Irish vessels and crew have been warned over safety risks associated with a French military exercise off the South West Coast next week.

Marine Notice No 38 of 2022 from the Department of Transport gives details of the planned rocket-firing exercise in part of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is currently scheduled for Thursday 23 to Saturday 25 June but may be postponed until a further date before Thursday 7 July.

“Given the nature of the planned exercises, vessels and crew are advised of safety risks in the operational area,” the notice adds.

Earlier this year, Russia sparked controversy when it announced plans for a similar firing exercise within the Irish EEZ. Those exercises were relocated after the Irish fishing industry voiced its concerns to the Russian ambassador, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Further details of this exercise, including coordinates, can be found in the Marine Notice attached below.

Canoeists, kayakers and relevant organisations are again being encouraged by the Department of Transport to review Chapter 7 of the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft.

This chapter gives advice to canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts on actions to take prior to taking to the water, including details on appropriate training and information on personal safety equipment.

Information is also provided in relation to additional precautions to be observed when sea kayaking, river kayaking and canoeing.

Particular attention is drawn to the following advice:

1. Training: Before taking to the water in a canoe or kayak, it is recommended that all persons undertake a recognised training course in the correct use of the craft involved, including relevant rescue and recovery drills. Information regarding training courses and registered training providers is available on the Canoeing Ireland website at www.canoe.ie.

2. Before entering the water: Sections 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5 of the Code of Practice list important safety actions and checks to be undertaken prior to entering the water. These include being able to swim, never operating alone, the inspection of craft and equipment, the wearing of a suitable personal flotation device/lifejacket, having a dependable means of communication, ensuring someone is aware of your intended departure, location and return details and ensuring that you are wearing suitable clothing and footwear for the area of operation and time of year.

3. Sea and river kayakers should observe additional precautions including:

• Check the weather forecast and sea area forecast. Only operate within your limits and ability. Canoeing/kayaking in a wind Force 4 or above should only be considered for the very experienced.
• Be aware of the tidal conditions or water levels for the areas that you are operating in.
• Be aware of the effects of interaction between wind and tide on sea states.
• Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia when wet or exposed to the elements.
• Have a passage plan and alternative emergency plans, e.g. safe landing area down wind.
• Assess and study potential courses for hidden dangers, snags, hazards, currents, etc., prior to putting craft into the water.

4. Dependable means of communication: Mobile phones should not be relied on as the primary method of contacting the emergency services. Marine VHF radio equipment is the recommended method of communication and craft users should be familiar with its use. Where mobile phone use is proposed, the phone should at all times be fully charged and the signal strength and charge indicator should be regularly checked while the vessel is underway. For further advice and information, please see Marine Notice No 40 of 2019 (Limitations of Mobile Phone Use for Emergency Communication at Sea).

As outlined in Marine Notice No 32 of 2022, the Code of Practice is a free document. Hard copies can be obtained on request, in both English and Irish, from the Maritime Safety Policy Division of the Department at email [email protected].

The Code and individual chapters are available to view or download from gov.ie and a list of updates to the 2017 edition of the Code is also available. A PDF of Chapter 7 is attached below.

All recreational craft users are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Code of Practice, to heed the safety advice and recommendations and to spread the word regarding the Code of Practice and its availability.

EGS International Ltd is undertaking a geophysical survey campaign for a proposed offshore wind farm and associated export cable corridor centred around Sceirde Rocks, off the west coast of Ireland near Galway.

The survey was set to commence last week on Friday 10 June and will continue throughout June, July and possibly into August, weather permitting.

The operations will take place in two locations: the Wider Array Site off the coast of Connemara and the Export Cable Corridor (ECC) to the west of the Aran Islands and towards the coast of Co Clare.

The work is being conducted by the EGS Ventus (callsign V7119), which will display the appropriate day shapes/signals and lights as required by the COLREGS and maintain a continuous listening watch on VHF Channel 16 and Digital Selective Calling (DSC).

The vessel will be towing survey equipment astern at 4 knots, which will restrict its ability to manoeuvre. All other vessels operating within this area are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

Contact details, coordinates and maps of the survey areas are included in Marine Notice No 36 of 2022, attached below.

