#dublinbay - The recent rare call of tanker Thun Gemini to Dun Laoghaire Harbour for maintenance evoked memories of another such ship type to the port that took place 30 years ago this month, writes Jehan Ashmore.

On that occasion the arrival of a tanker to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in late April 1989 was far more notable, given the vessel was in port for a very different reason. So why the call of a UK based tanker operator to Dun Laoghaire as the harbour does not feature an oil terminal?

The clue lies in the name of the tanker, Blackrock and then a brand new ship. The 2,675 dwt oil products tanker along with Brabourne, leadship of a pair were built by Cochrane Shipbuilders of Selby, Yorkshire for London based shipping operator, Bowker & King (both shipyard and operator no longer in business). The Woolwich based shipping company on the banks of the Thames near Greenwich, had a naming system where their short-sea tankers were named after UK coastal locations and villages some inland.

This naming theme however was based specifically to places beginning with the letter 'B'. It was pleasing that B&K acknowledged an Irish placename though Blackrock became the first and only member of the fleet to be named with an Irish geographical connection.

Two days before the ship's big day, Blackrock arrived to anchor off Dun Laoghaire in Dublin Bay, having sailed from Milford Haven. The south Wales port is currently the UK’s top energy port  handling seaborne trade in oil and gas. The Pembrokeshire port is where Thun Gemini returned last week having completed maintenance duties in Dun Laoghaire. In addition crew carried out exercises in launching the tanker's stern-mounted free-fall lifeboat. This echoed memories of Blackrock's three-day visit in the harbour as the ship was equipped with this type of life-boat.

As a newbuild, Blackrock's presence at anchor off Scotsmans Bay was noted with considerable interest and accordingly was recorded in a personal ship movements log. The ship's subsequent call to the harbour, spurned a trip to the port that led to a request to board the tanker which was kindly granted by the crew in advance of the naming ceremony.

The boarding afforded a unique opportunity to talk to the crew who were clearly proud of their new ship. In addition to thread along the pristine red painted oil cargo deck to the bow and look back at the 'Selby' bridge, an in-house design of the shipyard which built a vessel which overall is aesthetically pleasing.

The log entry for Monday, 25th April was the most significant date and most memorable as on that day the naming ceremony took place by the ship's patron, Máire Anne Geoghegan-Quinn. The then Minister of State, christened the ship with the customary bottle of champagne smashed against the bow. The official event was attended by dignatories including B&K's managing director, Mr. Alan Petrie.

Other B&K tankers recalled regularly using Dublin Port included Bardsey. This 1,767 dwt tanker took its name after the Bardsey Island off the Llŷn Peninsula. This finger of land extends 30 miles into the Irish Sea from north-west Wales and south-west of Holyhead off the Isle of Anglesey.

On the day following the christening ceremony, Blackrock departed Dun Laoghaire into Dublin Bay where fittingly sister Brabourne was at anchorage. In addition was anchored Bardsey which soon followed Blackrock which had proceeded southward. 

The National Yacht Club us putting out a call for its Friday night junior sailing series which this year runs for eight weeks from Friday 3 May.

There will be two races each Friday inside Dun Laoghaire Harbour, with first gun at 6pm.

Entry is open to all NYC Junior sailors under 19 years of age on 1 January 2019 and who have passed ISA Improving Skills.

The purpose of Friday night junior racing is to encourage young sailors to improve their race sailing skills — and the club says the event is dependent on all parents volunteering to help out on at least one evening.

“Volunteering is a great way to meet up with old friends, make new ones and learn new skills,” says the NYC’s Sarah Gorman.

“Don’t be put off and think you cant help. We cannot run this event without your help and it is expected that you volunteer if you have a sailor entered into the event.”

Online entry will open soon — see NYC.ie for more details.

#dublinbay- A unusual caller to Dun Laoghaire Harbour is a Faroese Islands flagged research survey vessel that is docked in the port due to berth capacity restrictions in neighbouring Dublin Port, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 55m RSV Franklin which is listed on the Faroese International Ship Register, had arrived to the harbour just over a week ago having berthed alongside Carlisle Pier. There are currently 92 vessels owned on the islands which are a self-governing archipelago that form part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

This is not the first time ships in Dublin Port have been forced to use a berth in Dun Laoghaire Harbour as most recently, the Dutch flagged dredger Freeway as Afloat reported made a request late last year to enter the port and avail of a berth. 

It was ironic that the trailing suction dredger which was carrying out works on behalf of Dublin Port had to spend a lay-over period in Dun Laoghaire Harbour. On that occasion during late December and into the New Year, the 92m vessel had also occupied Carlisle Pier due to the limited capacity available in the capital port.

