Ocean Infinity is undertaking a geophysical site survey campaign for the South Irish Sea offshore wind farm from today, Thursday 14 July to 30 August 2022, weather allowing.

The survey works will be conducted on a 24-hour basis by the Northern Maria (callsign OZAV2) using a hull-mounted multi-beam sonar and sub bottom profiler, along with a towed side-scan sonar and piggy-backed magnetometer (tow max 320m) and ultra high resolution survey equipment.

During operations, the Northern Maria will be restricted in its ability to manoeuvre and will display the appropriate day shapes and lights. 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 survey area and further details can be found in Marine Notice No 46 of 2022, attached below.

As part of the Emerald floating offshore wind (FOW) project, Green Rebel Marine will undertake a geophysical site survey campaign in the North Celtic Sea from Wednesday 13 to Sunday 31 July, weather allowing.

Survey operations will be conducted by the research/survey vessel Roman Rebel (callsign 2ICA5). The survey will utilise multi-beam echo sounders and ultra-high-resolution survey equipment.

Geophysical equipment will be both hull-mounted and towed. Typically, the towed cable lengths will be approximately 35m from the vessel while acquiring survey data.

The work will be conducted on a 24-hour basis continuously until completion, subject to weather and logistics. During operations, the Roman Rebel will display the appropriate day shapes/signals and lights as required by the COLREGS.

A continuous listening watch will be maintained on VHF Channel 16 and Digital Selective Calling (DSC).

As the survey vessel will be restricted in 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.

Coordinates of the survey area and contact details can be found in Marine Notice No 47 of 2022, attached below.

Vermilion Exploration & Production Ireland Limited will carry out a campaign of inspection of the Corrib Gas Field near-shore pipeline and umbilical.

Weather permitting, these works are due to commence on Thursday 7 July and will last for approximately 10 days.

The near-shore pipeline and umbilical sections will be inspected from the nearest point accessible inshore at high tide progressing to offshore until a suitable overlap with the offshore inspection is achieved. Landfall is at Latitude 54° 16’ 59.799” N, Longitude 09° 49’ 14.528” W.

The operation will be conducted by three vessels. The Leah C (callsign EIQS5) will undertake the near-shore survey scope. The Macbel (callsign EIHL5) and the Blue Eagle (callsign EI6808) will provide safety and welfare support to Leah C.

Visual and acoustic surveys will be conducted by means of vessel-mounted sensors, cameras, ROV and towed side-scan sonar. Please note that all the equipment used will be vessel deployed. All three vessels will be listening on VHF Channel 16 throughout the project.

Contact details are included in Marine Notice No 44 of 2022, attached below.

Following survey works earlier this year, Lir Offshore Array will be completing geophysical survey works in the Irish Sea off counties Louth, Meath and Dublin as part of a scientific data-gathering exercise over the next six weeks.

Survey company Ondine will be carrying out these survey works on a 24/7 basis from Friday 1 July to Monday 15 August 2022, subject to weather.

Operations will be conducted by the research vessels DP1 Kommandor Iona (callsign GAAK) and DP1 Ondine Jule (callsign EIZH4), the latter of which will start work later in the campaign.

These work vessels will be towing geophysical equipment during operations at the offshore wind farm site and they will be restricted in their 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. Radio transmissions will be conducted with other seafarers to notify them of the operations.

Contact details, coordinates and a map of the survey area can be found in Marine Notice No 43 of 2022, attached below.

In response to Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) recommendations, Marine Notice No 42 of 2022 from the Department of Transport draws attention to the safety advice and recommendations in Chapter 8 of the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft in relation to rowing boats.

Particular attention is drawn to the following advice:

1. Training: Persons involved in rowing activities should undertake appropriate training. Information on approved courses may be obtained from course providers including Rowing Ireland and the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation.

2. Safety advice and recommendations: Sections 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4 of the Code of Practice provide a list of important safety recommendations and checks that should be followed. These include the following:

• Keep all rowing equipment in good order and inspect the equipment regularly.
• Prior to a crew embarking, boats should be checked to confirm they are safe, free of
  leaks and that all moving parts are functioning.
• Coaching launches should be on the water at all times when rowing craft are in use.
• Unescorted outings are not encouraged and, if undertaken, a designated person ashore should know the departure times, destinations and return times.
• All persons should be capable of swimming 100m while wearing light clothing.
• All boat coxswains should wear an approved personal flotation device/lifejacket at all times.

