Before signing off for Afloat's report on RV Celtic Voyager's Dun Laoghaire call and bad weather forecast for Wicklow Head, this led to tracking an Arklow Shipping cargoship on a rare call bound to the nearby port, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The Arklow Vanguard had anchored overnight off Wicklow Head having sailed across the Celtic Sea from Avonmouth Docks (see: story), one of the two Bristol Port Co. ports. The other is Royal Portbury Docks on the opposite bank of the River Avon.
This morning the Royal Bodewes built Arklow Vanguard (2017/2,999grt) berthed alongside the Packet Quay, where the berth is the most used by commercial shipping in Wicklow Port. The cargoship was in ballast to load recyclable metals.
Arklow Vanguard's 'maiden' call to the east coast Irish Port is the first Arklow Shipping cargoship in almost a decade to Wicklow when Afloat reported on previous coaster's call to load scrap metal.
On that occasion in June, 2011, the Irish flagged Arklow Rebel (exactly same tonnage) of today's 'V' class though at 86.93m long is slightly shorter compared to the 'R' class (89.99m) dating to 2005.
Arklow Vanguard is the first to carry this name for ASL, albeit this particular cargoship is managed by their Dutch arm, Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V.
Among other vessels in port are AMS Retreiver and Husky, both belonging to Wicklow based Alphamarine and otherwise previously known as Island Shipping.
