Ireland News

Soaring costs, project delays and limited investment put targets out of reachAfter a year of canceled projects, broken turbines, and abandoned lease sales, the global offshore wind industry no longer has much chance to hit the lofty targets set by governments in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere ... with the exception of China.Reuters spoke to 12 offshore wind companies, industry researchers, trade associations, and government officials in six countries to come up with a global picture of the state of the industry and its outlook…

A new study published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) indicates that up to 4,300 premature deaths can be avoided by an emissions control area in the North Atlantic. The economic benefits of this health benefit could amount to as much as €29 billion ($31 billion).As part of an international coalition that has already contributed to the establishment of an Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Mediterranean, NABU is committed to an ECA in the North Atlantic (AtlECA) and plans to submit a proposal to the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in spring 2025…

Babcock has awarded the recycling contract to KDC Veolia Decommissioning Services UK (KDCV) as part of U.K.’s demonstrator project to fully dismantle a nuclear-powered submarine Swiftsure.Babcock is working with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) and KDCV on the demonstrator dismantling project, applying a new and innovative methodology which will enable around 90% of the structure and components to be reused or recycled.This includes the pressure hull around the reactor compartment…

A group of animal welfare organizations have written an open letter to Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, asking her to stop the live export of cattle to war zones.There have been over 100 shipments of cattle and sheep from Europe to Israel so far this year and an unknown number of livestock exported to Lebanon since the fighting expanded in that region.Ethical Farming Ireland says sources at Haifa port have informed them that every day barrages of rockets fall on the port and surrounding areas where the quarantine centres and fattening farms are.

Irish TV broadcaster RTÉ Investigates has aired undercover footage of Irish bull calves being repeatedly struck in the face, force-fed, jabbed with tools and dragged by the ears and tail. The report follows a report by RTÉ Investigates aired last year on the treatment of Irish bull calves during the live export process.RTÉ has continued to investigate the treatment of Irish calves in the wake of Europe-wide interest in its first report published and broadcast in July 2023, RTÉ Investigates: Milking It, Dairy’s Dirty Secret.

Donegal, Ireland-based Seabound Engineering has been awarded a contract to build a new vessel for one of the largest mussel farming companies in the U.K.The 25-meter mussel harvester, designed by Rockabill Marine Design (RMD), is expected to be delivered by June 2026.“We are proud to collaborate with a major U.K. mussel producer and bring Rockabill Marine Design’s vision to life,” said Thomas Havlin, Managing Director of Seabound Engineering. “This is an exciting opportunity for Seabound…

Crane specialist Liebherr has delivered its third ship to shore (STS) container crane to PSA Penn Terminals in Philadelphia.PSA Penn Terminals received its third Liebherr STS crane in September 2024, complementing the two commissioned in 2018.The new STS crane features a 157 ft (48 m) outreach, a 60 ft (18.288 m) span, and a 50 ft (15 m) back reach, with a lift height of 115 ft (35 m) over rail and a safe working load (SWL) of 66 tonnes.The STS crane is designed to significantly boost operational efficiency and capacity at the terminal…

Brabo, a provider of pilot and port services in Antwerp, Belgium, has entered into a deal with maritime technology firm Artemis Technologies to add an Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat to its fleet. This cutting-edge, fully electric foiling vessel is set to be delivered in late summer 2025.Engineered with feedback from pilotage professionals worldwide, the Artemis EF-12 complies with ES-TRIN standards (European Standard for Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels).With its 100% electric operation…

d’Amico International Shipping S.A. (Borsa Italiana: DIS) said its operating subsidiary d’Amico Tankers D.A.C. (Ireland) exercised its purchase option on the MT Crimson Pearl, a 50,000 dwt medium-range product tanker vessel built in August 2017 by Minaminippon Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Japan, for a consideration of approximately $31 million with delivery expected between September and October 2024.As of today, DIS’ fleet comprises 33 double-hulled product tankers (MR, Handysize and LR1, of which 25 owned, 5 chartered-in and 3 bareboat chartered-in) with an average age of about 8.8 years for its owned and bareboat chartered-in vessels.“Following the acquisition of MT Crimson Jade at the end of June…

Ardmore Shipping has announced a series of leadership changes and updates to its commercial organization following news of the upcoming retirement of Founder and CEO, Anthony Gurnee, and the appointment of Gernot Ruppelt and Bart Kelleher to CEO and President roles respectively.Effective September 16, 2024, Robert Gaina will join the Ardmore Senior Management Team (SMT) as Senior Vice President, Commercial, succeeding the current CCO, Gernot Ruppelt upon his advancement to CEO.

The U.S. Navy christened the future USS Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), during a ceremony on July 27, in Bath, Maine.The ship, built at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, is the last of the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-Class guided missile destroyers.The shipbuilder was awarded the contract for Patrick Gallagher on in September 2017 and construction started in November 2018. On March 30, 2022, the ship's keel was laid. Delivery is expected in Fall 2025.Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet, providing protection to America around the globe.

