Displaying items by tag: Marine Survey Office

10th August 2010

New Workboat For Shannon Estuary

Delivery of the vessel from Mooney Boats in Killybegs was down along the West Coast of Ireland, up the Shannon estuary and through the twin locks at Ardnacrusha, to its new work place on the Lower Shannon. The Inis Muilinn is the second new vessel to enter service on the Shannon. The larger Inis Cealtra workboat commenced service on the North Shannon in 2009.

Specially designed for towing operations on inland waterways, the Inis Muilinn has a shallow draught and powerful 320hp engine to enable it tow and manoeuvre pontoons and sections of floating moorings to various locations along the Shannon. The access basket attachment for the deck crane enables ready and safe access to high navigation markers and bridges along the waterways.

Designed as a multi-purpose workboat/tug, the Inis Muilinn is equipped with a Caterpillar C7 320hp engine and quick-shift Twin Disc gearbox,13 kVA Generator, Guerra deck crane and remote controlled man access basket, hydraulic bow thruster and a suite of electronic equipment including chart-plotter, radar and radio equipment. Environmentally friendly sealed tube coolers are used on both the main engine and generator. The substantial tube cooler supplied by Klima for the main engine is designed to enable the boat to operate at maximum power when travelling against the strong winter flows encountered on the Shannon.

The Inis Muilinn is a further addition to a fleet of more than 60 boats owned and operated by Waterways Ireland staff in the management and maintenance of the waterways under its remit.

The Inis Muilinn was designed and built to Waterways Irelands specification by Mooney Boats of Killybegs and their naval architects, Marine Design International. The vessel is constructed and certified to the meet the regulatory requirements of the Marine Survey Office (Dept of Transport).

Published in Shannon Estuary

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Page 3 of 3

Offshore wind

ESB know the importance of offshore wind in tackling climate change and delivering net zero. Ireland has a unique capability given its prime location to take advantage of the potential of offshore wind. ESB are working hard to develop offshore wind projects for the benefit of everyone across society in Ireland and the UK. This includes ongoing engagement with marine users and local communities so ESB can deliver these significant projects.

Offshore wind will play a major role globally in our fight against climate change. It will help to replace energy generated by burning fossil fuels with that from a clean, safe and secure renewable energy source. Ireland’s geographic location on the exposed edge of the Atlantic presents us with a significant opportunity to generate electricity from wind – both offshore and onshore.

Power from onshore wind farms currently provide over one-third of Ireland’s electricity needs. But, whilst its marine area is many times the size of its landmass, Ireland’s offshore wind potential is only starting to be realised. ESB have a coastline stretching over 3,000km but only one operational offshore wind farm – Arklow Bank, with a capacity of 25 MW. In contrast, Belgium’s coastline is only 63km long, but it has already developed more than 2,000 MW of offshore wind. In Great Britain, with a coastline four times the length of ours, offshore wind generation now equates to over 440 Arklow Banks, with an installed capacity of 11,0000 MW as of late 2021.

The Irish Government's target to install 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity in our maritime area by 2030 is set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. It also has the objective to source 80% of Ireland’s electricity needs from renewables by the same year. In line with this, ESB is applying its professional and proven engineering expertise to the challenges set within the Climate Action Plan.

ESB are committed to playing a strong role in developing Ireland’s offshore wind potential for the benefit of the people of Ireland. This will be done in consultation with marine users and local communities, and with due care for the marine environment.