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Displaying items by tag: Alpha Marine

Wicklow Port based multi-disciplinary marine company, Alpha Marine has acquired a Damen Shipyard built multi-cat of their 2309 design, which had been operating in the Netherlands.

The purchase of the multicat from Purus HST of Swansea, Wales, was concluded in mid-December and represents a significant investment by the Irish marine consultancy company which has an existing fleet of five vessels providing tug, workboat charter and marine survey services.

AMS Retriever is the new name given to the multipurpose Dutch shipyard built vessel which will work throughout Europe in support of offshore and near shore energy projects, dredging as well as port infrastructure.

The shallow draft multicat is a powerful and versatile craft suitable for near coastal marine civil support projects. In addition the multicat is an ideal partner for dredge assist, towage, survey, anchor and buoy handling duties.

Equipped with powerful crane and winches, AMS Retriever has a bollard pull of 16.2 tonnes and has a Bureau Veritas (BV) classification giving the vessel plying limits for un-restricted navigation.

A deck load is available for 24 hour operations and a crew of 7 have accommodation in heated and air conditioned cabins.

With the AMS Retriever joining the company, Afloat highlights that a former tug of the same name is no longer part of the fleet.

Published in Ports & Shipping

Alpha Marine will undertake a geophysical survey campaign in relation to the Clogherhead Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Co Louth from next Thursday 25 May to Wednesday 27 July.

The survey will be conducted by the Baltic Explorer (callsign LYBW) utilising multibeam echo sounders, sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonars, magnetometers and ultra-high-resolution survey equipment.

Geophysical equipment will be both hull-mounted and towed. Typically, the towed cable lengths will be about four times the water depth while acquiring survey data.

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

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

Mariners are also asked to note that the start date and the duration of the activity are dependent on weather and work progress.

Coordinates of the survey area and contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 26 of 2022, attached below.

Published in Power From the Sea

#ports&shipping  - Wicklow based Alpha Marine are carrying out a dredging project off the UK south coast for an offshore windfarm project, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The vessel support and marine services company deployed the Husky, a twin screw shallow draft tug to conduct nearshore dredging support at the Rampion Offshore Windfarm.

Among the marine engineering plant involved in the project off the Sussex coast has been the ‘Spud’ barge Beluga. The vessel has been manoeuvred by Husky out of Shoreham Harbour which is a base for such operations. 

This has involved the dredging spread for the excavation and backfill of the trench for the export cable leading from the Rampion Offshore Windfarm.

Published in Dredging
Tagged under

#Charter - Alpha Marine, formerly Island Shipping, based in Wicklow, has seen the return of one of its wind-farm support vessels following a survey charter in the North Sea, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The water-jet propelled Island Panther had been working in the Waddenzee, an intertidal zone of the Ems Estuary located between The Netherlands and Germany. Along this coast are the Frisian /Wadden Islands, an archipelago that lies off these countries and stretches as far as Denmark.

Island Panther which also is a crew transfer vessel, was deployed from the Dutch port of Ijmuiden to conduct the survey zone. The 17m craft operated in the ultra-shallow waters of the survey site.

 

Published in Ports

About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil