Following representations made by the ICG Board and its advisers, and  correspondence with those advisers and with the advisers to Moonduster Ltd, the  Panel has ruled that, except with the consent of the Panel, Moonduster must by 17:0. on April 20, 2024 either announce an offer for ICG under Rule 2.5 of the Takeover Rules or announce that it will not proceed with an offer for ICG.

The Panel also ruled that in the event that Moonduster announces that it will not proceed with an offer for ICG, Moonduster and any parties acting in concert with it will, except with the consent of the Panel, be bound by the restrictions contained in Rule 2.8 of the Takeover Rules for 12 months from the date of such announcement.

ISLE OF MAN STEAM PACKET COMPANY

SNAEFELL opened the 2009 fast craft season on Friday March 27. She had been due to depart Douglas at 07:30 and return from Liverpool at 11:15. However, due to prevailing weather conditions the Douglas departure was put back until 10:00. Her revised Liverpool departure being 14:00, however, AIS recorded that her actual departure was around 14:30. She also appeared to be making heavy weather of the crossing with speed being noted at times around 21 knots.

The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service will be ready to run by Wednesday,  April 1 at the latest, says Wyre Council.

It was hoped the crossing would have been ready by Monday this week but essential repairs to the dock caused delays.

The vessel has been out of action since last month while annual maintenance was carried out and vital repairs costing £165,000 were made to the dock.

A council spokeswoman said: "It is likely the service will be back by April 1 or possibly even a little sooner.

"The urgent refurbishment works taking place involve piling across the ferry dock immediately in front of the section that moved late last year.

"The work will secure the dock and allow the Fleetwood to Knott End ferry to continue when it comes back from its maintenance break."

Work being done at the dock follows the discovery of serious structural faults last year.

Despite the work and also initial problems with vessel WYRE ROSE since it began in 2007, there have been more than 128,000 journeys made since its launch. [FLEETWOOD WEEKLY NEWS]

ROYAL NAVY

Building work on the Royal Navy's most powerful attack submarine programme reached a major milestone March 24th as the traditional 'laying the keel' ceremony was performed by Defence Secretary John Hutton for the fourth of class Astute submarine, AUDACIOUS.

Weighing in at over seven thousand tonnes, AUDACIOUS - which is currently under construction by BAE Systems Submarine Solutions at Barrow-in-Furness - will join sister boats ASTUTE, AMBUSH and ARTFUL to become acornerstone of UK defence capability.

Defence Secretary John Hutton said: "This ceremony marks an important stage in a challenging project. The Astute class will be the most advanced and powerful attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated and these boats will play a key part of our defences for decades to come.

"The Royal Navy has a long term and enduring requirement for nuclear powered submarines and the Barrow-in- Furness yard remains the UK's centre of excellence for submarine building.

"Submarines are extremely demanding engineering projects, and the Astute class is no exception. The skills, expertise and commitment of the Barrow workforce are absolutely fundamental to the success of the Astute programme."

The Astute class is the biggest and most powerful attack submarines ever ordered for the Royal Navy. The vessels have an improved capability for world-wide operations, including much greater firepower and better communications and crew accommodation than the current in service submarines.

Director General Submarines Rear Admiral Simon Lister said: "The Astute programme is forging ahead; the Navy is looking forward to getting its hands on the First of Class, ASTUTE; the building of the second, AMBUSH, is making good progress, and the third, ARTFUL, incorporates a range of initiatives which speed up production and cut cost. AUDACIOUS benefits from further innovation, particularly in team working with the company and throughout the supplier base."

Around 5000 people are employed on the project for the first four Astute class submarines. The fourth of seven Astute class submarines ordered by the MOD, AUDACIOUS joins ASTUTE named by Duchess of Cornwall in June 2007 and AMBUSH and ARTFUL already under construction

Astute-class submarines will displace 7,400 tonnes dived and are 97 metres long. Capable of circumnavigating the globe in a single 90 day patrol without resurfacing, they will have six weapons tubes and massively increased firepower compared with earlier attack submarines.

Each Astute class submarine has a complement of 98 men and is powered by a Pressurised Water Reactor 2, equipped with Core H, which will fuel the reactor for the submarine's full service life, ending the need for costly reactor refuellings.

Astute class submarines will be based at Faslane on the Clyde and will undergo refits at Devonport. ASTUTE, AMBUSH, ARTFUL and AUDACIOUS are being procured by the Defence Equipment and Support organisation Submarine Production Integrated Project Team.

There have been three warships named AUDACIOUS. The first was a 74 gun wooden ship of the line that fought under Nelson at the battle of the Nile in 1801; the second was an ironclad that served on the China station and the third was a First World War battleship serving with the Grand Fleet that was mined and sunk in 1914.

[Maritime Clippings / DefPro]

Stena Line is seeking what it calls "essential" cost reductions in a bid to return its Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead service to profitability. Management at Stena Line met with union representatives earlier this month to discuss their cost saving proposals. The company is seeking to reduce its Dun Laoghaire workforce by a quarter through voluntary redundancies.

