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Displaying items by tag: Traffic Rise

According to the Central Statistics Office, the amount of goods handled by Irish Ports in the second quarter of this year increased above pre-pandemic levels.

Figures also from the CSO show nearly 13m tonnes of goods were handled between April and June. This is an increase of 17.4% compared with the same period last year and an increase of 5.1% compared with the second quarter of 2019.

By tonnage, Dublin Port handled the largest amount of cargo of 6.3m tonnes followed by Shannon Foynes with 2.5m tonnes and Cork with 2.4m tonnes.

The figure for Cork is the largest over the past five years.

The Irish Examiner has more CSO statistics 

Published in Irish Ports

Cruise liner visits to Cork Harbour is to make a major bounce-back with 88 calls already confirmed for next year and the likelihood there will be more.

Port of Cork chief commercial officer Conor Mowlds said a further 53 liners have pre-booked for visits in 2023 and this figure is expected to rise significantly in the months ahead.

“We're delighted with such a strong return,” Mr Mowlds said. “We expect the first vessel to arrive in April. Vessels are booked in for Cork and Bantry.”

The chairman of Cruise Europe, Cobh-based Captain Michael McCarthy, said he has been liaising with major cruise line companies and expects a far stronger return to the Irish market as many may have anticipated.

This will be especially good for Cobh, which relies heavily on the income generated from the arrival of cruise liner passengers.

The industry has been shut down in Ireland since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. However, ports in Britain and Northern Ireland reopened earlier this year to cruise liner traffic.

Irish Examiner has more on this story.

Published in Cruise Liners

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class

Two Irish hopes in the 2023 Fastnet Race from Cowes will compete first in a 20-boat Coastal Class at July's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta (VDLR).

Pre-event favourites must be the First 50 Checkmate XX, fresh from Sovereign's Cup victory (three wins from four races sailed) and the Grand Soleil 44 Samatom.

Four races and one discard for the coastal division will be under International Race Officer Con Murphy.

The course will be decided on the race day and communicated to each skipper via a dedicated Offshore WhatsApp group at least one hour before the start. 

The finish will be between the Pier Ends at the Dun Laoghaire Harbour entrance. The finishing time will be taken from the Yellowbrick tracker system.

The class will be the first to start on Thursday, with a warning signal at 1425 and 0955 on Friday. Coastal starts at 1055 on Saturday and 0955 on Sunday. 

The course will use DBSC Marks, Volvo Yellow inflatable Top Hat and Shipping Navigation Marks.

Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2023 Coastal Class Entries

GBR 8859R Jackknife J125 Andrew Hall Pwllheli
GBR 8911R Jezebel J111 1.093 Cris Miles Pwllheli Sailing Club
IRL 3435 Albireo 0.928 David Simpson RIYC
IRL 9898 Indecision J109 1.007 Declan Hayes RIYC
IRL 811 RAPTOR 1.007 Fintan Cairns RIYC
GER 6577 Opal 1.432 Frank Whelan GSC
GBR 9740R SLOOP JOHN T SWAN 40 Iain Thomson
IRL 1507 1.057 James Tyrrell ASC
IRL 1129 Jump The Gun J109 1.005 John M Kelly RIYC
GBR 7536R Hot Cookie Sunfast 3600 John O'Gorman NYC
IRL 3471 Black Velvet 0.979 Leslie Parnell RIYC
IRL 4007 Tsunami First 40.7 Michelle Farreall National Yacht Club
IRL 66 Checkmate XX 1.115 Nigel BIGGS HYC
GBR 6695R Wild Haggis Farr 30 1.060 Nigel Ingram Holyhead
GBR 9496T Bojangles J109 0.999 Paul HAMPSON Liverpool Yacht Club
IRL 1367 Boomerang Beneteau 36.7 0.997 Paul Kirwan
GBR 8992R Lightning Farr 30 1.074 Paul Sutton Holyhead Sailing Club
GBR 9047R Mojito J109 Peter Dunlop Pwllheli SC - RDYC
GBR 9244R Samatom Grand Soleil 44R 1.134 Robert Rendell HYC
IRL 44444 Magic Touch 0.979 Steve Hayes GSC
IRL 3317 Scotia First 31.7 0.930 Terence Fair Ballyholme yacht club
GBR 5373 Honey Bee Hunter HB31 0.900 William Partington Pwllheli Sailing Club / SCYC