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Displaying items by tag: Marine Industry Awards

#ShannonEstuary - Shannon Foynes Port Company was announced as the winner of Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year at the Marine Industry Awards 2017.

In the third annual hosting of the event (click here), SFPC – which oversees commercial navigation on the Shannon Estuary and is Ireland’s largest bulk port company - took the top award for ports for the first time. The win, which was announced at the awards in Galway, is a further endorsement of the success of the company, which has achieved remarkable growth year on year since 2011.

The award winners are selected by an independent panel of recognised and expert judges, representing Ireland's marine sector.

Speaking after receiving the award, SFPC CEO Pat Keating said it was validation of the collective efforts of the team. “We’re delighted as this is an endorsement of the efforts being made by the company over recent years. We have really turned the business around since the downturn and today SFPC is one of the key contributors to the regional economy.

“Last year we had growth of 11.4% in year on year tonnages at our general cargo terminals, bringing us close to peak tonnages of the boom and delivering double digit growth for the second successive year. This award very much recognises those gains.

“It also recognises the ambition of the company, backed up by a capital expenditure programme by us and our customers that has seen €40m spent at Foynes alone over the past three years.”

SFPC facilitates trade valued at €7.6bn per annum, with an economic impact arising from this of €1.9bn – equivalent to 1% of Ireland’s entire GDP – and supports 3,372 jobs in the regional economy.

The company’s ambitious plan, Vision 2041, is focussed on helping to transform the estuary into an international economic hub by taking advantage of what are among the deepest and sheltered harbours in Europe & the world.

Published in Shannon Estuary
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#MarineAwards - The winners of The Marine Industry Awards 2017 were revealed at the gala awards ceremony which took place as part of SeaFest in Galway.

In total 16 categories were announced at the premier event in Ireland for showcasing on a national scale the outstanding excellence and innovation in Ireland's marine sector. This was the third such year that the annual event has been held.

As for the winner of the prestigious Marine Industry Leader 2017, Sean O’Donoghue was the worthy recipient of the trophy. The award sponsored by the National Maritime College of Ireland, is in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the growth of the marine industry in Ireland.

A graduate of Civil Engineering from University College, Cork, Sean has been the CEO of Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation since 2000. He has a long and established career in fisheries management and has worked across a wide array of areas such as the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and state seafood agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Below are the winners of each of the categories representing what is best in the Marine Industry in Ireland.

Overall Marine Excellence Award

Sponsored by Marine Institute

Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions

 

Marine Industry Leader 2017

Sponsored by National Maritime College of Ireland

Sean O’Donoghue

 

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year 
Sponsored by PwC

Shannon Foynes Port Company

Shipping Company of the Year 

Sponsored by Irish Maritime Development Office

Atlantic Towage & Marine

 

Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award 
Lir National Ocean Test Facility

 

Seafood Sustainability Award 

Burren Smokehouse

 

Seafood Business Innovation Award 

Sponsored by BIM

Keohane Seafoods

 

Aquaculture Company of the Year

Sponsored by BIM

Mulroy Bay Mussels

Marine Tourism & Leisure Operator of the Year

Sea Synergy Marine Awareness & Activity Centre

Special Recognition Award
Capt. Viv Gough

Offshore Ireland Award
Sponsored by SEFtec Group

Woodside

 

Excellence in Marine Safety Award

SAMS Solutions - CH Marine

 

Excellence in Marine Research Award

Sponsored by Marine Ireland

MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy

 

The Digital Ocean Achievement Award

TechWorks Marine
 

Excellence in Marine Technology Award

Sponsored by Marine Institute

SafeTrx - 8 West Consulting

 

Excellence in Marine Education & Training Award

National Maritime College of Ireland

 

Future Achiever Award

Sponsored by MaREI

Sean Harrington - Atlantic Towage & Marine

Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry

Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions

Marine Industry Supplier of the Year

Swan Net Gundry

Published in Ports & Shipping
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#MarineAwards - The Marine Industry Awards are Ireland's premier event to showcase on a national scale excellence and innovation within our marine sector.

Now in the third year, the Awards are a significant event which will be held during SeaFest in Galway.  The Awards ceremony takes place on Thursday, June 29th at the Radisson Blu Galway.

The Awards offers a unique opportunity to celebrate industry excellence and network with its most distinguished figures and leading organisations.