Despite stating that the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to France is in breach of EU law, the European Commission has so far failed to take action against it, says Ethical Farming Ireland.In an audit report published in December 2023, the Commission claimed the journey was in breach of Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport, as the calves are not being fed during the long ferry crossing to France. In most cases, these animals are left unfed for up to 30 hours…

Recent research into the impact of an Emissions Control Area (ECA) in the North Atlantic Ocean confirms that there would be significant emissions reductions benefits if such an area were to be established, says environmental organization Opportunity Green.The North Atlantic Emissions Control Area would mean stricter regulations on ships in designated areas, aimed at reducing and controlling their emissions of SOx, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and NOx.The International Council…

The discharge of scrubber water from ships out to 22km (12 nautical miles) from the Danish coasts will be prohibited by law. The ban will come into effect on July 1, 2025, for ships with scrubbers in open operation, where the wash water is discharged into the sea. For ships with scrubbers in closed operation, the ban on water discharge will take effect on July 1, 2029.The Ministry of Environment has stated that scrubber water has contributed to excessive levels of a number of heavy metals and tar substances such as lead, cadmium, anthracene and benz(a)pyrene in the marine environment.

After its launch at last year’s London International Shipping Week, an exhibition spotlighting the inspirational stories of women in maritime is coming to Portsmouth, United Kingdom.Launching on Friday August 2, members of the public will be able to experience the free SHE_SEES exhibition hosted in Boathouse 4 at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, spearheaded by UK-based global safety and education charity Lloyd’s Register Foundation.The exhibition, hosted in partnership with Portsmouth Historic Quarter and the University of Portsmouth…

We think of Bermuda as a tiny paradise in the North Atlantic. But long before cruise ships moored up, prison ships carried hundreds of convicts to the island, first docking in 1824 and remaining there for decades.Islands have long been places to deport, exile and banish criminals. Think of Alcatraz, the infamous penitentiary in San Francisco, or Robben Island in South Africa, which held Nelson Mandela. The French penal colony Devil’s Island was immortalised in the Steve McQueen film Papillon…

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a Lifecycle Agreement with UK-based P&O Ferries for two of its vessels – the M/V Pioneer and the M/V Liberté.The scope of the five-year agreement the Lifecycle Agreement with P&O Ferries includes parts and maintenance services, as well as maintenance planning, operational support and Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance service.The predictive service enables issues to be identified before they cause a delay in the schedule. Delays…

Esgian reports on the many rig movements that occurred last week in its Week 16 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryContractsADES Holding Company has received a letter of award from an international oil company for a one-year firm drilling contract for a jackup offshore Qatar.TotalEnergies has exercised a three-well option for Transocean 12,000-ft drillship Deepwater Skyros offshore Angola at a rate of $400,000, keeping the rig working into December 2025.After initially beginning a short-term job in the US GOM in January 2024…

Product and chemical tanker shipping company Ardmore Shipping Corporation on Monday announced that its current senior vice president and chief commercial officer Gernot Ruppelt will succeed company founder Anthony Gurnee as CEO.Gurnee will retire on September 16, 2024, at which point Ruppelt will step into the CEO position and current CFO Bart Kelleher will take on the additional role of president. Ruppelt will maintain responsibility for Ardmore's commercial platform, and Kelleher will maintain his role as CFO until successors are named for the positions.

Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) has raised concerns that the livestock carrier Shorthorn Express is currently sailing to Israel from Greenore despite having previously been subject to a Houthi attack in the Red Sea region in June. The Shorthorn Express was travelling to Haifa port from Portugal with 12,000 sheep on board at the time.EFI continues to raise other concerns about the trade. The organisation is calling for an immediate end to live export to countries outside the EU that do not share Ireland’s animal welfare standards.

NatPower Marine and Peel Ports Group have announced plans to establish the first “green shipping corridors” between Ireland and the UK.The proposed project would see NatPower Marine develop the UK’s first commercial electric ship (e-ship) charging network to support electric propulsion and shoreside power as part of a global network.The network – which would require an estimated £100m investment from NatPower Marine – would see this dedicated e-ship charging infrastructure delivered across all eight UK and Irish ports operated by Peel Ports Group.

Damen Shipyards has delivered the third fast crew supplier (FCS) hybrid vessel to Purus, designed to provide low emission crew transfer services to the offshore wind sector.The vessels are fitted with 190 kW battery arrays that enable them to sail zero emissions while in harbor and when loitering at offshore wind farms.In addition to their hybrid capabilities, the FCS 2710 Hybrids are IMO Tier III compliant, with significantly reduced NOX and SOX emissions. With this performance…

The Operator-Centred Enhancement of Awareness in Navigation Project, known as OCEAN Project, in collaboration with The Nautical Institute, has released a series of seven free training videos that address evolving gaps in navigational awareness and maritime safety.The OCEAN Project is an initiative funded by the European Union, focused on augmenting navigator’s capabilities to improve safety, reduce incidents and mitigate whale strikes.The project consortium comprises 13 members from seven European countries: Norway…