The Port of Cork is to seek financial support from the EU for the first ferry service between Ireland and the north of Spain.

The Ro-Pax (freight and passenger) ferry service, with a journey time of 24 hours, would run between Cork and the northern Spanish city of Gijón around three times a week.

It would put Alicante and other resorts on Spain's Mediterranean coast within a day's drive of the port.

The Port of Cork is already in talks with several major ferry operators, including P&O Ferries, Brittany Ferries and Transfennica, about supplying such a service, which could be up and running by next March.

A joint submission from both ports will be sent later this month to the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO), the semi-state agency that advises the Department of Transport on ferry policy.

The Port of Cork commercial manager Michael McCarthy told Go that the proposed service is a "no-brainer" as far as the public are concerned and that it has attracted a great deal of interest from tourism concerns in both Ireland and Spain, along with the support of Cork Chamber of Commerce.

"It is further south, so we would have a nine-month holiday season. It would allow people who own homes in Spain or Portugal to pack up their cars and drive there," he said.

"There is huge demand from tourists for this. If you look at the specifics we have done on our Brittany Ferries route between Cork and Roscoff, 70 per cent of them are going down to the Bordeaux area for good weather. They are travelling six to 10 hours in their cars and often with children."

However, he conceded that financial inducements will be needed to attract ferry companies, which are traditionally reluctant to commit to new routes because of the financial risks involved.

Both ports will hope to receive funding through the EU's Motorways of the Seas initiative, which was set up four years ago to get freight traffic off the roads and on to the seas, lessening road congestion and significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

He said the demand is also there from exporters. Trade between Ireland and Spain was worth E4 billion last year, most of it going by road via France and the UK.

"It needs a certain bedding-in period and it needs the confidence of the trucking and the export business that it is going to be there long-term.

"Our job is to convince the shipping lines to come on board. What they all say is that they want to do it, but they are not just ready yet. We're now ready to move it along," he said.

IMDO director Glenn Murphy said his organisation is, in principle, supportive of the proposal.

He says ferry-passenger traffic was up 10 per cent in the first quarter of the year on all routes out of Ireland, confirming a trend that began last year.

"It is indicating that people are looking to change how they make their transport choices," he said.

He also said that the rising cost of fuel, congestion on European roads and penal levels of tolls in France made the proposition more economically viable than it has been in the past."

IRISH FERRIES

FRENCH WINE CRUISE

Though Summer is still in full swing, Irish Ferries is already looking ahead to Christmas with the news of their pre-Christmas escorted wine mini cruise to France will depart from Rosslare to Roscoff on Thursday, 11th September and arrive back in Rosslare on Saturday morning, 13 September.
 
Aimed at those wishing to stock up for the festive season, passengers will be escorted by wine expert and writer, Martin Moran who will conduct wine tasting on board and preview some of those that can be bought ashore.
 
Scheduled to coincide with the Autumn wine sales in France, passengers will spend up to 6 hours ashore in Roscoff or nearby Morlaix. Fare, at EUR99 per adult return and EUR39 return per child (4 ­ 15 years), includes bed in a 2 bed en-suite cabin. A car or motorbike can be brought for only EUR59 return extra when two or more adults travel together. Supplements apply for superior cabins.  
 
Part of the pre-Christmas landscape since their introduction in 2007, the the popular Irish ferries wine cruise opens the door to savings of EUR10 per bottle of champagne, EUR10 on spirits and up to EUR8 on wine plus other reductions on beer and DIY items.

IRISH FERRIES SUPPORTS TOUR OF IRELAND CYCLE RACE

Irish Ferries has thrown its weight behind Failte Ireland in their efforts to promote Summer tourism into Ireland by becoming a headline sponsor of the forthcoming Tour of Ireland cycle race which takes place here from 27th - 31st August next.

The company will be providing freight and passenger space on board their ferries for competitors, support personnel and equipment travelling to Ireland for the six-day event. One competitor scheduled to take part is leading British Olympic rider and Tour de France stage winner, Mark Cavendish.

