Irish Port and Shipping News

To celebrate the creation of the Port of Milford Haven, 65 years ago, The First Minister, Mark Drakeford last week attended a gala event to mark the milestone (in a separate development, Afloat adds, the First Minister announced yesterday, that he is quitting in his role after five years). Also attending the event, was the Welsh Secretary, the Chair of the Welsh Select Committee along with 200 guests. Milford Haven is the largest port in Wales and is the UK’s single largest cluster of energy-related businesses, processing around 20% of the UK’s energy needs, supporting the employment of 5,000 highly skilled workers in Wales, with many hundreds more throughout the wider supply chain.

Port of Milford Haven, the Largest Port in Wales Celebrates 65 Years With Ministers Attending Gala Event

14th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

To mark the 65th anniversary of the creation of the Port of Milford Haven, The First Minister of Wales (Mark Drakeford), the Welsh Secretary and the Chair of the Welsh Select Committee and more than 200 guests came together at…

Rail efficiency: At the Port of Waterford’s main Belview terminal, a rail engine swap-over took place from a train loaded with rail-track (top photo) to that of a train with containers (bottom). In both photos, AFLOAT adds were berthed containership Samskip Express and the dredger Freeway as reported last month.

Full Steam Ahead at Port of Waterford’s Belview Terminal As Rail Engine Makes Swap-Over

11th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

At the south-east Irish port of Waterford, the main terminal at Belview is where two trains were at the facility that led to maximised efficiency as an engine swap-over took place, writes Jehan Ashmore. The swap-over was carried out last…

Wreaths are laid at the 81st-anniversary memorial ceremony in Cobh, remembering the Cork Harbour Irish Shipping tragedy of December 1942

Cork Harbour Tragedy Memorial Service Held in Cobh

9th December 2023 Cork Harbour

The 81st-anniversary memorial ceremony remembering the Cork Harbour Irish Shipping tragedy of December was held in Cobh, County Cork this morning. It commemorates the December 1942 tragedy when five members of the then Marine Service, William Duggan, Frank Lloyd, Frank…

The Transport Committee of the EU Parliament report that embraces the comprehensive role of Europe’s ports and the vital role that ports play for Europe’s society and economy. The report has been highly welcomed by ESPO which is the principal interface between European seaports and the European institutions and its policy makers.

Europe’s Ports Where Focus on Implementation is the Best Port Strategy Forward - ESPO Welcomes

8th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

The Transport Committee in the European Parliament has adopted the own-initiative report on building a comprehensive European Port Strategy. On foot of this the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has highly welcomed that the report embraces the comprehensive role of…

In the LoLo market, traffic declined by 6% to 277,600 TEU’s for all three Irish container ports: Dublin, Cork and Waterford (as above) this is the lowest third quarter performance of the post-Brexit era – according to IMDO’s latest figures which has a long term trajectory of Irish LoLo traffic of between 290,000 – 295,000 TEU’s per quarter.

Lo-Lo Traffic Declines at All Irish Container Ports for Q3 2023 - IMDO Say Long Term is for Increased Volume

8th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

The Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) has released its Unitised Traffic Report for the third quarter of 2023. The volume of RoRo traffic at Republic of Ireland ports declined by 2% to 291,879 units in the third quarter of 2023…

Sail-powered general cargo-boat, Grain de Sail 1 is to operate for French shipowner, Grain de Sail on their new English Channel route of St.Malo-Southampton, importing wines, coffee, chocolate and luxury retail brands. This will be their second service, which connects Europe with the America’s. The company plan further routes including to Ireland.

Sail-Powered French Cargo-Operator to Launch English Channel Service Set for the New Year

6th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

A sail-powered French cargo shipping company, Grain de Sail is poised to launch an English Channel service early next year. The Brittany-based group, founded in Morlaix in 2010, has activities spanning in wine, chocolate and coffee processing, maritime transport, import…

The potential of wind-assisted propulsion for shipping is analysed in a new report released by the European Maritime Safety Agency

Hydrogen and Wind-Assisted Propulsion the Focus of New European Maritime Safety Agency Reports

5th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

The potential of wind assisted propulsion systems as a power source in the shipping sector is analysed in a new report released by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). “Even though the total number of ships equipped with wind assisted…

Leading shipping company Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) have issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds. They’ve urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations (UN) global regulator, to create the regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels.

