Afloat – Ireland's Sailing and Boating Magazine
Ferry operator Stena Line has carried out a large-scale multi-agency emergency response exercise at its 12 Quays Terminal in Birkenhead, on Merseyside, serving Dublin and Belfast. The exercise brought together maritime, emergency service, and port partners to test and strengthen…
Stena Line to Acquire CLdN's Somerset Set to Replace Dublin-Birkenhead Freight Twins
16th October 2026 Stena Line
Stena Line has reached an agreement to acquire a ro-ro freight ferry, the Somerset, from CLdN and is to serve on the Dublin Port-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route. Subject to closure and transfer, the vessel would begin operating the central Irish Sea…
Ireland's maritime regulator has refused consent for a proposed 300MW floating solar development in the Shannon Estuary, citing concerns over the applicant's technical and financial capability and the project's alignment with Government marine spatial planning policy. The Maritime Area Regulatory…
The Royal Cork Yacht Club (RCYC) will host its 2026 Dinghy Frostbite Series in Cork Harbour over four racing days in November, with competition open to a range of junior and adult dinghy classes. Racing at Crosshaven is scheduled for…
Almost half of Dublin Port Scholarship recipients were the first in their family to attend third-level education, while nine in ten faced financial barriers to going to college, according to a survey marking the programme's 25th anniversary. The survey of…
The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouses (IALA) has asked the Nautical Institute, the worldwide professional mariners’ organisation, to carry out a new survey of user feedback on how mariners “use and value” AtoN (Aids to Navigation)…
Inland Fisheries Ireland is seeking submissions on oyster dredging in Co Mayo for 2027–2032, with environmental assessments identifying potential disturbance to protected waterbirds. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has opened a public consultation on proposed oyster dredging licences in Blacksod Bay,…
New 'Green Innovation Compass' Launched on European & Inland Port Organisations' Websites
16th October 2026 Ports & Shipping
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) and the European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) are pleased to announce the new Green Innovation Compass. The knowledge platform brings together European expertise and practical experience on port innovations is now available through…
Christian Hamilton, Aurélien Pierroz, Oscar Engström and Jeppe Borch secure direct quarter-final places after finishing level on eight wins in Hamilton Harbour. Four skippers finished level on eight wins to qualify directly for the quarter-finals of the 2026 Bermuda Gold…
Manxman Re-Enters Dry Dock Following Returned Repaired Propeller Drive Shafts
16th October 2026 Ferry
The flagship ferry, Manxman, has re-entered dry dock on Merseyside as work to return the Isle of Man Steam Packet's largest vessel to service continues. The 24,161 gross-tonnage flagship writes ManxRadio, has been undergoing repairs at Balaenia Birkenhead since July, when…
Joint Letter Calls on EU Member States Not to Cut Long-Term Transport Budget
16th October 2026 Ports & Shipping
European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels for a two-day summit to discuss, among other priorities, the EU’s long-term budget for 2028-2034. In the run-up to the discussions, the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), together with Europe’s transport sector, is…
Pat Lawless continues to whittle back Damien Guillou's Golden Globe Race lead as a high-pressure area in the South Atlantic, well east of the River Plate Estuary, serves up adverse easterlies, such that although Guillou's Rustler 36 Solarem is shown…
Denmark's Jeppe Borch and Sweden's Oskar Engström each scored five wins from six matches as the 2026 Bermuda Gold Cup opened in Hamilton Harbour on Wednesday (14 October). The Scandinavian skippers lead the 12-team fleet at the penultimate event of…
Enniskillen RNLI volunteers assisted six people during two separate callouts on Lower Lough Erne over 48 hours after mechanical problems left two boats requiring assistance. Enniskillen RNLI's inshore lifeboat, John and Jean Lewis, was launched twice on Tuesday, 6 October,…
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has confirmed that catch certification services resumed normally on Thursday morning following Wednesday's industrial action, with no disruption to Irish seafood exports and no backlog of applications. Irish seafood exports were unaffected by Wednesday's 24-hour…
Almost 70,000 hours of marine and coastal survey work have been completed off Ireland's south coast as EirGrid advances plans to connect 900MW of offshore renewable energy to the national electricity grid. EirGrid has completed its 2026 marine and coastal…
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has adopted new guidance aimed at ensuring marine geoengineering research avoids unacceptable impacts, amid growing interest in climate change mitigation technologies. Marine geoengineering involves methods to increase the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from…
The 58th Barcolana regatta in Trieste drew 1,858 entries and an estimated 21,000 people at sea, while the wider sailing festival recorded about 550,000 visits between 1st - 12th October. The figures, released by organisers Società Velica di Barcola e…
DFDS, which operates twin ferries on behalf of owner Transmanche Ferries, has issued a new tender worth EUR 271 million for the Dieppe–Newhaven route between France and the UK. Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de l’Activité Transmanche (SMPAT), which is branded…
Balthasar Wins Yachting Malta Coastal Race Ahead of Middle Sea Race
15th October 2026 Middle Sea Race
Filip Balcaen's Mills 72 Balthasar claimed line honours and overall IRC victory in Wednesday's 30-nautical-mile Yachting Malta Coastal Race, as crews completed a final competitive test ahead of Saturday's Rolex Middle Sea Race. Filip Balcaen's Mills 72 Balthasar, with Bouwe…
