Displaying items by tag: Ferry Firms

31st October 2020

Ferry Operators Reject Claims of Forcing Freight Drivers to Share Cabins

TD Verona Murphy said she has been approached by drivers who have made the claims.

Ferry operators are denying claims truck drivers have to share cabins with people they do not know.

Wexford TD Verona Murphy, former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said she has been approached by drivers who have made the claims.

She called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to make sure that no truck driver has to share a cabin with somebody they do not know.

She said that drivers she has spoken to have claimed they are refusing to share with other drivers, and are then having to sleep on chairs or the floor instead.

Ferry Operators Handed £77.6m in UK Government Post-Brexit Contracts

UK Ferry Contracts: Additional capacity will be on quieter ferry mainland Europe-UK routes to ports among them Felixstowe (above) on the North Sea. AFLOAT's photo of DFDS ro-ro freightferry Gardenia Seaways. Opposite of the Suffolk port is Harwich in Essex where another reciprient of the Post-Brexit contract, Stena Line serve Hook van Holland, Netherlands.

Ferry firms involving four operators have landed UK government contracts worth a total of £77.6m to provide post-Brexit freight capacity.

Brittany Ferries, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Stena Line, according to BBC News, will have the job of ensuring medical supplies and other vital goods continue to get to the UK.

The government says it wants a smooth flow of freight "whatever the outcome of negotiations with the EU",

Contracts will be in place for up to six months after the Brexit transition period ends on 31 December.

The additional capacity will be on quieter ferry routes between mainland Europe and UK ports in Felixstowe, Harwich, Hull, Newhaven, Poole, Portsmouth, Teesport and Tilbury.

Published in Ferry

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Response of Ferry Firms to Concerns of West Cork Locals Reporting Rise in Visitor Numbers

Rosslare Europort in this photo for AFLOAT which adds in these challenging times the Co. Wexford ferryport is now the nearest to West Cork. As according to EchoLive, Brittany Ferries have suspended all passenger services until further notice on the Cork-Roscoff route and Rosslare-Bilbao. AFLOAT adds however a 'freight' service is maintained to Spain and a new Rosslare-Roscoff route was to have launched last month. This leaves the 'south' of the country with only one Ireland-mainland Europe route, Stena Line's Rosslare-Cherbourg service. As for Rosslare's short-sea services linking the UK, Irish Ferries connect to Pembroke operated by Isle of Inishmore (on left) while Stena Line also serves south Wales to Fishguard using Stena Europe also berthed at the harbour.

Among communities of West Cork towns there are growing concerns as people make their way to holiday homes and caravan parks this week, despite the 2km radius travel restriction put in place by the government.

Locals took to social media, reports EchoLive, to express their concerns and reported seeing an increase in UK vehicle registrations in coastal areas of the county.

Ferry companies who are still operating between the UK and Ireland have advised that passengers should only travel for essential purposes.

Simon Palmer, Communications Manager for Stena Line, which is still operating its ferry service from Fishguard in Wales to Rosslare Harbour in Wexford, said that passenger numbers over the Easter weekend were low.

Speaking to The Echo, he confirmed that a total of 26 passengers are due to arrive into Rosslare on Stena Line ferries over the weekend.

Five passengers are due to travel on Saturday, seven on Sunday and fourteen on Monday.

He said that those passengers who have already travelled to Ireland from Wales were deemed to be taking essential travel.

More on the story including a response from an Irish Ferries spokesperson on the situation click here.

Published in West Cork

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About the Loughs Agency

The Loughs Agency is a governmental body established under the 1998 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. The Agency's goal is to provide sustainable social, economic, and environmental benefits by effectively conserving, managing, promoting, and developing the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

The Agency's governing legislation confers several specific functions, including the promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery, and aquaculture matters. Moreover, the Agency is responsible for managing, conserving, protecting, improving, and developing the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Additionally, the Agency has the task of developing and licensing aquaculture, as well as the development of marine tourism.

The Loughs Agency reports to the North South Ministerial Council and its government Sponsor Departments, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) in Ireland. The Departments fund the Agency on an equal basis.

The Loughs Agency's focus on sustainable development is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, environment, and local communities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. The Agency's efforts to conserve and enhance the region's marine resources, including fisheries and aquaculture, are expected to benefit local communities, promote tourism, and contribute to economic growth.

In conclusion, the Loughs Agency plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable social, economic, and environmental development of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Its work on marine conservation and development is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the region's natural resources and in promoting sustainable economic growth.