Of the 15 categories open for entries, the Marine Industry Awards offer companies an excellent opportunity to showcase the diversity of the marine sector, and the role of companies operating within it. Winners will be selected by an esteemed panel of judges comprising of well-respected professionals and experts across all areas of the marine industry.

So to considering entering your company, entries are now open until April 12th, to apply click online here.

Below are the list of the 15 Marine Industry categories.

Overall Marine Excellence Award

Marine Industry Leader 2017

Future Achiever Award

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year – Large

Ports & Harbours Operator of the Year – Small

Ship Operator of the Year

Offshore Ireland Award

Marine Tourism & Leisure Operator of the Year

Marine Industry Supplier of the Year

Seafood Business Innovation Award

Seafood Sustainability Award

Excellence in Marine Renewable Energy Award

Excellence in Marine Safety Award

Excellence in Marine Technology Award

Excellence in Marine Education & Training Award

Excellence in Marine Research Award

Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry

In addition to assist in making an application for a category, click this PDF Entry Guide booklet here.

Published in Ports & Shipping

#ShippingReview - Jehan Ashmore reviews the shipping scene and of the following stories among the last fortnight.

Enterprise Ireland are to seek its clients to be less reliant on UK markets following Brexit, this is to reduce exports by about 7% over the next five years.

Bad news for Irish exporters into the UK as imports will decline as foreign products become more expensive due to weakening sterling, ratings agency Fitch has warned.

At the second annual Marine Industry Awards, held in Galway, Dr Dave Jackson of the Marine Institute was named as Marine Industry Leader for 2016.

After 15 years the European Commission, Council and Parliament have agreed on Port Regulation, a legal framework for organising port services and financial transparency for ports.

Following completion of a series of three freight train trials will enable Irish Rail to increase loads by 50%.

CSO figures reveal an increase in Irish port volumes that handled 50.7 million tonnes of goods in 2015, an increase of 3.2 million tonnes (+6.7%) when compared to 2014.

Published in Ports & Shipping

#MarineAwards - The second annual Marine Industry Awards, hosted last night (Thursday 30 June) at the Radisson Blu Galway, saw Dr Dave Jackson of the Marine Institute named as Marine Industry Leader for 2016.

The Marine Institute was proud to sponsor four prestigious awards at last night's ceremony, held to coincide with SeaFest in the City of the Tribes.

These included the Excellence in Marine Technology Award, which went to Seagull Buoys – JFC Manufacturing, and the Excellence in Marine Education and Training Award presented to the Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART).

The Excellence in Marine Research Award went to the Coastal/Ocean Observing System, NUI Galway, while the award for Excellence in the Provision of Professional Services to the Marine Industry, sponsored by the Irish Maritime Development Office, went to GAC Training and Service Solutions.

Marin eMinister Michael Creed and Marine Institute chief executive Dr Peter Heffernan commended all the awardees on their success.

On Dr Jackson's award, Dr Heffernan said: "This award is a tremendous recognition of the significant role Dave has played in the development of the aquaculture industry both in Ireland and on an international level.

"I would like to personally acknowledge this achievement as a reflection of his career spanning over 30 years, dedicated to the advancement and expansion of the aquaculture industry."

The event was hosted by comic and broadcaster Colm O'Regan, with 19 prestigious trophies presented to the very best leaders and organisations operating across Ireland's marine industry.

According to the organisers, the Marine Industry Awards provide a voice for the individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of the industry in Ireland while recognising the key functions within the industry that promote growth and sustainability including manufacturing, port operations, logistics and commercial excellence to innovation, tourism and leisure, sustainability, aquaculture, education as well as many others.

A full list of last night's winners is available HERE.

Published in News Update

#MarineIndustryAwards - The Marine Industry Awards 2016 will take place at the Radisson Blu Galway in association with SeaFest, Ireland's national maritime festival, on Thursday 30 June.

Debuting in Dublin last year as the Maritime Industry Awards, the ceremony has been revamped to greater encompass all aspects of the maritime and marine sectors, and celebrate their contribution to the Irish economy.

The Marine Industry Awards provide a voice for the individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of the industry in Ireland while recognising the key functions within the industry that promote growth and sustainability.

The deadline for entries at 5pm next Friday 22 April is fast approaching – with award categories ranging from manufacturing, port operations, logistics & commercial excellence to innovation, tourism & leisure, sustainability, aquaculture, education as well as many others.

