#InlandWaters - Masters and owners of vessels on the western end of the Royal Canal are advised of navigation restrictions this weekend (Sat 19 and Sun 20 July) during the National Canoe Polo Championships at Richmond Harbour in Clondra, Co Longford.

Traffic management will also be in place in Athlone during the Shannon Boat Rally between Saturday 26 July and Sunday 3 August, with boats transiting from Lough Ree to Shannonbridge towards Ballinasloe during this period.

Masters should allow extra time for lock passage at Athlone when the rally is moving south due to the large number of vessels expected.

Elsewhere on the Shannon Navigation, an open water swimming race will take place from the Bord na Mona railway bridge, some 3km upstream of Lanesborough, to Lanesborough bridge on the August Bank Holiday (Monday 4 August) from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

All masters and owners are requested to proceed at slow speed with minimum wash when passing this stretch of the navigation and note any advice given by race stewards and safety boat crew associated with the event.

#epirb – The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advises it has been informed that Standard Communications Pty Ltd, the manufacturer of GME EPIRBs, have issued a Product Safety Recall of the following affected EPIRB units:

GME MT400/MT401/MT403 EPIRBs with serial numbers between 50101000 and 80250722.

For further information please see the attached notice below.

#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that TE SubCom, on behalf of Hibernia Express, is scheduled to carry out a geophysical cable route survey extending south from Ballinspittle.

The survey involves multibeam echo-sounder bathymetry, side-scan sonar, magnetometer and sub-bottom profiling off the Irish coast from Ballinspittle, Co Cork, heading south to the 12nm limit and then into Ireland’s EEZ.

The survey will start on 21 July 2014 and will last for approximately four days, weather permitting. Works will be carried out by the vessel RV Ridley Thomas (Callsign V7JK2).

Inshore at Ballinspittle, shallow water survey operations will be carried out by RV Wessex Explorer (Callsign 2WWE).

Both vessels will be towing survey equipment up to 200m astern and will be restricted in their ability to manoeuvre while carrying out the survey. They will also be listening on VHF Channel 16 throughout the project.

All other vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to give the RV Ridley Thomas and her towed equipment and the RV Wessex Explorer a wide berth, and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas.

Full details of co-ordinates and maps of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 39 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) outlines current medical and eyesight standards for mariners and a list of approved doctors under the Seafarer Medical Examinations Scheme.

Full details are included in Marine Notice No 38 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) General Assembly, at its recently concluded 28th session, adopted Resolution A. 1078(28) which revokes Resolution A. 600(15) to extend application of the voluntary IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme to fishing vessels of 100 gross tons and above.

The IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme was introduced in 1987 through adoption of Resolution A. 600(15), as a measure to prevent maritime fraud and enhance safety and security. The IMO number is used throughout the maritime industry as the first point of reference in identifying a ship.

Resolution A. 1078(28) will benefit oversight of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, which sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels.

It will further aid implementation of the international treaty on fishing vessel safety, known as the Cape Town Agreement, once it enters into force.

Additionally, the proposed amendment will broadly facilitate improved management of fisheries-related maritime activities by other United Nations agencies and national governments.

IHS Maritime, formerly known as IHS-Fairplay (IHS-F), is the originating source for IMO numbers and is responsible for assigning and validating them.

The IMO request that owners and builders of existing and new fishing vessels of 100 GT or more obtain an IMO number, free of charge, at www.imonumbers.ihs.com. Alternatively requests can be sent to IHS Maritime by post.

Contact details and more information about the new resolution are included in Marine Notice No 37 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that Polarcus DMCC is scheduled to carry out a 3D Seismic survey in the South Porcupine Basin off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The survey, similar to the 2D survey in the Porcupine Basin that continues till October, will cover 7,270 km2 and is anticipated to commence in early July with an expected duration of 121 days, subject to weather.

Co-ordinates for the proposed seismic 3D survey are included in Marine Notice No 36 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

The seismic vessel M/V Polarcus Amani (Call sign C6ZD3) is scheduled to carry out the work. The vessel will be towing an array of 10 cables, each 8.1km long, with 150m separation for a total width of 1,350m, at a depth of 14 metres.

A buoy equipped with a radar reflector and navigation strobe light will be deployed at the end of each cable.

The seismic vessel will be accompanied by support vessel M/V Bravo Sapphire (Call sign ZDJY8) and chase vessels M/V Nomad (Call sign EI5298) and M/V Ocean Guardian (Call sign EIVX). All vessels will be listening on VHF Channel 16 & 67.

The seismic vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre while carrying out the survey. All vessels, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to give the M/V Polarcus Amani, her towed equipment, the M/V Bravo Sapphire, the M/V Nomad and M/V Ocean Guardian a wide berth and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas.

#MarineNotice - EGS International Ltd is scheduled today (13 June) to begin a two-day geophysical cable route survey involving multibeam echo-sounder bathymetry, side-scan sonar, magnetometer and sub-bottom profiling off the Irish coast at Killala Bay.

The survey follows from a longer exercise carried out in January this year, and will be focused inshore along a route into Killala Bay detailed by co-ordinates listed in Marine Notice No 34 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

The vessel SMS Coastal Cat (call sign EIJD6) is scheduled to carry out the work on a 12-hour operation basis and will display appropriate shapes during daylight operations and lights during night time operations and periods of reduced visibility.

This vessel will be towing survey equipment up to 200m astern and will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre while carrying out the survey.

As such, all vessels in the area, particularly those engaged in fishing, are requested to give the SMS Coastal Cat and its towed equipment a wide berth and keep a sharp lookout in the relevant areas.

#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that works are being advanced by L&M Keating Ltd on the new harbour development at Doolin, Co Clare.

The location of the works – comprising a new pier, revetment, bed rock dredging, access road and associated works – is at Latitude 53° 00’.54 N and Longitude 009° 24’.23 W.

Construction commenced last month and the works are expected to take in the region of 18 months to complete.

Drilling and blasting works were scheduled to be carried out this week, and for health and safety reasons an Exclusion Zone has been set up and is being and monitored.

Mariners are requested to proceed slowly and with caution in the vicinity and to give the works a wide berth.

All vessels in this area should proceed with extreme caution, reduce speed to a minimum and keep a close look out for obstructions in the vicinity of the works.

The site working area will be marked with blue buoys. Wave-wash from vessels should be avoided. A diagram of the works area is included in Marine Notice No 33 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

#MarineNotice - Following from this weekend's survey in Donegal Bay, INFOMAR will undertake a hydrographic and geophysical survey off the West Coast in the Galway Bay area between 25 May and 7 June 2014.

The RV Celtic Voyager (Call sign EIQN) is expected to carry out the survey operations, which follow up on a previous survey completed in February.

The vessel will be towing a magnetometer sensor with a single cable of up to 100m in length.

She will also be displaying appropriate lights and markers, and will be listening on VHF Channel 16 throughout the project.

Details of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 32 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.

#MarineNotice - INFOMAR will undertake a hydrographic and geophysical survey in Donegal Bay next weekend 24-25 May.

The RV Celtic Voyager (Call sign EIQN) is expected to carry out the survey operations, which follow up on a previous survey completed last month.

Though the vessel will not be towing any instruments during this survey, she will have limited limited manoeuvrability due to survey line constraints.

The vessel will display appropriate lights and markers, and will be listening on VHF Channel 16 throughout the project.

Details of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 31 of 2014, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.