As also previously reported on Afloat, last month Dublin Port announced that due to rising freight volumes and the need to create space due to Brexit, prioritisation of freight over tourism is to take place. The decision by Dublin Port to curtail cruiseships in using its facilities from 2021 has raised concerns among the wider Irish tourism industry.

In addition the proposed cruise-berth for Dun Laoghaire unveiled almost four years ago, is among a trio of multi-million euro projects that have been thrown into question by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council which cited both lack of funds and viability.

The south Dublin Bay harbour was under the control of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company until a transfer took place last year to the local authority.

Since Stena Line withdrew the HSS fastferry service to Holyhead, Wales in 2014, the port has no major anchor tennant. It was 25 years ago that the operator chartered in another Faroese-flagged vessel Smyril Line's ferry Norröna (built 1973) which was a highly unusual move, given historically other ferries would of been pooled from Stena's extensive fleet. 

The only vessels currently calling to the harbour on a year-round basis is the fleet of the Naval Service and ILV Granuaile, the aids to navigation tender belonging to Irish Lights which has its headquarters located on the harbour waterfront. 

As for the 1,178 tonne RSV Franklin which is expected to depart the harbour by the end of this week.

A public meeting on the future on Dun Laoghaire Harbour will take place at the Dun Laoghaire Club on Eblana Avenue from 8pm on Thursday 28 February.

‘The People’s Harbour’ was also the topic of a recent meeting between Dun Laoghiare-Rathdown councillors from Sinn Féin, Labour, People Before Profit and local independent Michael Merrigan.

The latter tabled a question at the 21 January meeting of the Dun Laoghaire Area Committee regarding contingency planning in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

“Residents have been contacting me with their concerns that in the event of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council being requested by the Government to make Dun Laoghaire Harbour available for ferry services, that we could have a return to big lorries coming through the town,” Cllr Merrigan commented earlier this month.

Dún Laoghaire - "The People's Harbour" - Public Meeting on the Future of the Harbour - Thursday 28th February 2019 at 20.00hrs, Dún Laoghaire Club, 3, Eblana Avenue, Dún Laoghaire. The Harbour was transferred to @dlrcc on 3 Oct. 2018. @DLRTourism @DublinGazette #PeoplesHarbour pic.twitter.com/d9VQo2h5dy

— Michael Merrigan ???? (@VoteMerrigan) February 12, 2019

Dun Laoghaire will get a new 'boat engine showroom' if planning permission is granted at a West Pier site in the Harbour.

According to a planning application received by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, applicant Pod Marine Ltd is seeking planning permission and retention permission for the development of a site at West Pier Road, Dun Laoghaire at an area known locally as 'The Gut'.

The application seeks permission for the proposed construction of a single story building (c 345sqm) for a boat engine showroom, storage and workshop at ground level and office space at mezzanine level.

According to its website, POD Marine was "established in response to the growing demand for a specialised and professional boat engine maintenance service in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland’s largest marina. POD Marine has Volvo Penta’s seal of approval as Dublin’s only authorised Volvo Penta Service Dealer for Marine Leisure & Commercial Products".

More on the planning application on this link here

Speculation that a ferry service could return to Dun Laoghaire has reached fever pitch with the news that a British company has put in a bid to operate from the St Michael’s Pier terminal.

According to The Times, the Liverpool & North Wales Steamship Company, which was restarted two years ago, envisages running regular passenger cruises in the Irish Sea and will be “ready to sail” from next summer.

The ferry company’s chief executive Steve Payne plans to present his pitch to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council — the authority that now controls the harbour — by the end of this year, laying out plans for services that could employ 240 people.

Payne revealed to Afloat.ie that as well as the cruise bid involving its 650-passenger vessel, it also wants to operate a regular ferry service serving its home base of Liverpool and also Llandudno in North Wales.

The company’s flagship heritage pleasure steamer TSMV Endeavour is presently in refit in Liverpool.

However, one of the investors involved in the recently scrapped Harbour Innovation Campus proposal says he intends to push on with a tech hub scheme for the former ferry terminal.

Ian Lucey currently faces a High Court action from Harbour Innovation Campus developer Philip Gannon in a case that’s understood to be separate from Gannon’s decision to pull out of the Dun Laoghaire venture last month.

Note: This piece has been corrected to remove a previous statement that Philip Gannon and Ian Lucey were business partners. The shareholder agreement clearly states that no partnership was created. We are happy to make this clarification.

#CruiseLiners - Among the cruise callers Dun Laoghaire Harbour in season 2019 is to welcome will be Norwegian Pearl and not as previously stated a sister, writes Jehan Ashmore

The sister Norwegian Jewel is the leadship of the 'Jewel' class quartet from where Norwegian Pearl became the third when completed in 2006 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany. The near 100,000 gross tonnes cruiseship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line is scheduled to call twice next year to Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

On the occasion of Norwegian Pearl's maiden call in June, this is to take place with an anchorage call offshore. The debut of the 2,300 capacity cruiseship (virtual tour) which will be the biggest caller during next season will also be a boost to the local economy.

