Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: Briggs Marine

Scotland based Briggs Marine, a provider of marine and environmental services, has secured a contract with Irish Ferries at the Port of Dover.

The contract is to provide full landside port and terminal operations services at the ferry port for its brand new Dover-Calais ro-pax ferry service which started today.

The service will make it easier for passengers and hauliers to travel between the Republic of Ireland, the UK and Europe. Irish Ferries has highlighted that this new service will significantly strengthen the capacity and reliability of the land bridge for exporters and importers.

Drawing on its decades of industry experience, Briggs will provide 24/7 support to each and every Dover port-call. Briggs will create around 55 jobs varying from operational roles through to check-in staff, coordination and management positions, with all roles being sourced locally.

Andrew Sheen, Managing Director at Irish Ferries, commented: “We want to deliver a reliable and efficient service for our customers.  Working with a leading supplier who has a proven track record in delivering quick, easy and effortless marine operations is key.  Briggs has a strong reputation within this space, and we were particularly impressed by their energetic approach, passion and commitment to ensuring the highest standards of service delivery to our customers.” 

This contract further expands Briggs’ portfolio of delivering similar, critical marine services for ports across the UK including Liverpool, Immingham (Lincolnshire), Finnart (Scotland), Isle of Grain (Kent), Fawley, Hamble (Hampshire), London Medway and Stanlow (Ellesmere Port).

Collieson Briggs MBE, Managing Director at Briggs Marine also commented: “We share a passion and vision with Irish Ferries that we hope can evolve and grow. Our focus is on building operational confidence with round-the-clock services and recruiting the best skills for this new service. This is a cornerstone contract for us, and one that we hope will deliver long-term success for Irish Ferries.”

Published in Irish Ferries

#MARINE WARNING - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises on preliminary work on the East-West interconnector power cable in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Wales over the next few weeks.

Briggs Marine commenced pre-lay grapnel runs along the line of the cable route on Sunday 1 April, and this work will be carried out over three weeks from the vessel Kingdom of Fife (call sign 2BKR2).

This work will continue on a 24-hour basis, and the vessel will display appropriate day shapes and lights as required, with a continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 and DSC.

Complete details including co-ordinates of the work area are included in Marine Notice No 14 of 2012, a PDF of which is available to read and download HERE.

Published in Marine Warning

About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil