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Displaying items by tag: Crew Transfer Vessel

Farra Marine Ltd is a new company set up in Dublin. It is a CTV (Crew Transfer Vessel) owner and operator and has had the first in a new line of catamaran wind farm vessels built by Penguin Shipyard in Singapore, Asia.  As Afloat reported a year ago, Farra Orla will be the first of its kind to operate from Ireland.

The 27m catamaran ship is presently docked in Bangor on Belfast Lough having arrived on December 5th. She will stay till the New Year. The Irish Ambassador to Singapore Pat Bourne and his wife Sonali Rajasingham attended the official naming ceremony in Singapore.

The Farra Orla in Bangor Harbour Photo: Bangor MarinaThe Farra Orla in Bangor Harbour Photo: Bangor Marina

The management team headed by owner and CEO Martin Rice, has been actively involved in the offshore wind sector for several years and has worked extensively across the UK and Europe on various renewable energy projects.

The Farra Orla voyaged to Europe via the Suez Canal, arriving in Ireland at Arklow in November. It is understood the company has plans for 10 more vessels, the second of which, the Farra Ciara is due for delivery this month ahead of schedule.

Farra CiaraFarra Ciara

The Farra Orla is the third in Penguin’s Windflex 27 series, which Australian designers Incat Crowther say offers excellent speed, deadweight and seakeeping, making it capable of many roles in the offshore wind industry.

An interior shot of Farra OrlaAn interior shot of Farra Orla

The vessel has a deadweight above 50 tonnes and features two working decks. A large working deck forward equipped with a deck crane can accommodate up to four 10-foot containers or two 20-foot. The aft deck can accommodate a 10-foot container. Both decks have multiple tie-down points for flexibility, accommodating every possible requirement or spares and equipment. Her service speed is 25 knots with a max of 31knots.

Inside the main cabin is a large wet room with multiple showers, toilets, and lockers. The main deck passenger space is large and open, with forward visibility, seating 24 personnel in comfortable suspended seats.

It will be the first of a new generation of offshore support vessels, able to stay at sea longer, work in increased weather limits and provide the greatest level of safety and comfort for those onboard.

Published in Belfast Lough

Marine Wildlife Around Ireland One of the greatest memories of any day spent boating around the Irish coast is an encounter with marine wildlife.  It's a thrill for young and old to witness seabirds, seals, dolphins and whales right there in their own habitat. As boaters fortunate enough to have experienced it will testify even spotting a distant dorsal fin can be the highlight of any day afloat.  Was that a porpoise? Was it a whale? No matter how brief the glimpse it's a privilege to share the seas with Irish marine wildlife.

Thanks to the location of our beautiful little island, perched in the North Atlantic Ocean there appears to be no shortage of marine life to observe.

From whales to dolphins, seals, sharks and other ocean animals this page documents the most interesting accounts of marine wildlife around our shores. We're keen to receive your observations, your photos, links and youtube clips.

Boaters have a unique perspective and all those who go afloat, from inshore kayaking to offshore yacht racing that what they encounter can be of real value to specialist organisations such as the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) who compile a list of sightings and strandings. The IWDG knowledge base has increased over the past 21 years thanks in part at least to the observations of sailors, anglers, kayakers and boaters.

Thanks to the IWDG work we now know we share the seas with dozens of species who also call Ireland home. Here's the current list: Atlantic white-sided dolphin, beluga whale, blue whale, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, false killer whale, fin whale, Gervais' beaked whale, harbour porpoise, humpback whale, killer whale, minke whale, northern bottlenose whale, northern right whale, pilot whale, pygmy sperm whale, Risso's dolphin, sei whale, Sowerby's beaked whale, sperm whale, striped dolphin, True's beaked whale and white-beaked dolphin.

But as impressive as the species list is the IWDG believe there are still gaps in our knowledge. Next time you are out on the ocean waves keep a sharp look out!