Part A (Chapter 1) of the Code of Practice outlines the legislative requirements that apply to all recreational craft or specific types or sizes of craft. Owners and operators must comply with the requirements appropriate to their craft.

3. Navigation, hazards and weather: Coaches, coxswains and crew should at all times be aware of local navigation rules, including any possible hazards or potential dangers arising from tidal stream or wind that may prevail locally.

Boats should not be used at night unless they comply with the requirements of the International Collision Regulations regarding navigation lights.

Boats should not be operated in weather or tide conditions that may compromise their low freeboard and stability.

It is important to risk assess local conditions, currents, etc. prior to putting craft into the water. Boats should not be operated in waters that are beyond the capabilities of the crew or the boats concerned.

Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia when wet or exposed to the elements.

4. Personal flotation devices/lifejackets and other safety equipment: All persons on board any craft of less than 7 metres in length must wear a personal flotation device or a lifejacket.

Where an exemption to this requirement is being applied in the case of rowers in boats designed and specifically used for rowing in boat races and which are capable of being entered into regattas or other events recognised by Rowing Ireland or in the case of rowers in boats of a design and type that are used in the Olympic games or other international rowing regattas, it is most important that a coach and/or safety boat is in attendance at all times and that other safety precautions are followed.

Operators of safety boats should be suitably qualified and boats should be suitably identified by markings or warning flags to alert other craft in the area that there are rowing boats on the water.

Coach/safety boats should at a minimum carry the following items of equipment:

• Suitable bailer
• Suitable inflatable pump – if an inflatable is used as a rescue boat
• A throw bag with at least 10m of buoyant line
• A sound signalling device – air or aerosol powered klaxon
• Thermal exposure blankets
• Lifebuoys or additional personal flotation devices/lifejackets to assist persons in the water – one for each crew member on the rowing boat
• Suitable First Aid Kit
• Anchor and line
• Knife
• Engine Kill Cord to be used by the engine operator
• Paddle
• Suitable handholds fixed to the side of the boat – to assist persons being rescued

5. Dependable means of communication: It is important to consider and establish effective means of communication, other than by solely using mobile phone technology, for the specific location of the activities to be undertaken.

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 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 8 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.

SubCom has begun carrying out cable installation operations along the route of the IRIS Subsea Fibre Optic Cable System in Ireland’s Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone and Exclusive Economic Zone areas.

Following pre-lay shore end operations, as previously reported on Afloat.ie, these works were scheduled to begin yesterday, Tuesday 21 June and are expected to continue until Wednesday 31 August, weather allowing.

Works will be undertaken by the CS Durable (callsign V7DI8). The vessel will be engaged in cable-laying operations, have stern deployed equipment and be restricted in manoeuvrability.

All other vessels operating nearby are requested to keep their distance and pass at minimum speed to reduce vessel wash. The work vessel will display appropriate lights and shapes and will always be listening to VHF Channel 16 but can set any other channel as required.

Maps and coordinates of the work areas, as well as contact information, can be found in Marine Notice No 34 of 2022 attached below.

Further to Marine Notice No 25 of 2022, Van Oord Ireland is due to commence installation of a 927m long pipeline as part of the Arklow Long Sea Outfall project.

The installation works were set to commence today, Monday 20 June and are expected to continue until early August. All operations are weather dependent.

During operations, three HDPE pipelines, each 309m in length, will be moored off alongside the North Quay at the Port of Arklow. During pipe installation works, the harbour entrance will have limited availability to other traffic for around 72 hours from earlier today.

The operations will be conducted by a number of vessels, including the backhoe dredger Razende Bol (callsign PFSD), shoal buster AMS Retriever (callsign MEHI8), tug Husky (callsign 2EQI7), landing craft Ros Aine (callsign EI-2G-5) and multicat Fastnet Sound (callsign MHXQ5).

Coordinates and a map of the working area, as well as contact information, can be found in Marine Notice No 39 of 2022 attached below.

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.