As a further incentive, the company has also introduced a reduced-cost travel package for supporters wishing to visit Ireland for the  event.

ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET COMPANY

MONA'S QUEEN - the pioneering 1972 built side loading motor ship was reported sold for breaking at Alang. The vessel has been trading as MARY THE QUEEN in the Philippines since her sale in 1995.

INCAT 50 is seen here arriving at Portsmouth flying the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company House flag on July 16. Photograph © Gary Davies Maritime Photographic.

MAERSK GROUP

NORFOLK LINE

It is understood that LAGAN and MERSEY VIKING have been bought by Norfolk Line for resale to Epic - operators of PAU CASSELS and BLANCA DEL MAR (ex DAWN & BRAVE MERCHANT). LAGAN VIKING was reflagged from italy to the UK last week.

SWANSEA - CORK

The urgency of restoring the Cork/Swansea car ferry for the 2009 season was highlighted yesterday, as the tourism industry continues to suffer a sharp decline in the south-west.

The loss of the ferry, two years ago, is reckoned to be costing the region millions of euro worth of business, especially this year when there is a dramatic downturn in visitor numbers.

It is claimed tourism is down by 70% in parts of Kerry this summer, with the recession, foreign exchange rates, oil prices and even the poor weather all combining to keep visitors away.

The Irish Hotels’ Federation Kerry branch has called on employees to agree to a pay freeze until the end of the 2009 season because of the crisis facing the industry.

Civic leaders in Cork and Kerry are being asked to join forces to revitalise the Cork/Swansea car ferry for the 2009 season.

The Cork Port Authority is also involved in trying to attract a carrier and Fáilte Ireland has given an undertaking to market the route.

Cork County Council Mayor Noel Harrington, Cork City Council Mayor Brian Birmingham and Kerry Mayor Tom Fleming have been called on to set up a working group with a view to re-establishing a ferry service.

Pointing out that councils in the region had supported the service in the past, Kerry-based FG councillor Michael Connor-Scarteen said the experience of ferry operations in Greece and Sweden was that the most successful were those that were supported by a number of public bodies.

"Since the cancellation of the Cork/Swansea ferry, two years ago, and especially this year, the losses to the region have been huge. The overall loss is estimated at €30 million," said Mr Connor-Scarteen, a member of the South West Regional Authority.

The council also supported a motion by FF Cllr John Brassil to appoint a tourism officer in Kerry next year to promote Kerry exclusively.

Indications from different parts of Kerry suggest a massive downturn in tourism. SF councillor Robert Beasley, from Ballybunion, said there had been a drop of 70% and golf was badly hit because the American market was down.

Meanwhile, many hotels in Cork and Kerry are looking to the home market to salvage the season and are offering competitive packages to attract business.

[IRISH EXAMINER]

Services on the Torpoint Ferry were interrupted on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July as part of industrial action over an on-going dispute over pay. In a short statement, David List, general manager of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee, said only emergency vehicles would be allowed onto the ferry.

He said: "In view of the impact that the industrial action will have, members of the public are advised to make alternative arrangements to reach their destinations for the duration of the action.

The Daily Telegraph has recently carried advertisements for two 7-day French Riviera Cruises on 5 and 12 July by the 12-passenger mega-yacht HARMONY II, with prices starting at £2786.

She has a rich history:

HARMONY II was built at Split in 1954 for Jadrolinija for coastal service in the then Yugoslavia. In 1955 she was renamed MOSTAR In 1966 she was sold to Greek owners, renamed MELTEMI II, and used in the one-day cruise trade form Piraeus to the Saronic Islands In 1980 she went back to Yugoslavia, to Kvaerner Express for day cruises from ports on the Istrian Peninsula to Venice 1983 saw a sale to Hellenic Mediterranean Lines In 1987 she was sold to a London-based leasing company and renamed, firstly

APOLLON I, and then PRINCE ALBERT She was used as a hotel/conference ship and attended the Cowes Regatta, then moved to Greenwich, before spending the winter at Chatham. In April 1988 she was at Sheerness, and the following year was moved to Tilbury Docks, and in 1999 moved to Liverpool, where she lay at the Albert Dock. Ownership had changed several times form 1988 onwards.

