Jehan Ashmore
Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.
Arklow Rose Takes to the Waters With Splash and Spectacle for Dutch Onlookers
26th April 2024 Arklow Shipping
Despite grey clouds, the sun was out too during the launch of Arklow Rose this morning, which was a spectacle that the locals of a Dutch shipyard clearly enjoyed watching, writes Jehan Ashmore. A blast from the Royal Bodewes shipyard…
DFDS Enters Agreement with Incat for Hybrid-Electric Ro-Pax Design Study for Channel Islands Tender
25th April 2024 Ferry
The operator of the Rosslare-Dunkirk route, DFDS, has entered into an agreement with ferry manufacturer Incat Tasmania to conduct a design study for a hybrid-electric ferry intended to be deployed for the Channel Islands if DFDS wins an upcoming tender…
Stena Line Encourage Women to Pursue a Career in Maritime with Belfast Harbour Taster Day (9 May)
25th April 2024 Stena Line
Ferry operator Stena Line is reaching out to women in Northern Ireland to attend a taster day at the company’s terminal in Belfast Harbour to encourage them to pursue a career as a Port Service Operative. With women making up…
Harland & Wolff Backed New Ferry Operator for Isles of Scilly Cancels May Start
24th April 2024 Ferry
Scilly Ferries, a division of Harland & Wolff Group, is a new ferry operator that was due to start running in May between the Isles of Scilly and Penzance, Cornwall, but has been delayed. The shipbuilder group announced on Friday that…
Dublin Swift Heads for West Country Prior to Wales Route Resumption While Stena Europe Awaits Falmouth for Orders?
23rd April 2024 Ferry
Less than a week ago, Afloat tracked Irish Ferries Dublin Swift at Cardiff, however the fast ferry has since sailed from Wales to England, for dry-docking in advance of resuming seasonal service to Holyhead next month, writes Jehan Ashmore. The Cypriot…
Priorities of Europe’s Seaports for 2024-2029 (ESPO) Highlights in Advance of Forthcoming EU Elections
23rd April 2024 Ports & Shipping
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has set out its priorities for the next five years in view of the forthcoming EU elections to be held in May. EPSO represents the port authorities, port associations and port administrations of the seaports of 21…
Masterplan Construction Sees Rosslare Europort Transform for a New Era in Connecting Europe
23rd April 2024 Rosslare Europort
Construction work is well underway at Rosslare Europort to develop the south-east port’s masterplan and follows the massive surge in Brexit bypass freight trade traffic to and from the continent, writes Jehan Ashmore. Each week the strategically located south-east port,…
Ireland's First Marine National Park - Irish Lights Welcomes Inclusion of Inishtearaght & Skellig Michael Lighthouses
22nd April 2024 Lighthouses
Ireland’s inaugural Marine National Park, Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara,Ciarraí, has been unveiled today and Irish Lights is delighted to announce the inclusion of Inishtearaght and Skellig Michael lighthouses, which have been in operation since the early 1800’s. The significant announcement…
Peel Ports Introduce Hydropower at Eastham Dock in Its Drive to Bring Net-Zero Ambitions Forward
22nd April 2024 Ports & Shipping
The UK's second largest port operator, Peel Ports Group, has today announced its Queen Elizabeth II Dock at Eastham, England, will utilise energy from hydropower. It’s the latest move to drive forward Peel Ports’ ambition to become net-zero across its…
Naval Service Could See Two More Patrol Vessels Back Operating Within Weeks
22nd April 2024 Naval Visits
Since the start of the year, the Naval Service, which was only able to have in operation a single patrol ship within Irish waters, could have two more vessels made available within a matter of weeks. Due to a combination…
Historic Visit to Harland & Wolff as Shipyard Host Largest Cross-Party Delegation of MPs
19th April 2024 Shipyards
At the iconic Belfast shipyard of Harland & Wolff, a landmark event that symbolised the restoration of devolution in Northern Ireland took place when the yard welcomed last month a cross-party delegation of MP’s. Ben Murray, Chief of Staff and…
New N.I. Research Vessel Sees Stormont Award £28m Contract to Spanish Shipyard Astilleros Armon
18th April 2024 Shipyards
In Northern Ireland a £28 million contract to build a new government-owned research vessel (RV) has been awarded to Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon Vigo S.A. The contract for the 52.8m newbuild comes from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural…
Stena Follows Scandinavian Rival to the Strait of Gibraltar As DFDS Acquired Operator FRS Iberia/Maroc
18th April 2024 Ferry
Stena Line’s recent announcement of acquiring shares in Africa Morocco Link (AML) follows another Scandinavian ferry rival, DFDS, which in January completed the process in its acquisition of a Strait of Gibraltar operator, writes Jehan Ashmore. It was in September…
Harland & Wolff to Transform Scottish Sites into Renewables Hubs with £270m Investment
17th April 2024 Power From the Sea
Shipyard group Harland & Wolff has welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) regarding the company’s plans to transform its Arnish and Methil facilities into leading hubs for renewable infrastructure. Proposals for Harland & Wolff’s Scottish…
Dublin Swift’s Countdown to Dublin-Holyhead High-Speed Craft (HSC) Seasonal Operated Service
17th April 2024 Irish Ferries
Irish Ferries high-speed craft (HSC) Dublin Swift has been tracked by Afloat to Cardiff Docks, south Wales, where the vessel has been wintering, but in a month’s time is to resume seasonal service, writes Jehan Ashmore. According to the Irish…
Once the new £70m ferry terminal in Liverpool Docks is in operation, it is hoped the Isle of Man Steam Packet can put on a year-round operated service between Douglas and Merseyside. The Steam packet’s fast-ferry Manannan currently does not…
Launching of the Arklow Guard Completes Final 5,150dwt 'G' Class Trader
16th April 2024 Arklow Shipping
The fifth and final of the 5,150dwt class, Arklow Guard, was launched at Ferus Smit’s Dutch inland shipyard in Westerbroek, writes Jehan Ashmore. Its launch on Friday saw the single-hold cargo ship take to the waters transversely into the adjacent…
A tourism project in Co. Mayo is waiting to hear if a decision will lead it to receiving a licence to tow a small ship into Killala Bay as part of a plan to create an artificial reef, reports the…
Change of Ferry Sees Former Flagship Step in for Manxman During Planned Maintenance
15th April 2024 Ferry
Last week, the Isle of Man Steam Packet announced a change of ferry for day-time crossings on its Douglas-Heysham route. As Manx Radio wrote, those travelling on the IOM-England route on Monday (15 April) will be on board the ropax Ben-my-Chree,…
Freight Ship Begins Service on Stena Line's Dublin – Liverpool Route Boosting Capacity by 30%
15th April 2024 Stena Line
Stena Line has introduced a larger (chartered) ro-ro freight ferry, Bore Song, on the Dublin – Liverpool (Birkenhead) route, which will increase capacity on the Ireland-England route by 30%. The Dublin-Liverpool dedicated freight service has been operational since 15th February…