Elsewhere, Fugro is engaged in a geotechnical site survey campaign for wind farms in the South Irish Sea (off the Wexford coast) and North Celtic Sea (off the Waterford coast).

Operations were expected to begin on Sunday 12 June and will continue till approximately Tuesday 28 June, weather allowing.

The work is being conducted by the Normand Mermaid (callsign LAXH7) on a 24-hour basis. The vessel will display appropriate lights and markers.

For further details see Marine Notice No 35 of 2022, also attached below.

Further to Marine Notice No 30 of 2022, SubCom will be carrying out the installation of the IRIS Subsea Fibre Optic Cable System pre-lay at the shore end, located in Galway Bay.

Operations are expected to be carried out from yesterday, Thursday 9 June to Tuesday 28 June. However, this start date and the duration of the activity are weather dependent.

The operation is comprised of pre-lay grapnel, direct cable landing and laying operations followed by post-installation burial within the Ireland Territorial Sea (TS) area. No work will be conducted within the Irish TS prior to 10 June 2022. Please reference Foreshore Licence FS007246.

The work will be conducted by the Coastal Enterprise (callsign PHCG). The vessel will have stern-deployed equipment and will be restricted in manoeuvrability.

All vessels operating within the work area are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash. The vessel will always be listening to channel 16 but can set any other channel as required.

Throughout operations, the vessel will be displaying the appropriate lights and shapes as required under the COLREGS Rule 27(b).

Maps and coordinates of the work area as well as contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 33 of 2022, attached below.

The Department of Transport has issued a reminder to all masters, owners and users of pleasure and recreational craft of the existence of the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft.

As previously highlighted on Afloat.ie, the Code of Practice is intended for use by owners, operators and users of all pleasure and recreational craft operating in Irish coastal and inland waters. It is a key marine safety document that contains information on legislative requirements, safe operation and advice on best practice when using a range of recreational craft.

The Code of Practice is available to download as a free PDF from gov.ie and is also available in hardcopy format. For more details in the Code of Practice and how to get it, see Marine Notice No 32 of 2022 attached below.

In response to recommendations in the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report into the fatal incident involving the FV Myia in Galway Bay in November 2020, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Department of Transport is stressing the importance of navigation planning.

The necessity of ensuring all navigation is planned in detail from berth to berth, with contingency plans in place, applies to all concerned in the fishing industry.

Owners and relevant crew members need to familiarise themselves with their vessel, including its anchoring arrangements and any limitations of the anchoring equipment.

Owners and masters are also reminded that an efficient navigational watch shall be maintained throughout the voyage in line with the Basic Principles to be observed in keeping a Navigational Watch on Board Fishing Vessels as set out IMO Resolution A.484 (XII). Situational awareness with regard to navigation shall be maintained at all times.

All voyages must be planned using the most up to date nautical publications and approved admiralty charts and/or ECDIS. It is essential to carry out regular weather forecast checks during coastal, offshore and ocean voyages.

Shipowners, masters, skippers and fishers should particularly consider the following points when planning on going to sea:

• Weather: Prior to proceeding to sea, weather forecasts shall be assessed and the means to obtain available weather forecast updates shall be ensured. The prevailing weather shall be monitored at all times. Where weather conditions are deteriorating and the safety of the vessel or crew is in question, operators should seek shelter or return to port.
• Tides: The state of the tide and current should be determined for the planned voyage, task or activity. Masters and skippers shall ensure that the vessel or craft can be safely operated in the states of expected tide or current.
• Limitations of the vessel: Ensure the vessel is suitable for the planned voyage, task or activity, that all systems are available and in good operational condition, including all appropriate safety systems and equipment which shall, at all times, be ready for immediate use.
• Crew: Take into account the experience and physical ability of the crew. Crews suffering from cold, tiredness and seasickness won’t be able to do their job properly and this could result in an overburdened skipper. Prior to proceeding to sea, crew members should be well rested, fit and physically capable for any task that they may be required to perform whilst onboard. Masters and skippers should be aware of dangers of, and be able to recognise, fatigue and its impact on the safety of the vessel or craft.
• Communications: VHF radio should be available onboard which is capable of operating on marine band Channel 16 to raise a distress and/or seek assistance. Skippers should not rely on mobile phones as signal availability can be reduced or lost due to range from shore and environmental conditions. Skippers should, prior to departure, advise the port authority or a designated person ashore of planned area of operation and expected time of return.

