Displaying items by tag: Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant.

12th June 2012

Rig Returns in Dublin Bay: Not for Oil but for Preliminary Sewage Pipeline Work

#DUBLIN BAY RIGS – The jack-up rig Excalibur returned to Dublin Bay yesterday, having previously carried out preliminary bore test-site drilling work last year for a new sewage pipeline. As reported last year the sight of several floating structures gave the distinct impression that oil had been struck and again the presence of the rig's purpose is further from true with no such oil-exploratory activity taking place, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The rig is in Dublin Bay for several weeks and is to carry out further site investigation to ascertain the most suitable route of a new under the seabed laid sewage pipeline for the €220m Dublin Bay Project, where the principle contractor for the project is Fugro Seacore.

According to Dublin City Council, the impact of the new outfall location on the outer fringe of Dublin Bay will be 'localised'. They also claim that the project is to further improve water quality in Dublin Bay. Under the terms of the waste-water discharge license issued by the EPA, the pipeline must be completed by 2015.

Currently wastewater is discharged at Ringsend where the the Wastewater Treatment Plant in processes a 1.9m population equivalent. The new outfall pipe and associated works is to address increased demand and will be able to increase the capacity to a 2.1m population equivalent.

The Excalibur was towed from Holyhead by the tug MTS Valiant, to a position close to the Dublin Bay Buoy, the primary navigational mark which acts a 'round-about' for shipping using Dublin Port. The Excalibur is essentially a large barge with several sea-legs than can be lowered onto the seabed, where upon the barge itself rests while hoisted above the waterline.

On board is a crane, porta-cabin like facilities for crew, a service workboat and a lifeboat. During the construction process there will be a guard-boat which will monitor other shipping activity, as a safety precaution. One of the first vessels to pass Excalibur was the 113,000 tonnes giant cruiseship Carribean Princess which edged cautiously by while outward bound yesterday for Belfast.

The treatment plant in Ringsend was built in 2003, in which the superior plant replaced an older facility closer to the Poolbeg Harbour at the foot of the now disused ESB Power Station. Up until then, two-thirds of the greater Dublin region was treated but only at this primary level where 60% of waster-water went straight through the facility into the Liffey, the balance of 40% had polluntants removed to form sludge which was disposed out at sea.

This uneviable of tasks was performed by the wastewater disposal vessel Sir Joseph Bazalgette (1963/2,258grt) which saw some 40m gallons discharged into the spoiling grounds off Dublin Bay and Kish Lighthouse.

The former London County Council commissioned vessel worked on the Thames until sold to Dublin Corporation. On occasions she would head back to port via a transit of Dalkey Sound.

Despite her sale to overseas buyers in 1999, she remains one of the largest vessel's in modern times to make a passage of the sound that marks the southern approaches to Dublin Bay.

Published in Dublin Bay

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Drilling of Test Boreholes in Dublin Bay

A jack-up rig barge has been positioned off the South Wall, Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The barge is contracted to Dublin City Council for the drilling of test boreholes in the approaches to and within Dublin Bay in relation to the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant. Both jack-up barges 'Aran 250' and 'Excalibur' will be operating on a 24-hour / 7 days per week basis.

In attendence Sea Safari Tours RIB 'James Joyce', which normally operates as a tourist-sightseeing craft will act as a stanby boat during the rig operations. In addition a buoy will be positioned 300-metres of the barge during drill operations, which is expected to take approximately one week for each drill.

The project will also see the tug, Trojan providing supplies and to tow the jack-up rigs between locations in Dublin Bay. Both the James Joyce and the Trojan will be based out of the Poolbeg Marina, in the centre of the port.

Since the start of October, the project has also required the services of the yellow-hulled catamaran, Xplorer to carry out a bathymetric survey of Dublin Bay.

For further detailed information, please consult Notices to Mariners (No. 14 and 15) listed on the Dublin Port Company website by logging onto this link: http://www.dublinport.ie/information-centre/notice-to-mariners/

In addition to www.dublincity.ie

Published in Dublin Bay

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Underwater Dublin Bay Survey to Start on Friday

An underwater survey of Dublin Bay is expected to commence this Friday, (1st October 2010). It is part of a Dublin City Council (DCC) project to upgrade the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant. Preliminary works will include a Bathymetric Survey of Dublin Bay and its approaches and last for a period of approximately one month. The area to be surveyed is attached in a Notice to Mariners issued by Dublin Port Company. The survey will be carried out by a 12 metre yellow hull catamaran "Xplorer". The "Xplorer" is fitted with A.I.S.

