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.
New Fast-Ferry for Isles of Scilly As Harland & Wolff 'Secured' Craft Set to Enter Service in Spring
22nd December 2023 Ferry
Belfast based Harland & Wolff is to introduce a new fast ferry to the Isles of Scilly which they say has been "secured" and due to start running a service in the spring in competition with an existing company. The…
Race Against Time As Locals Attempt to Save Historic Arklow Sail-Cargo Ship before Deconstruction Deadline
22nd December 2023 Historic Boats
Maritime enthusiasts from Arklow have implored Wicklow County Council to help them in their race against the clock to save parts of an historic auxiliary sailing cargo-ship, the last of its type to serve on the Irish Sea. The local…
Shipyard firm Harland & Wolff based in Belfast has decided not to make a formal bid to buy the passenger ferry and freight-company, which operates to the Isles of Scilly off Cornwall. In an initial approach by H&W to acquire…
Ferry Officers of Isle of Man Steam Packet to Refuse to Do Overtime in Dispute
21st December 2023 Ferry
Officers employed by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, will according to a union, refuse to work overtime from 27 December in a dispute over changes to contracts. In a ballot of union members from Nautilus International, who make…
Major Deal Signed between Stena Line and Peel Ports to Operate at Heysham Port until the Year 2100
21st December 2023 Stena Line
Ferry company, Stena Line has signed a significant deal with a major UK port operator, the Peel Ports Group to operate from Heysham Port, England for the next 77-years until 2100. A twice daily freight service is run on the…
Stena Line to Launch New Freight Route of Dublin-Birkenhead (Liverpool) Complementing Existing Belfast Link
15th December 2023 Stena Line
Ferry operator, Stena Line has confirmed plans to launch a new freight-only Dublin-Birkenhead (Liverpool) route which is start service in mid-February 2024. The new central Irish Sea service will initially operate with one ro-ro ship departing Dublin early in the…
New Design for Zero-Emission English Channel Operating Autonomous Container Vessel to Feature Wind Blades
15th December 2023 Ports & Shipping
A Belgian maritime innovator, Zulu Associates is revealing the latest concept design of its groundbreaking 200 TEU autonomous short sea container vessel, the Zulu Mass. The design for the Zulu Mass is to feature an auxiliary wind assistance system as…
In the north-west at Sligo Port, is where the facility could possibly see an increase in shipping activities to take place in the coming years. The potential for increased traffic at the port, Sligo Champion reports is on foot of…
Should Scotland's Government Owned Ferry Operator CalMac be Given a Permanent Contract? - See Online Poll
15th December 2023 Ferry
Scottish Government owned ferry operator, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) is considering providing a permanent public contract to run its own ageing fleet to west coast islands. An uncontested direct award, The Herald writes, to the state-owned operator CalMac by Ministers’ is…
Quarterly Report from ESRI As It Cuts Domestic Growth Forecast Again as Irish Households & Businesses Tighten Belts
14th December 2023 Ports & Shipping
In its latest quarterly outlook report, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which provides evidence-based research to inform public policy debate and decision-making, has cut its domestic economic growth forecasts for a third time this year. As The Irish…
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…
Shipbuilder Harland & Wolff Group Reaches Milestone of 1,000th Employee
14th December 2023 Shipyards
With its largest shipyard based in Belfast, the Harland & Wolff Group has announced that it has reached 1,000 employees across the company's facilities on both sides of the Irish Sea. The international shipbuilding and marine engineering business continues to actively…
Dover-Calais Operators’ DFDS and P&O Ferries Advise Passengers During Calais Port Workers’ Strike
14th December 2023 Ferry
Strait of Dover ferry sailings to Calais are being affected by strike action in France today, (14 Dec.) an operator has warned. The Danish company, DFDS says because of the effect on the Dover-Calais route, it is offering sailings on…
New Mersey Ferry to Be Built Locally at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead Will be the First in 60 Years
13th December 2023 Shipyards
The shipyard which built the UK's polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough, Cammell Laird is to construct the first new Mersey ferry in 60 years, in a move which marks a major milestone for the shipbuilder. Located at Birkenhead…
Trade Union Says Industrial Action Is 'Increasingly Likely' for Ferry Crew Workers of Isle of Man Steam Packet
13th December 2023 Ferry
Trade union, Nautilus International has said that industrial action is "increasingly likely" for the ferry crew working for the Isle of Man Steam Packet, as they have criticised the operator’s latest move over 'fire and rehire' of seafarers. According to…
UK Shadow Secretary Visits Harland & Wolff As Labour Party Announce Government Ships to Be Built Across UK If Elected
13th December 2023 Shipyards
A visit to Harland & Wolff Group’s Belfast shipyard took place recently by the UK Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP. The visit according to Harland & Wolff came on the same day that the Shadow…
Belfast Based Artemis Technologies Brings ‘Flying’ Electric Boats to Overseas Market
12th December 2023 Belfast Lough
Belfast based Artemis Technologies, which is a Northern Ireland company, is bringing its ‘flying’ electrical boats to international markets after receiving millions of pounds in backing. The financial development reports Belfast Telegraph, ushers in a new era for the city’s…
Aran Island Ferries Winter Route out of Rossaveel Sees Connecting Shuttle-Bus Stop Relocate in Galway City
12th December 2023 Ferry
Following the closing of the seasonal tourist ferry in September on the direct Galway City-Aran Islands route, operator Aran Island Ferries continues with winter sailings, as part of the year-route out of Rossaveel, Connemara, writes Jehan Ashmore. So at this time…
Shannon Foynes Port Company Invite Transition Students to Enter 'Shooting the Breeze' Short-Film Competition
12th December 2023 Shannon Estuary
Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) in collaboration with The Hunt Museum, Limerick would like to invite Transition Year Students in counties lining the Shannon estuary to enter a short film competition. The students invited from counties, Clare, Limerick and Kerry,…
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…