As recently as 2006 the HSS Explorer operated three round trips a day from Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead. However, last November Stena Line reduced this service from two to just one round trip a day. As a result, the company now says it needs significantly fewer of its passenger staff to run the reduced service. In addition, Stena Line has been seeking a major reduction in the annual fees charged by the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, reported to be €6.8 million per annum. It is understood that Dublin Port, by comparison, charges Stena around €3 million for the same berthing fees. Stena Line currently employs a total of 64 personnel in Dún Laoghaire and it is wants to reduce this by 18 positions to 46.

The company said it hoped to achieve this through voluntary redundancies but could not rule out compulsory job losses. The changes are scheduled to be introduced by mid-May following discussions with staff and trade unions. Vic Goodwin, Route and HR director for Stena Line, said: "Our route between Dún Laoghaire and Holyhead operated by the HSS Stena Explorer has traded in a loss making situation for the last few years and with the economic downturn now facing us we must take action to address these issues. "In recent years we have reduced the number of trips being operated by our HSS and recently introduced a one round trip schedule. We now have to implement changes to our organisation to reflect these timetable changes. Unfortunately this will mean job reductions, including changes to shifts and working practices. "These cost reductions are an essential part in working towards getting this route back into profitability."

Mr Goodwin added that Stena was trying to secure a new operating agreement with the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company and was "confident" that it could secure the long-term viability of the route. Oliver McDonagh of the SIPTU marine section said the union would make a decision on the proposals after it meets its members. "We have a letter from the company and we will be responding to the letter very clearly," he said. "Obviously none of our members is very happy about this and I can't see it going down well with them, so I'd say we are going to have problems."

[DUBLIN PEOPLE]

On 23 October 2008, the Company announced that it had received an approach  from Moonduster Limited ("Moonduster") seeking to engage with the other  major shareholders of the Company with a view to potentially bringing forward an offer to acquire the Company.

On 9 March 2025 the Company announced that, for various reasons set out in that announcement, it was requiring Moonduster to bring forward an offer by no later than close of business on 18 March 2025 that is capable of recommendation and execution, subject only to due diligence.

On 18 March 2009, Moonduster's advisers wrote to the Independent Directors providing an update on the status of the proposed offer and seeking an extension of the deadline. The details provided in the letter do not meet several of the criteria set by the Independent Directors and, inter alia, did not include details of a proposed offer price. Therefore, the letter does not constitute a proposal which is capable of consideration by the Independent Directors.

Consequently, in line with our previous announcement, the Independent Directors will now request the Irish Takeover Panel (the "Panel") to exercise its powers pursuant to Rule 35 of the Irish Takeover Rules and impose a deadline for Moonduster to announce an offer.

Notwithstanding the deadline being sought from the Panel, the Independent Directors will remain available to engage with Moonduster with a view to bringing forward an offer which is capable of both recommendation and execution within an acceptable timeframe set by the Panel.

SNAEFELL moved from winter lay-up on Merseyside to Douglas on Thursday March 19. She is due to enter service for the 2009 season on Friday March 27. The company had announced enhancements to the Manannan Executive Club Lounge and a complete refurbisment of the vessel's toilet facilities

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company fast craft service recommences on Friday 27 March with Snaefell covering the Liverpool route at the start of the season.

SNAEFELL starts the new season having benefitted from enhancements to the Manannan Executive Club lounge and a complete refurbishment of the toilet facilities.

The company has also introduced a ban on smoking on the outside decks of the fast craft with effect from the start of the 2009 season.

MANANNAN - work continues on the vessel at Portsmouth. The photographs (right © Gary Davies - Maritime Photographic) show MANANNAN on Friday March 20 looking substantially complete and very impressive. Her AIS has gone live this week and it is thought she could be heading north by mid April.

BRITTANY Ferries has donated four large framed photographs of a number of their ships to the City Museum in Plymouth.

Brittany Ferries was established in 1972 and has run ferries from Plymouth since 1973. The photographs were presented to the museum to mark a momentous episode in the history of the company.

Pictured is the entry into service of the VAL DE LOIRE, a 33,000 tonne passenger ferry that took over the Plymouth to Santander and Plymouth to Roscoff routes from the original ferry, the BRETAGNE.

The much sort after pictures were presented to Nigel Overton, the Maritime Heritage Officer at the museum. Chris Jones of Brittany Ferries commented: "The pictures have hung on our walls for a long time, and Nigel has always been interested in them. We decided to donate the pictures to the museum so they could gain a wider audience, and so we could show the historic links we have with the city of Plymouth." The museum were pleased to work with Brittany Ferries, and plan to use the pictures as part of exhibitions and displays in the future.

[PLYMOUTH HERALD]

On 23 October 2008, the Company announced that it had received an approach from Moonduster Limited ("Moonduster") seeking to engage with the other major shareholders of the Company with a view to potentially bringing forward an offer to acquire the Company.

Since the offer period commenced on 23 October 2008 the Independent Directors of the Company have been concerned as to protect and act in the best interest of all shareholders by ensuring that there is a timely and efficient process for the resolution of the uncertainty regarding the future ownership of the Company, yet at the same time being cognisant of the ongoing difficult conditions in the financial markets.

