqueedo model over others.

Torqeedo's Travel 1003L – ease of starting the motor is a plus

I selected the Travel 1003L model on advice from the makers at the London Boat Show. I looked to purchasing on the internet but decided to buy from Union Chandlery on the basis that I might need support. The first use of the motor was in Morbihan Gulf and after being used in anger going through one of the tidal gates – the motor stopped and did not start again for the week. Union chandlery sent it back.– the manufacturers replaced it and when the original one got back to their workshop they found that heavy fishing line was caught invisibly inside the prop.

Outcome
I have now completed my third season with my electric motor. Since I fitted it and learned how to use it I got rid of the petrol outboard altogether. The big question with the electric motor is range, there is no doubt that I do more sailing – tacking in narrow channels and that I pay more attention to timing with regard to tide on passages. In the period of use I have on one occasion depended on a tow - after 26nm on the French canals and having passed the sea lock missing the last of the ebb while socialising in a raft up.

I have learned to appreciate the ease of starting the motor – place the magnetic key, turn the throttle and it runs – no pulling cords or twiddling choke. The stowage space created by not having a petrol can nor funnel, oil, spare plugs etc. is another unexpected boon. The other unexpected advantage is the sailing performance of the boat is greatly improved by not having a large mass of metal hanging on the stern. A charge costs less than a unit half a unit and is usually blagged from a pub or neighbour. A night in a marina means a chance to charge up all batteries and reserves.

Monitoring
The batteries come with built in GPS and electronics to calculate the distance left within the current charge. This is a useful tool to keep discipline and help to stretch the charge as long as possible. This adds to the cost of the batteries and I imagine the system could have been made part of the motor assembly rather than having to pay for a GPS and computer for each battery.

Lead Battery backup
The battery for the motor is 29.6 volt 520 WHr equivalent to a 43 AHr lead acid battery. Since the charge voltage for the battery is 12v a lead acid battery can be used to recharge the motor battery. I have made a jumper cable using a Maplin HH62S DC power plug with a 5A fuse in the cable so that the Li Ion battery can be charged up on board from a 50 AHr backup lead acid battery or the boat's main battery via the cigarette lighter socket. This option makes a big difference during longer cruises away from mains supplies – effectively giving another spare battery. Of course it also means the battery can be charged from the car while towing.

Solar
Charging is limited to 4A therefore at 12 v a 36w - 40w solar panel capacity is the correct size. This must be controlled to 12v – a complete charge taking in the order of 10 hours sunlight – so this solution is only applicable when the boat is moored up between voyages. I tend to use the solar panels to keep the lead acid batteries charged as they are more tolerant to fluctuations in voltage from the panels.

Living with electric
Using an electric motor for small boat cruising means you manage your cruise to suit the tides and be efficient. The rewards are less noise, no smells, more stowage, better sailing performance and a motor that can be started by a small child. I did expect the motor to be silent – in fact there is a clear electric whine with which one can easily tolerate. If you enjoy sailing, using an electric motor for day sailing is a "no-brainer" especially if you have a spare battery – and it helps if you are a green crank. A surprising disadvantage is that the noise and smoke from neighbouring outboards becomes exasperatingly exacerbated.

The electric motor provides all the power needed to get into and out of tight berths, or up sheltered channels. I have needed it once in emergency to get me clear of a lee shore at the Kedge in West Cork, but mostly it is run in calms and to get back to the moorings under the trees a mile upriver from Crosshaven. For me the electric motor is a step short of the goal of no motor – and with my experience so far I believe there is no need to go that far!