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Displaying items by tag: Captain Michael McKenna

Brexit and the pandemic are not the only challenges facing Dublin Port, which handles almost 50 per cent of Ireland’s trade.

Port chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly has predicted it will reach full capacity by 2040, and so it has initiated a debate on the future.

Dublin Port harbourmaster Capt Michael McKenna spoke to Wavelengths about the “post-2040 masterplan” discussion, and about planning for climate change.

He speaks about the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit – including his view that the “landbridge” route for freight through Britain will return - and the port's commitment to integration with the city, to watersports in the river and bay and the port's heritage.

Dublin Port - the intertwining of the city and the seaDublin Port - the intertwining of the city and the sea - the port is encouraging a debate on its future - Listen to Harbourmaster Captain Michael McKenna below

The interview is part of our occasional podcast series on ports, which began on March 11th with Port of Cork harbour master Capt Paul O’Regan.

You can hear Capt Michael McKenna below

And the Dublin Port “post-2040 masterplan” discussion papers are here

Published in Wavelength Podcast

Shipyards

Afloat will be focusing on news and developments of shipyards with newbuilds taking shape on either slipways and building halls.

The common practice of shipbuilding using modular construction, requires several yards make specific block sections that are towed to a single designated yard and joined together to complete the ship before been launched or floated out.

In addition, outfitting quays is where internal work on electrical and passenger facilities is installed (or upgraded if the ship is already in service). This work may involve newbuilds towed to another specialist yard, before the newbuild is completed as a new ship or of the same class, designed from the shipyard 'in-house' or from a naval architect consultancy. Shipyards also carry out repair and maintenance, overhaul, refit, survey, and conversion, for example, the addition or removal of cabins within a superstructure. All this requires ships to enter graving /dry-docks or floating drydocks, to enable access to the entire vessel out of the water.

Asides from shipbuilding, marine engineering projects such as offshore installations take place and others have diversified in the construction of offshore renewable projects, from wind-turbines and related tower structures. When ships are decommissioned and need to be disposed of, some yards have recycling facilities to segregate materials, though other vessels are run ashore, i.e. 'beached' and broken up there on site. The scrapped metal can be sold and made into other items.