Published in Dublin Bay

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National Yacht Club Facilities

Facilities include a slipway directly accessing Dun Laoghaire Harbour, over eighty club moorings, platform parking, pontoons, fuelling, watering and crane-lifting ensure that the NYC is excellently equipped to cater for all the needs of the contemporary sailor. Berths with diesel, water, power and overnight facilities are available to cruising yachtsmen with shopping facilities being a short walk away. The club is active throughout the year with full dining and bar facilities and winter activities include bridge, snooker, quiz nights, wine tasting and special events.

National Yacht Club History

Although there are references to an active “club” prior to 1870, history records that the present clubhouse was erected in 1870 at a cost of £4,000 to a design by William Sterling and the Kingstown Royal Harbour Boat Club was registered with Lloyds in the same year. By 1872 the name had been changed to the Kingston Harbour Boat Club and this change was registered at Lloyds.

In 1881. the premises were purchased by a Captain Peacocke and others who formed a proprietary club called the Kingstown Harbour Yacht Club again registered at Lloyds. Some six years later in 1877 the building again changed hands being bought by a Mr Charles Barrington. and between 1877 and 1901 the club was very active and operated for a while as the “Absolute Club” although this change of name was never registered.

In 1901, the lease was purchased by three trustees who registered it as the Edward Yacht Club. In 1930 at a time when the Edward Yacht Club was relatively inactive, a committee including The Earl of Granard approached the trustees with a proposition to form the National Yacht Club. The Earl of Granard had been Commodore of the North Shannon Y.C. and was a senator in the W.T.Cosgrave government. An agreement was reached, the National Yacht Club was registered at Lloyds. The club burgee was created, red cross of Saint George with blue and white quarters being sky cloud, sea and surf. The Earl of Granard became the first Commodore.

In July of 1950, a warrant was issued to the National Yacht Club by the Government under the Merchant Shipping Act authorising members to hoist a club ensign in lieu of the National Flag. The new ensign to include a representation of the harp. This privilege is unique and specific to members of the National Yacht Club. Sterling’s design for the exterior of the club was a hybrid French Chateau and eighteenth century Garden Pavilion and today as a Class A restricted building it continues to provide elegant dining and bar facilities.

An early drawing of the building shows viewing balconies on the roof and the waterfront façade. Subsequent additions of platforms and a new slip to the seaward side and most recently the construction of new changing rooms, offices and boathouse provide state of the art facilities, capable of coping with major international and world championship events. The club provides a wide range of sailing facilities, from Junior training to family cruising, dinghy sailing to offshore racing and caters for most major classes of dinghies, one design keelboats, sports boats and cruiser racers. It provides training facilities within the ISA Youth Sailing Scheme and National Power Boat Schemes.

Past Commodores

1931 – 42 Earl of Granard 1942 – 45 T.J. Hamilton 1945 – 47 P.M. Purcell 1947 – 50 J.J. O’Leary 1950 – 55 A.A. Murphy 1955 – 60 J.J. O’Leary 1960 – 64 F. Lemass 1964 – 69 J.C. McConnell 1969 – 72 P.J. Johnston 1972 – 74 L. Boyd 1974 – 76 F.C. Winkelmann 1976 – 79 P.A. Browne 1979 – 83 W.A. Maguire 1983 – 87 F.J. Cooney 1987 – 88 J.J. Byrne 1988 – 91 M.F. Muldoon 1991 – 94 B.D. Barry 1994 – 97 M.P.B. Horgan 1997 – 00 B. MacNeaney 2000 – 02 I.E. Kiernan 2002 – 05 C.N.I. Moore 2005 – 08 C.J. Murphy 2008 – 11 P.D. Ryan 2011 – P. Barrington 2011-2014 Larry Power 2014-2017 Ronan Beirne 2017 – 2019

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