Afloat.ie Team
Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.
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Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels on and users of the Barrow Navigation that Levitstown lifting bridge in Co Kildare is closed with immediate effect (as of Friday 17 May) to facilitate maintenance works. It is anticipated that the…
Shannon Navigation: Spencer Harbour Closure for Site Investigation Works
18th May 2024 Inland Waterways
Waterways Ireland advises all masters of vessels and users of the Shannon Navigation that that the Spencer Harbour public jetty and amenity area, and the areas of Lough Allen immediately upstream and downstream of the harbour, will be closed from…
Barry and Rimmington Swap 5o5 for Fireball to Successfully Defend Monkstown Bay Dash for Cash
18th May 2024 Monkstown Bay Sailing Club
Host club sailors Ewen Barry and Sandy Rimmington defended their Monkstown Bay Sailing Club Dash for Cash Trophy on Saturday (May 18), picking up the €300 prize after a tight finish in Monkstown Creek against two single-handed ILCAs. The duo…
World Sailing Council has voted to adopt new eligibility rules for transgender athletes at the federation’s 2024 Mid Year Meeting. The Transgender Participation Policy will apply to all World Sailing events – including World Sailing Championships, the Youth Sailing World…
Friday's Royal Cork Yacht Club May IHS cruiser-racer league in Cork Harbour was won by Louise O'Keeffe's Dufour 30, Labous Gwen in a corrected time of 1 hour 16 minutes and 16 seconds. Fiona Young's Albin Express, North Star was second…
As the RNLI commemorates the charity’s 200 years of lifesaving this year, Lough Derg RNLI celebrates 20 years of service on the lake. Last Sunday afternoon (12 May), volunteers past and present at the Lough Derg lifeboat station gathered with…
At 735 nautical miles long, the Banque Populaire Grand Ouest Trophy race, which starts Saturday at 1300hrs local time, is one of the most extended offshore courses of the 2024 season for Ireland’s Tom Dolan. For the double-handed course, which…
Irish Lights is a maritime organisation delivering essential 24/7 safety and navigation services around the coast of Ireland and Northern Ireland, 365 days a year. It is responsible for Maritime Aids to Navigation under the Safety of Life at Sea…
The Rivers Trust Announces Writer Manchán Magan as First All-Ireland Ambassador at Annual Conference
18th May 2024 Inland Waterways
The Rivers Trust has announced the appointment of renowned Irish writer and broadcaster Manchán Magan as its first All-Ireland Ambassador. The announcement was made today (Saturday, May 18th) during the annual All-Ireland Conference hosted this year by Ballinderry Rivers Trust…
Ten Irish marinas were awarded a Blue Flag in Ireland in 2023, nine of these have retained Blue Flag status for the coming season. The Blue Flag awarded to Greencastle Marina in 2023 was withdrawn by Donegal County Council in…
Ireland, Britain and Belgium Sign Agreement on Renewable Energy and Electricity Interconnections
17th May 2024 Power From the Sea
Ireland, Belgium and Britain have signed a new co-operation agreement on renewable energy and electricity interconnections between the three states. Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan has signed the agreement in Bruges with his Belgian and British…
Study Finds a Windfarm Can Offset Carbon Emissions in Under Two Years External
17th May 2024 Power From the Sea
A windfarm can offset carbon emissions generated across its 30-year lifespan in under two years, a new study says. The study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand also demonstrates that within six months a turbine…
Kyran McStay's X-35 D-Tox was the winner of Dublin Bay Sailing Club's fourth AIB-sponsored Thursday evening race of the 2024 season as Royal Irish Yacht Club boats swept the Cruisers Zero IRC podium. The McStay boat took the victory in…
This weekend's Royal Irish Yacht Club hosted Dun Laoghaire Cup 2024, incorporating the SB20 Eastern championships, marks the first test for SB20 crews in the current season. Thirteen crews, including the national top tier, will be on the starting line.…
The Oppie circuit was in full swing last weekend as East Antrim Boat Club hosted almost 100 sailors and their families for the Ulster Championships. The next day, as the sun shone and the craic started to build, the main…
NMCI and SeaBot Maritime Collaborate to Enhance Maritime Workforce Skills
16th May 2024 Maritime Training
The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) and SeaBot Maritime (Ireland) have signed a “groundbreaking” Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on integrating complex systems with specialised skills for the maritime workforce. This partnership aims to position Ireland as a…
Construction Contract Awarded for Narrow Water Bridge Linking Omeath and Warrenpoint
16th May 2024 Northern Ireland Waters
Work will soon begin on a new road span linking Co Louth and Co Down across the Carlingford Lough narrows after the awarding of the construction contract to BAM Ireland for the Narrow Water Bridge. Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill…
Dublin's TechWorks Marine Secures Major Contract with European Space Agency to Advance Wind Energy Sector
16th May 2024 Power From the Sea
TechWorks Marine, a leading marine data company based in Dublin has recently announced a significant contract worth €475,000 with the European Space Agency (ESA). The contract aims to expand the use of satellite data and products in Europe's renewable wind…
Dublin Bay Water Wag No. 50 Siskin, sailed by Mandy Chambers and Sue Westrup, was the winner of Wednesday night's (May 17th) AIB DBSC race. Held in warm sunshine in an ENE 5-6 knot breeze at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, Race Officer…
DBSC Dinghy Fleets Complete Four Tuesday Races in ILCA, Fireball, IDRA 14, PY and Melges 15 Classes
16th May 2024 DBSC
After some late April cancellations, Tuesday night AIB-sponsored Dublin Bay Sailing Club (DBSC) dinghy sailing is off to a gentle start in May with some good turnouts across ILCA 6 and 7, Fireball, IDRA 14, PY and a DBSC debutante…