A second opportunity for the business community and tourist interests alike is to arise as the 294m (965ft) cruiseship is to make a reappearance the following month.

To see a list including the remaining scheduled cruise calls in 2019 click here.

#DLharbour - People in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown are getting “a gift and a jewel” in the transfer of the Dún Laoghaire Harbour company to the county council, Minister for Transport Shane Ross has insisted.

As The Irish Times reports, the Minister confirmed that he had on Wednesday formally signed the transfer of the harbour company’s functions to the county council.

Mr Ross rejected claims that the company had €33 million in liabilities and insisted it was closer to €10 million which would extend over a long period of time for repairs and maintenance.

He stressed that it will not affect local property tax or local projects and the transfer included a “seven-digit cash reserve”.

The Minister was speaking during a heated Seanad debate on the company’s transfer.

“It’s a gift and a jewel being given to the people of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown,” he said. “This is a great deal for the citizens and residents.”

For more the newspaper reports here in addition Afloat this week revealed a cruiseship from Norwegian Cruise Line is to call during the 2019 season totalling six calls.

#DLHarbour - Councillors in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown have expressed anger and frustration over the transfer of Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company’s multi-million liabilities to the local authority.

Transport Minister Shane Ross was in the Seanad this afternoon for statements on the transfer of functions of the harbour company to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCoCo), which was made formal today (Wednesday 3 October) after he signed off on the move last week.

DLRCoCo later held a Special Meeting to debate the transfer, at which Councillor Cormac Devlin said the debt “will have a significant impact on future council budgets and may lead to reduced services and increases in commercial rates and the Local Property Tax.

“The chief executive of the council confirmed to members that the figure of €33m may actually be at the lower end of the scale of liabilities. This directly contradicts Minister Shane Ross’ claim to the Seanad that the debt is only €10m.”

Cllr Devlin called on the Government to “find a way to indemnify the council to ensure residents and business owners do not suffer for their policies.”

Councillor Dónal Smith was even more vociferous, branding Minister Ross’ lack of a promise of indemnity as “a kick in the teeth for the people who elected him. He has hung a financial albatross around the necks of his constituents. He will not be thanked.”

Cllr Smith said suggestions that the council sell public lands earmarked for housing to pay down the harbour’s debts amount to “a scandal”.

“If Fine Gael gives a toss about the residents and ratepayers of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, their Government will indemnify the council,” he added.

Update on Thursday 4 October:  The full Special Meeting can be streamed in full from DLRCoCo's webcast player HERE.

#CruiseLiners - Afloat can reveal Dun Laoghaire Harbour's cruiseship caller list in season 2019 is scheduled to be as twice as busy compared to this year's total of just three calls, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In what will also make next season different, asides doubling cruise calls to six, is the return of an anchorage caller offshore of the port, in this case the giant Norwegian Jewel. This is due to the cruiseship's deep draft that cannot be accommodated inside the south Dublin Bay harbour.

The cruiseship will be a boost to the local economy as the 2,300 passenger capacity vessel is to make a debut in June and a second call the following month. The season's other four cruise calls however accounts overall for less than the total of 8 calls achieved in 2017. 

At almost 100,000 gross tonnage, the Norwegian Cruise Line operated vessel is the leadship of the cruiseship's namesake 'Jewel' class completed in 2005. A refurbishment took place four years ago.  

The call of the NCL ship is new in the context of the concerted effort by Dun Loaghaire Harbour Company in recent years to bring back cruiseships that began in 2011. However, NCL did deploy Norway, the distinctive twin funnelled (former classic liner, France) which was recalled with much personal interest when two offshore calls took place during the 1990's. The anchorage visit was also noted given the use of the cruiseship's pair of particulary large tender craft that were lowered by cranes from the fo'c'sle i.e. in front of the bridge above the bow.

As for the Norwegian Jewel's tenders they will too have to shuttle back and forth from the near 300m long ship in stark contrast to this season when a pair of much smaller sized ships arrived within the harbour. Star Pride and slightly larger capacity sister, Star Breeze, just shy of 10,000 tonnes and 133m in length docked at Carlisle Pier with around 200 passengers.

The Windstar Cruises operated pair of mega-yacht luxury boutique style cruiseships will return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour in 2019. Star Pride with a crew of around 150, launches the season again with a call in June and is to be repeated following the debut call of Norwegian Jewel. Whereas, Star Breeze is to make an appearance likewise of this year, with two successive visits in the month of September.