Major Shipping CEO's at COP28 Join Forces to Accelerate Decarbonization of Global Maritime Transport

4th December 2023 Ports & Shipping

Leading global shipping lines headed by their Chief Executive Officers (CEO) have issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds. They are urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global regulator, to…

The Mersey Maritime Annual Industry Awards were held in Liverpool, you can watch highlights of the evening, see link below. Among the winners were Maersk, Cruise Liverpool and Svitzer.

Mersey Maritime Awards Celebrate Liverpool City Region Sectors of Industry Excellence

28th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

Mersey Maritime's 9th Annual Industry Awards were hosted at the iconic Liverpool Cathedral, marking a significant highlight in the UK maritime sector’s calendar. More than over 550 distinguished guests (YouTube highlights) on 2nd November from across the United Kingdom and beyond…

Cargo vessel docked at the Shannon Estuary port facility of Shannon Foynes Port Company

Job Opportunity at Shannon Foynes Port for Business Development Executive

25th November 2023 Jobs

Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) is currently recruiting for the position of Business Development Executive. Shannon Foynes is Ireland’s second largest port operation, currently handling in excess of 11 million tonnes per annum. The Shannon Estuary is Ireland’s main deep-water…

File image of a cruise liner off Dun Laoghaire’s West Pier

End of Transition Period Nears for EU Ship Passenger Reporting Regulations

20th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

The European Union (Registration of Persons Sailing on board Passenger Ships) Regulations 2019 (SI No 677 of 2019), transposing Council Directive 98/41/EC as amended by Directive 2002/84/EC, entered into force on 19 December 2019. It requires the reporting of persons…

The annual ShortSea Shipping Conference is bound for the Port of HuelvaPort-facebook, Spain- 28 November

ShortSea Shipping Conference Bound for Port of Huelva, Spain - 28 November

20th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

The ShortSea Shipping Annual Conference this year is bound for the Port of Huelva, Spain on 28 November, with the conference title of "Short Sea Shipping: Efficiency, Sustainability, and Connectivity in the Service of Maritime and Land Logistics Chains." The…

Peel Ports and Suardiaz launch on Merseyside (Eastham) a UK-first with the opening of a £10m Green Automotive manufacturing Hub, to significantly reduce supply chain emissions in the North-West England. The facility welcomed the Suardiaz ro-ro vessel, Afloat adds, Friedrich Russ from Vigo Port in Spain, to where it returned last night, on a service that will operate twice-weekly.

Peel Ports Group and Spanish Operator Suardiaz Lines Launch on Merseyside the UK's First Green Automotive Manufacturing Hub

15th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

Across the Irish Sea, Peel Ports Group on Merseyside and Spanish shipping operator, Suardiaz Lines launched a UK-first Green Automotive manufacturing Hub, which will significantly reduce supply chain emissions in the north-west England. The £10 million facility which is the…

Mainport’s newest addition is the 60m vessel Mainport Edge which will be used as an offshore wind survey ship, which in 2015, was almost completed at a shipyard in Fujian, China and but is now fully built. At the shipyard is Mainports’ senior technical supervisor Vince Gallagher and local based supervisor Xiao.

Irish Mainport Holdings Purchase Vessel from Shipyard in China for Offshore Wind Survey Sector

15th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

Cork based shipping group, Irish Mainport Holdings have confirmed the purchase of another ship named Mainport Edge following a ceremony held last week at a shipyard in Fujian, China, writes Jehan Ashmore. Afloat.ie contacted Mainport which said that the vessel was 90%…

The ESPO Award 2023 winner is North Sea Port in recognition of its role in restoring nature in and around the port area to the benefit of the citizens and local community. The ESPO Award was handed out by Magda Kopczynska, Director General of DG MOVE in the European Commission.

North Sea Port Wins European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) Award 2023

8th November 2023 Ports & Shipping

North Sea Port has won the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) Award 2023 in recognition of its role in restoring nature in and around the port area to the benefit of the citizens and local community. Following a short-list of…

Danish container shipping and logistics giant AP Moller-Maersk reported steep losses which is to led to major job losses totalling 10,000 personnel. Above, as previously reported on Afloat, is the operator’s new methanol-enabled container vessel, Laura Mærsk, which has since been listed on TIME's Best Inventions of 2023.

Global Container Operator Maersk Sees Full-Year Profits at Lower End; Is to Cut 10,000 Jobs

3rd November 2023 Ports & Shipping

Danish shipping group AP Moller-Maersk has reported a steep drop in profit and revenue in the third-quarter of this year. The giant operator which has a fleet of more than 700 vessels among them Laura Maersk, has said it would…