On 7 January 2001 she attempted sea trials, but had to be rescued and towed back from off Formby by a tug after her engines failed and she almost sank In 2002 she was moved to Ipswich and totally refitted, gaining her present name; then In 2007 she entered service in the luxury yacht charter market. She is owned by Pedley International.

[Alistair Deayton]

Hopes of a last-ditch rescue package for a historic steamship – laid up in Sunderland – have been dashed.

A six-year campaign to preserve the SS Manxman, which used to sail between Liverpool and the Isle of Man, has ended in failure.

There was hope that an American organisation was planning to refurbish the vessel as part of a business plan.

Representatives of the unnamed firm visited and inspected the ship and commissioned a detailed hull survey, but it now looks as if the scheme will be scuppered by the credit crunch.

The Manxman, which is laid up at the Pallion yard, has been on the River Wear since 1997 after being used as a ferry and then a floating nightclub. There were hopes that if she were salvaged it would bring jobs to the city.

In 2006, thieves pillaged equipment from the ship after rowing up the Wear with a generator and cutting equipment.

The Liverpool-based campaign to save the vessel was dealt a serious blow when Peel Holdings took over the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.

The Manxman Steamship Company was formed in 2002 to purchase, restore and preserve the vessel, but a £2.7million bid for Heritage Lottery funding was rejected in 2004.

Chris Brindle, of the Manxman Steamship Company, said: "Our campaign has ended.

"After six years of hard work, match funding for our project was not forthcoming from the local authorities because of Peel Holdings' inability to provide us with a berth due to their plans to redevelop the docks – and of course the council backed the much larger scheme Peel were offering.

"The thing with Merseyside is that there is a huge amount of redevelopment and local focus on big projects. Ours simply lost its charm.

"Regarding the American bid, they were supposed to be making an offer by today but they are hampered by credit issues. I understand that some of their backers are finding it tough to get the funding.

"As for the ship herself, she is as far as I am aware intact and in a state where preservation is still achievable – but, with minimum maintenance, unless something happens this year she just will not be viable."

[SUNDERLAND ECHO]

The company which set out to break the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's monopoly on the Douglas Sea Terminal linkspan has had its case thrown out.

Seaside Shipping Ltd, part of the Barony group, lodged a petition of doleance last year after being told by the Harbours Division that it couldn't use the linkspan to set up a rival freight shipping company.

The firm wanted to use Ro-Ro ferries to compete with the Steam Packet and launched a legal challenge against the Department of Transport.

In short, Seaside argued the DoT was acting beyond its powers when it refused to open the linkspan, and the user agreement broke European law by restricting the free movement of goods.

But Deemster Doyle heard arguments from the government and the Steam Packet that the agreement was made in 1995, and so the challenge was far too late.

He agreed, saying Seaside Shipping had known about the agreement for 13 years but had only decided to challenge it last September.

He said it would be wrong in law, justice and fairness to allow the case to go ahead, but added the court made no ruling about whether the agreement did restrict trade under European legislation.

Deemster Doyle dismissed the petition.

[IOM ONLINE]

PONT-AVEN was diverted on Tuesday morning to rescue the crew of a historic yacht which had sunk.

The Brittany Ferries' PONT-AVEN got a rescue call from the THO PA GA which was sinking off Brest in France.

The ship picked up five Spanish crew from a liferaft after three were picked up and flown to hospital by a French helicopter. All crew are safe and well.

The PONT-AVEN was en-route from Santander in Spain to Plymouth.

