Displaying items by tag: New Patrol Boats

21st February 2022

Revenue Commissioners to Spend €20m on New Customs Patrol Boats to Help Tackle Drug Trade

New patrol boats (cutters) for the Revenue Commissioners 'maritime' unit. Above an existing patrol cutter, RCC Faire in Dingle Harbour, Co. Kerry

Two new patrol boats are set to be purchased by the Revenue Commissioners. The new vessels will be used, in part, to expand the service’s ability to tackle drug smuggling and other seaborne criminal activities.

The patrol vessels, which sources believe will cost €20m to purchase, will require a tender notice to be issued later this year.

Revenue already has two patrol boats in their Maritime Unit, the Revenue Commissioner Cutter (RCC) Faire and the RCC Suirbheir.

It is understood the RCC Faire is generally based in Dun Laoghaire Harbour in Dublin and the RCC Suirbheir is normally seen operating near Kinsale, Co Cork.

It is believed the arrival of two new vessels, which it’s understood will each have a crew of six personnel, will see the new boats positioned in various ports around the country.

A Revenue spokesperson said the vessels will replace the current boats without any overlap of service.

In response to a query from The Journal (more on the story) a Revenue spokesperson said that a Prior Information Notice (PIN) had been published in the Official Journal of the EU in November, 2021.

Published in Coastal Notes

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About World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day is celebrated annually on June 8th to highlight the important role the ocean has for our life and the planet. The focus each year is on the 30x30 campaign: to create a healthy ocean with abundant wildlife and to stabilise the climate, it is critical that 30% of our planet’s lands, waters, and oceans are protected by 2030.

One of the issues affecting our ocean is marine litter which has become a global problem for both humans and marine life. However, communities around Ireland have demonstrated their desire to be part of the solution by taking part in several beach cleaning and clean-up calls to action.

Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities.

In 2021, the initiative changed its name from “World Oceans Day” to “World Ocean Day”. By dropping the “s”, its organisers wanted to highlight the fact that we are all connected by a large ocean. This shared ocean supports all life on the planet, by producing most of the oxygen we breathe and regulating climate. No matter where we live, we all depend on the ocean to survive.

This means that each piece of marine litter removed from a beach, river, lake, park or street in Ireland, will have a positive impact on a global scale.