National Maritime College of Ireland head Conor Mowlds chairs a judging panel that includes a number of names returning from last year's awards:

  • Liam Lacy, director, Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO) Shipping Industry
  • Donal Maguire, Bord Iascaigh Mhara
  • Dermot Clohessy, Marine Institute
  • Dr Margaret Rae, Marine Institute
  • Lorcan O’Cinnéide, Irish Fish Processors
  • Prof Patrick Shannon, Irish Offshore Operators’ Association
  • Yvonne Shields, Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport
  • Declan Meally, SEAI
  • Dave Ronayne, Mainport
  • Robert Dix, KPMG

For more details visit the Marine Industry Awards website HERE.

Published in Ports & Shipping
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Ireland's Offshore Renewable Energy

Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, it has more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe. The conditions are suitable for the development of the full range of current offshore renewable energy technologies.

Offshore Renewable Energy FAQs

Offshore renewable energy draws on the natural energy provided by wind, wave and tide to convert it into electricity for industry and domestic consumption.

Offshore wind is the most advanced technology, using fixed wind turbines in coastal areas, while floating wind is a developing technology more suited to deeper water. In 2018, offshore wind provided a tiny fraction of global electricity supply, but it is set to expand strongly in the coming decades into a USD 1 trillion business, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It says that turbines are growing in size and in power capacity, which in turn is "delivering major performance and cost improvements for offshore wind farms".

The global offshore wind market grew nearly 30% per year between 2010 and 2018, according to the IEA, due to rapid technology improvements, It calculated that about 150 new offshore wind projects are in active development around the world. Europe in particular has fostered the technology's development, led by Britain, Germany and Denmark, but China added more capacity than any other country in 2018.

A report for the Irish Wind Energy Assocation (IWEA) by the Carbon Trust – a British government-backed limited company established to accelerate Britain's move to a low carbon economy - says there are currently 14 fixed-bottom wind energy projects, four floating wind projects and one project that has yet to choose a technology at some stage of development in Irish waters. Some of these projects are aiming to build before 2030 to contribute to the 5GW target set by the Irish government, and others are expected to build after 2030. These projects have to secure planning permission, obtain a grid connection and also be successful in a competitive auction in the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

The electricity generated by each turbine is collected by an offshore electricity substation located within the wind farm. Seabed cables connect the offshore substation to an onshore substation on the coast. These cables transport the electricity to land from where it will be used to power homes, farms and businesses around Ireland. The offshore developer works with EirGrid, which operates the national grid, to identify how best to do this and where exactly on the grid the project should connect.

The new Marine Planning and Development Management Bill will create a new streamlined system for planning permission for activity or infrastructure in Irish waters or on the seabed, including offshore wind farms. It is due to be published before the end of 2020 and enacted in 2021.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE. Is there scope for community involvement in offshore wind? The IWEA says that from the early stages of a project, the wind farm developer "should be engaging with the local community to inform them about the project, answer their questions and listen to their concerns". It says this provides the community with "the opportunity to work with the developer to help shape the final layout and design of the project". Listening to fishing industry concerns, and how fishermen may be affected by survey works, construction and eventual operation of a project is "of particular concern to developers", the IWEA says. It says there will also be a community benefit fund put in place for each project. It says the final details of this will be addressed in the design of the RESS (see below) for offshore wind but it has the potential to be "tens of millions of euro over the 15 years of the RESS contract". The Government is also considering the possibility that communities will be enabled to invest in offshore wind farms though there is "no clarity yet on how this would work", the IWEA says.

Based on current plans, it would amount to around 12 GW of offshore wind energy. However, the IWEA points out that is unlikely that all of the projects planned will be completed. The industry says there is even more significant potential for floating offshore wind off Ireland's west coast and the Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a long-term plan for at least 30 GW of floating offshore wind in our deeper waters.

There are many different models of turbines. The larger a turbine, the more efficient it is in producing electricity at a good price. In choosing a turbine model the developer will be conscious of this ,but also has to be aware the impact of the turbine on the environment, marine life, biodiversity and visual impact. As a broad rule an offshore wind turbine will have a tip-height of between 165m and 215m tall. However, turbine technology is evolving at a rapid rate with larger more efficient turbines anticipated on the market in the coming years.