'Efficient reaction'The THO PA GA, a 1924-built Ibiza-based yacht, was sailing to Brest in France for a yachting festival.

At 01:35 BST on Tuesday the crew reported seawater coming into the boat and alerted rescue services.

The PONT-AVEN diverted 25 miles (40km) to the yacht which by the time it arrived had sunk amid 25 knot winds and 4-5m high waves.

Captain Gilles Quere said: "There was no choice about turning back. We had to go and help.Our crew are trained for such situations. It was an efficient and well-managed reaction. Holidaymaker Sharon Russell, from Bridgewater in Somerset, said: "It was all happening around us, very exciting.

"The rescue was extremely quick." The PONT-AVEN was about an hour and half late arriving in Plymouth on Tuesday.

Balmoral is back on the Irish Sea for Liverpool / North Wales sailings next week.

Wednesday: July 16 Mostyn / Menai Bridge and round Anglesey with coach connections to/from Llandudno and back to Mostyn from Menai Bridge

Thursday July 17 Liverpool / Menai Bridge (under the bridges and round Puffin Island) and sail back to Liverpool

Friday July 18 Caernarfon/Menai Bridge/Liverpool (for Tall Ships)/Menai Bridge + coach back to Llandudno / Caernarfon

Saturday July 19 Mostyn/ Liverpool (for Tall Ships) with coach return - also coach from Llandudno to Mostyn and back from Liverpool

Sunday July 20 Menai Bridge / Caernarfon and round Anglesey with coach connections from/to Llandudno

Monday July 21 Follow the Parade of Sail on the Mersey.

There is still space available on all sailings - details and times on www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk

The new operator of the Rathlin Island ferry has said that his first few days running the service have been "plain sailing".

On Tuesday the contract for the service transferred to Cork businessman Ciaran O’Driscoll after 12 years of operation by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) — despite the £4 million contract being the subject of an Audit Office probe

The route receives about £660,000 of taxpayers’ money each year through the Department of Regional Development (DRD).

Mr O’Driscoll was initially meant to take over the service on June 1.  However, the NewsLetter understands that the lease for the MV CANNA — the  ferry which was used by CalMac on the route until Monday — was only signed  hours before Mr O’Driscoll took over.

Last week issues surrounding the ferry service contract were raised at the  Assembly’s Regional Development Committee, with SDLP Assemblyman John Dallat tabling a series of written questions on the ferry contract to Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy.

Writing last Tuesday in response to Mr Dallat’s questions, Mr Murphy said that at that time Mr O’Driscoll was still "finalising" his ticketing system, safety management documentation and an environmental plan. A copy of the tender scoring documents obtained by the News Letter shows that boxes for "ticketing and information", "safety of operations" and  "environmental considerations" were all ticked prior to the contract being awarded in April.

And different answers to the ones provided to four of Mr Dallat’s questions were placed in the official Assembly Hansard on Monday.

When asked about the Hansard record, DRD said it had been an "administrative error" which has subsequently been corrected.

MEP Jim Allister, who asked the Audit Office to investigate the tendering process, vowed that he would continue probing the deal and said the transfer to Mr O’Driscoll was "premature".

"I am in the process of raising further questions with DRD as to how O’Driscoll’s tender satisfied essential requirements under the terms of reference of the tender. I intend to see this process through to its conclusion," he said.

On the island, opinion has been divided about the new service, but many people have welcomed the addition of a second boat on the route — the passenger-only MV OSSIAN of Staffa.

Mr O’Driscoll’s son David, who is involved in designing a new alloy passenger catamaran for use on the route from next summer, said work on the boat was already underway in Glasgow.

He said: "This vessel is designed to comply with all relevant EU and MCA regulations for year-round operation. At 17.8m x 6.5m a total complement of 100 will be easily accommodated.

