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Displaying items by tag: Q1, 2023

Irish Ports according to the Central Statistics Office figures released today show that they handled a total of 11.9 million tonnes of goods in the first quarter of the year.

As RTE News reports, this level of goods represented a decrease of 6% when compared with the same time last year.

The CSO’s Statistics of Port Traffic Quarter 1 2023 said that goods forwarded from Irish ports amounted to nearly 4 million tonnes within the first three months of the year.

In this Q1 period, the CSO added that a total of 7.9 million tonnes of goods were received.

As for the total number of commercial vessels that called in Irish ports during the first quarter of 2023, of the seven main ports – Drogheda and Dublin, Rosslare (Leinster) and Bantry, Cork, Shannon and Waterford (Munster) had decreased by 5% compared with Q1 of 2022.

Also amongst the key figures revealed was that Dublin Port had accounted for 63% of all vessel arrivals in Irish ports. In addition the capital port is where 51% of the total tonnage of goods were handled in January, February and March of this year.

Across the border and the Irish Sea is where Great Britain & Northern Ireland had accounted for 37% of the total tonnage of goods handled in the main ports by region of trade.

On mainland continental Europe, countries within the EU had resulted for 42% of the total tonnage of goods handled in seven major ports, the CSO added.

Published in Irish Ports

About Electric outboard engines

The direct-drive component in electric outboard engines means that the electric motors are incredibly efficient compared to conventional marine combustion motors, operating with considerably higher torque whilst using less power.

Without any need for gears, cooling systems and moving parts the motors are maintenance free, highly efficient and economic to run.

As a result, electric boat engines are becoming more popular on Irish waters as the world transitions from fossil fuels to green energy.

To date, popular electric engine sizes have been trolling engines typically used by fishermen on lakes.

These marine engines are available in models that can be used in fresh water and sea water, for your boat or kayak.

Electric motors are Ideal for fishermen because they are quiet and create little in the way of disturbance 

Popular electric trolling models range from 30lb thrust to 55lb thrust in a range of shaft lengths.

But use is becoming broader now in 2021 and electric outboard engines are being used on small runabouts and RIBS where electric outboard engine sizes are getting bigger.

Outboard electric engines are economical and environmentally friendly. Battery technology is also improving at a rapid rate meaning they are becoming smaller and lighter and run for longer.

Built in hydro-generation provides alternative recharging options whilst under sail are also options meaning the electric outboard now has a home on the stern on small yachts and dayboats too.

As far back as 2014, Torqeedo owner Jack O'Keefe from Cork Harbour told Afloat readers of his sailing adventures in a Drascombe Coaster dinghy and how after swapping from a petrol version the rewards from his new electric outboard engine are less noise, no smells, more stowage, better sailing performance and a motor that can be started by a small child. But it's still not silent, there's a whine he says here 

Popular brands in Ireland are Torqeedo, ePropulsion, Pulsar and Minn Kota but there are more arriving all the time as the technology advances