 

The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is designed to support the development of renewable energy projects in Ireland. Under the scheme wind farms and solar farms compete against each other in an auction with the projects which offer power at the lowest price awarded contracts. These contracts provide them with a guaranteed price for their power for 15 years. If they obtain a better price for their electricity on the wholesale market they must return the difference to the consumer.

Yes. The first auction for offshore renewable energy projects is expected to take place in late 2021.

Cost is one difference, and technology is another. Floating wind farm technology is relatively new, but allows use of deeper water. Ireland's 50-metre contour line is the limit for traditional bottom-fixed wind farms, and it is also very close to population centres, which makes visibility of large turbines an issue - hence the attraction of floating structures Do offshore wind farms pose a navigational hazard to shipping? Inshore fishermen do have valid concerns. One of the first steps in identifying a site as a potential location for an offshore wind farm is to identify and assess the level of existing marine activity in the area and this particularly includes shipping. The National Marine Planning Framework aims to create, for the first time, a plan to balance the various kinds of offshore activity with the protection of the Irish marine environment. This is expected to be published before the end of 2020, and will set out clearly where is suitable for offshore renewable energy development and where it is not - due, for example, to shipping movements and safe navigation.

YEnvironmental organisations are concerned about the impact of turbines on bird populations, particularly migrating birds. A Danish scientific study published in 2019 found evidence that larger birds were tending to avoid turbine blades, but said it didn't have sufficient evidence for smaller birds – and cautioned that the cumulative effect of farms could still have an impact on bird movements. A full environmental impact assessment has to be carried out before a developer can apply for planning permission to develop an offshore wind farm. This would include desk-based studies as well as extensive surveys of the population and movements of birds and marine mammals, as well as fish and seabed habitats. If a potential environmental impact is identified the developer must, as part of the planning application, show how the project will be designed in such a way as to avoid the impact or to mitigate against it.

A typical 500 MW offshore wind farm would require an operations and maintenance base which would be on the nearby coast. Such a project would generally create between 80-100 fulltime jobs, according to the IWEA. There would also be a substantial increase to in-direct employment and associated socio-economic benefit to the surrounding area where the operation and maintenance hub is located.

The recent Carbon Trust report for the IWEA, entitled Harnessing our potential, identified significant skills shortages for offshore wind in Ireland across the areas of engineering financial services and logistics. The IWEA says that as Ireland is a relatively new entrant to the offshore wind market, there are "opportunities to develop and implement strategies to address the skills shortages for delivering offshore wind and for Ireland to be a net exporter of human capital and skills to the highly competitive global offshore wind supply chain". Offshore wind requires a diverse workforce with jobs in both transferable (for example from the oil and gas sector) and specialist disciplines across apprenticeships and higher education. IWEA have a training network called the Green Tech Skillnet that facilitates training and networking opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

It is expected that developing the 3.5 GW of offshore wind energy identified in the Government's Climate Action Plan would create around 2,500 jobs in construction and development and around 700 permanent operations and maintenance jobs. The Programme for Government published in 2020 has an enhanced target of 5 GW of offshore wind which would create even more employment. The industry says that in the initial stages, the development of offshore wind energy would create employment in conducting environmental surveys, community engagement and development applications for planning. As a site moves to construction, people with backgrounds in various types of engineering, marine construction and marine transport would be recruited. Once the site is up and running , a project requires a team of turbine technicians, engineers and administrators to ensure the wind farm is fully and properly maintained, as well as crew for the crew transfer vessels transporting workers from shore to the turbines.

The IEA says that today's offshore wind market "doesn't even come close to tapping the full potential – with high-quality resources available in most major markets". It estimates that offshore wind has the potential to generate more than 420 000 Terawatt hours per year (TWh/yr) worldwide – as in more than 18 times the current global electricity demand. One Terawatt is 114 megawatts, and to put it in context, Scotland it has a population a little over 5 million and requires 25 TWh/yr of electrical energy.

Not as advanced as wind, with anchoring a big challenge – given that the most effective wave energy has to be in the most energetic locations, such as the Irish west coast. Britain, Ireland and Portugal are regarded as most advanced in developing wave energy technology. The prize is significant, the industry says, as there are forecasts that varying between 4000TWh/yr to 29500TWh/yr. Europe consumes around 3000TWh/year.

The industry has two main umbrella organisations – the Irish Wind Energy Association, which represents both onshore and offshore wind, and the Marine Renewables Industry Association, which focuses on all types of renewable in the marine environment.

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