Taking all of this into account, and notwithstanding that Moonduster is continuing in its efforts to bring forward an offer for the Company, the Independent Directors are concerned at the length of time it is taking for an offer to be announced. Therefore, the Independent Directors believe that it is now appropriate to require Moonduster to bring forward an offer that is capable of recommendation and execution, subject only to due diligence, by no later than close of business on 18 March 2009.

In the meantime, the Company is writing to the Irish Takeover Panel informing it that if such an offer is not forthcoming the Company will request the Irish Takeover Panel to exercise its powers pursuant to Rule 35 of the Irish Takeover Rules and impose a deadline for Moonduster to announce an offer.

The Company has decided to continue to defer a decision on the interim redemption of redeemable shares (first deferred on 23 October 2024) and also to defer a decision on any final redemption of redeemable shares.

The future of the Foyle car and passenger ferry could be saved through laws passed 60 years ago.

Supporters of the ferry – which could cease to operate in June if it is not subsidised – believe laws enacted in 1949 when the Irish Republic was declared could provide a vital breakthrough in efforts to save the service.

Under the 1949 legislation, the service could be designated as "domestic" rather than international, thereby reducing security costs.

The ferry, which began in 2002, operates between Greencastle, Co Donegal, and Magilligan Point, Co Derry, and has proved hugely popular with tourists and residents in the area.

Manager Jim McClenaghan said he could not continue operating unless new contracts, and a subsidy of €200,000, were issued by Donegal and Limavady councils.

Junior finance minister Martin Mansergh told the Seanad on Thursday: "At the time of the declaration of the Republic, legislation was passed in the Oireachtas and the British Houses of Parliament which specifically stated that both states did not regard each other as foreign countries."

Inishowen senator Cecilia Keaveney said this could lead to savings of up to  €250,000 on reduced security costs.

NORTHLINK FERRIES

HAMNAVOE departed from Cammell Laird around 21:00 on March 09, 2025 at the completion of her refit.

PEEL PORTS

MERSEY MARINER the last remaining Mersey Docks & Harbour Company dredger is to be decomissioned in June putting 12 jobs under threat. The grab dredger which has been retained for work in the docks will have its work contracted to a third party dredging contractor.

SEATRUCK FERRIES

The heroes of the RIVERDANCE ferry rescue operation off the Blackpool coast have been awarded a prestigious honour for their bravery.

Crewmen from two air-sea rescue helicopters airlifted 23 people – including  four terrified passengers – to safety on a night of gale force winds.

Lieutenant Mike Paulet, who co-ordinated the rescue operation, has been  awarded one of Britain's top military decorations, the Air Force Cross, for his bravery and determination in the face of a difficult rescue.

RAF Flight Lieutenant Lee Turner will receive the Air Force Cross and Royal Navy Leading Aircrewman Kevin Regan and RAF Master Aircrewman Richard Taylor  will receive the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

The crew of the ship were dramatically winched to safety in 70mph winds when a freak 23ft wave smashed into the side of the cargo vessel.

It was knocked off course and began to list, finally grounding on Blackpool  beach, opposite Anchorsholme Park.The ferry laid there for almost a year while efforts were made to refloat it  before it was eventually dismantled and sent to the scrapyard.

Lieutenant Paulet, 32, said: "We knew that time was of the essence and that  we were dealing with scared people, as well as dreadful conditions. "We lowered our winchman on to the deck of the ferry and set about getting  people off as quickly as possible. Our team all pulled together that night  and we were absolutely united in the opinion that failure was not an  option."

The crew, from HMS Gannet, joined colleagues from RAF Valley's search and rescue station as well as a coastguard helicopter from Belfast.The dramatic rescue happened on January 31 while the ferry was on a journey from Belfast to Heysham.

[BLACKPOOL GAZETTE]

SAKAHALINMOR TRANS LLC

STALINGRAD - the stranded crew of the Russian cargo ship arrested by the Admiralty Marshal have finally returned home. The Ship was detained in the Port of Liverpool in mid-December and the crew were stranded. The crew have praised the people of Liverpool for gifts of food and drink.

Four of the crew have agreed to stay on for a few weeks as caretakers until the ship is sold at auction.

A £70m plan for a new port on the route linking Scotland to Northern Ireland has been backed by councillors.

Stena Line wants to move its Irish Sea services out of Stranraer and along the coast to Old House Point in order to cut journey times and fuel costs.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has given its backing to the company's bid for a harbour empowerment order (HEO).

The final decision on granting the order now lies with the Scottish Government.

Stena Line is a major employer in the area with 330 permanent staff and about 50 temporary workers on shore and aboard its ferries.

However, it said the current facilities were "out-of-date and inefficient".

The new facility would reduce journey times, cut fuel use and avoid the need for operational dredging of the navigational channel.

Stena has already been given approval to carry out preparatory works for its new terminal.

Once the company vacates its old site it would allow major redevelopment plans for Stranraer to move forward.