SubCom is carrying out pre-lay grapnel and route-clearance operations along the route of the IRIS Subsea Fibre Optic Cable System in the Ireland TS, CZ and EEZ off Galway and Mayo from this week.

The operations are expected to be carried out from yesterday, Tuesday 31 May until next Friday 10 June, weather permitting.

Works will be conducted by the ACSM vessel OSV Artabro (callsign EAQK). The vessel will have stern-deployed equipment and will be restricted in manoeuvrability.

Throughout operations, the vessel will be displaying the appropriate lights and shapes as required under the COLREGS Rule 27(b). It will always be listening to VHF Channel 16 but can set any other channel as required.

All other vessels operating within this area are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash.

Coordinates of the cable route works and contact details are included in Marine Notice No 30 of 2022, attached below.

Codling Wind Park Limited intends to undertake a new geotechnical survey off the coast of Dublin, following last year’s site investigations, as part of the consenting process for the Codling Wind Park project.

Operations will commence, at the earliest, from Monday 6 June and likely finish four weeks later on Monday 4 July, weather permitting.

The works will consist of a geotechnical investigation to characterise the potential export cable corridor. The works will be conducted at a single location at any given time.

The Codling Wind Park is a project on the Codling Bank approximately 13km off the east coast of Ireland, near to Wicklow.

Several potential export cable corridors are being assessed. The survey will encompass the area of the proposed cable corridor.

A total of three vessels will be working on the project: the jack-up barge OCM 80 (no callsign), the tug Trojan (callsign EI-EX-6) and crew transfer vessel Ocean Clipper (callsign EI-WW-5).

All other vessels operating within their vicinity are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash around the jack-up barge during the survey period.

It is intended that geotechnical investigation will be operating on 12-hour shifts, seven days per week within the boundary area for the duration of the proposed works.

Throughout survey operations, the vessels will be displaying the appropriate lights and shapes as required under the COLREGS Rule 27 (b).

Coordinates of the survey area as well as contact details are included in Marine Notice No 29 of 2022, attached below.

A geotechnical survey will shortly be undertaken in the Irish Sea off the Wicklow coast to provide site investigation information to facilitate the development of the Arklow Bank Wind Park.

The survey work is anticipated to start at the end of May and be completed by the end of August, weather depending.

The survey will be conducted by DEME vessel Neptune (callsign LXNP), a 60.25m dynamically positioned specialist survey vessel (current draught 7.19m, beam 38m), and will include approximately eight boreholes which will be drilled at discrete locations within the survey area.

The vessel will be operating 24 hours per day during survey works. As this vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre when surveying, all other vessels are requested to leave a wide berth.

Details of survey area coordinates and more can be found in Marine Notice No 28 of 2022, attached below.

The North Irish Sea Array (NISA) offshore wind farm project is to undertake a geophysical survey campaign on the proposed array area off the coast of North Co Dublin, Meath and Louth.

It follows the benthic survey campaign completed earlier this month and is expected to take place between Friday 27 May and the end of June, weather permitting.

The survey campaign will be confined to the proposed NISA OWF array area. This area forms an irregular shape spanning 32km north-south and 14km east-west at its widest point. At its closest location, near Rush in Co Dublin, the survey site is 7.4km from the coastline.

The survey will be conducted by the survey vessel Fugro Mercator (callsign C6DU5) using utilise multibeam echo sounders, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonar and magnetometer, both hull-mounted and towed. Typically, the towed cable lengths will be about four times the water depth while acquiring survey data.

Work will be conducted on a 24-hour basis and the vessel will display appropriate lights and signals. Mariners are advised to keep continuous watch on VHF Channel 16 when navigating the area.

As the survey vessel will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre when surveying, due to the deployment of the towed survey equipment from the vessel for the duration of the survey activities, other vessels are kindly requested to keep a wide berth.

Details of relevant coordinates and contact information are included in Marine Notice No 27 of 2022, attached below.