"Twin turbocharged diesel engines will power the vessel to a fully-loaded service speed in excess of 17 knots, enabling the journey to be comfortably completed in under 25 minutes." [THE NEWSLETTER]

HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH & HMS PRINCE OF WALES - The MoD signed contracts to build the two future aircraft carriers this week. The contracts, worth in the region of £3 billion, were signed with the newly-formed UK maritime Joint Venture, BVT Surface Fleet, and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance onboard HMS ARK ROYAL, one of the Royal Navy's existing aircraft carriers and currently the Fleet Flagship.

Contracts authorised encompass work worth:

* £1,325M for the construction of giant sections of both ships by BVT

Surface Fleet at Govan on the Clyde and Portsmouth;

* £300M for the construction of giant sections of the ships at the BAE

Systems yard at Barrow-in-Furness;

* £675M for the bow section and final assembly and completion of the

ships by Babcock Marine, with assembly taking place at Rosyth;

* £425M for design and engineering for Thales UK; and

* £275M for design and supply of Mission Systems for BAE Systems

Integrated Systems Technologies (Insyte).

Defence Secretary, Des Browne, said:

"This is a historic day for everyone in defence. The two aircraft carriers will provide our forces with the world-class capabilities they will need over the coming decades. They will support peace-keeping and conflict prevention, as well as our strategic operational priorities.

"Today's contract signing seals the future for thousands of jobs, and ensures that we will have a Royal Navy fit for the 21st century. "Baroness Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said:

"This is truly a national project, involving companies from the Clyde to the Solent. Construction work will create or sustain around 10,000 UK jobs at the peak of production.

I am delighted that we have signed the contracts for manufacture today and I look forward to first cutting of steel for this exciting project later this year."

The future aircraft carriers, to be named HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS PRINCE OF WALES, will be the biggest and most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK. They will provide our forces with world-class capabilities, supporting peace-keeping, conflict prevention and our strategic operational priorities. They will be a highly versatile and potent joint defence asset, able to meet the widest range of tasks.

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, said:" I am delighted with today's news that the contract for the two new aircraft carriers, to be named HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH and HMS PRINCE OF WALES, has been agreed and signed. These ships, with their embarked aircraft, will provide the UK with a potent and powerful aircraft carrier force that will deliver air power in support of the full range of future operations at sea, in the air and on land."

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, said: "Today's contract signature marks an important step forward in the Carrier Strike programme. These ships will provide additional options for projecting offensive air power at a time and place of our choosing, and I very much look forward to the arrival of both the carriers and the extremely capable Joint Combat Aircraft on the frontline".

Alan Johnston, CEO of BVT Surface Fleet, said:" This is an important announcement for BVT and for the UK maritime industry at large, guaranteeing work for years to come across the country.

"We are looking forward to delivering these very important ships to the Fleet in the next decade and intend to begin construction work later this year."

Once the carriers enter service in 2014 and 2016 respectively, they are expected to remain in the fleet for at least thirty years.

HMS SUPERB has returned to Devonport after hitting a rock in the Red Sea, damaging its sonar.

[Maritime Clippings]

It is almost certain that most on-line visitors to the Irish Sea Shipping web site wishing to travel on the BALMORAL QE2 Farewell Evening Cruise from Liverpool on Friday October 03, 2008 are likely to book on line.

The fare is only £30.95 INCLUDING a £1.00 fuel surcharge.

HOWEVER, PLEASE ALERT FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO MAY NOT WISH TO BOOK ON LINE DIRECT WITH WAVERLEY EXCURSIONS THAT THEY COULD BE PAYING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IF THEY RESPOND TO THE ADVERTISEMENTS BY LIVERPOOL DAILY POST & ECHO TRAVEL WHICH HAVE STARTED TO APPEAR IN THOSE NEWSPAPERS.

The Liverpool Daily Post and Echo "offer" fare is £39.95! This is clearly a case of significant overcharging. Booking via the LDP advertisements does not appear to offer any advantages or extras for this trip this thus people will be paying an extra £9.00 for nothing.

Tickets are still available on the Waverley Excursions web site.