A ferry linking residents along the River Dart has been reintroduced after a 100-year absence.

The 12-seat timber-framed Carolina will run four times a week between Stoke Gabriel and Dartmouth.

It follows a successful trial over the summer months which convinced operators of the need to run a permanent service.

Andrew Pooley, general manager at the Dart Valley Railway Company's River Link, said: "We are delighted to announce the trial ferry proved so successful that we have made it a permanent service on the river.

"The timings of the ferry will depend on the tide, but in the schedule we have tried to ensure a sensible amount of time for passengers to spend ashore.

"We recommend those wishing to use the service pre-book, as space on the ferry is limited."

The boat was launched in May for a six-week trial. The idea was to provide a service for people from Stoke Gabriel to visit Dartmouth on market days and spend a few hours shopping.

Mr Pooley said: "It was extremely well supported from the Stoke Gabriel end if using it to go to Dartmouth on market days rather than drag round on cars.

"In fact, it was oversubscribed which is why we have asked people to pre-book.

"It is mainly for residents of the village. We make sure that people from Stoke Gabriel have a minimum three hours in Dartmouth to enjoy themselves.

"However, it depends on the tides when we arrive and how long we stay for."

In the summer the holiday camp visitors swell the population of the village to more than 2,000.

River Link is targeting these people by offering a round-robin service which links the boat to Paignton and Dartmouth using the steam railway.

"People come back here year after year and they are always looking for new things to do on the river. This gives them the chance to do that."

The idea is to run the ferry four days a week until October when services will be reduced to one day for the winter months.

It will run Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday until October and then on market days only.

[THIS IS SOUTH DEVON]

Dublin Port Company this week published its 2008 Annual Results and trading figures for the first half of 2009 which show that Dublin Port Company continues to perform strongly despite the downturn with sustained profitability and increased dividend payment to its shareholder on the back of rigorous management of its cost base.

The company remains committed and well placed to continue its capital investment programme to ensure that Ireland’s premier port is prepared to deal with renewed growth in the economy. Highlights:2008

a.. Throughput - 29.6 million tonnes (30.9 million tonnes in 2007)

b.. Ferry passengers – 1.26 million (1.3 million in 2007)

c.. Turnover - €70.6 million (€70.4 million in 2007)

d.. Operating profit - €26.97 million (€21.66 million in 2007)

e.. Dividend paid - €5.1 million (€4.2 million in 2007)

f.. Capital investment of €26.6 million

g.. Pension fund assets - €188m

January – June 2009

a.. Throughput - 12.9 million tonnes down 15.7%

b.. Turnover - €30.7 million down 13% (€35.3 million in H1 2008)

c.. Operating profit - €12.1 million down 4.5% (€12.6 million in H1 2008)

d.. Trade cars - 15,504 down 78.1%

e.. Capital Investment - €5.9 million

f.. Dividend paid €5.3 million (3.9% increase on previous year)

g.. Tourism

a.. Tourist cars - 144,853, up 19.7%

b.. Tourist passengers – 634,082 up 7.6%

c.. Cruise liner visits 83 planned for 2009

Despite a more challenging economic environment, trade at Europe’s seventh  largest RoRo port, Dublin Port, was less than 5% off its historic throughput high of 30 million tonnes in 2007 and the out turn was in line with guidance given at the half year trading update last year. A key factor in lower trade volumes was a reduction in the unitised trade sectors Roll-on-Roll-off and

Lift-on-Lift-off (RoRo and LoLo) which accounts for 80% of throughput. In 2008, RoRo and LoLo throughput fell by 4% and 9% respectively. Dublin Port continues to be Ireland’s port of choice and has grown market share again driven by its low cost model, choice of eight competing terminals and the benefits of its location at the heart of Ireland’s largest market.

Operating profit increased by 25% in 2007 to €26.7 million despite turnover remaining broadly in line with the previous year. The company continued its rigorous focus on reducing its cost base to ensure that is plays its role in helping to drive national competitiveness. This focus has ensured that vessel and goods dues to the unitised sector (80% of trade) remain 10% lower in nominal terms than twenty years ago. 2008 also saw the seventh consecutive year of payroll reduction with a 5.4% decrease which makes the wage bill 35% lower than it was in 2001. While there was a 1.4% increase in overall operating expenses to €42.5 million. When the 10% increase in City

Rates and bi-annual dredging is excluded, non-pay costs were, in fact, 3% lower.

On the tourism side of the business, ferry passengers declined during the year, however even with the decline passenger numbers are still ahead of 2005 and 2006 levels. The cruise sector continued to grow with 83 cruises visiting in Dublin Port 2008.

As part of its ongoing commitment to ensure Dublin Port increases efficiencies at the port, the company invested €26.6m in infrastructural improvements including the construction of Ireland’s largest service station, which provides refuelling and associated facilities for port customers. The company remains committed to a capital investment programme with half a billion euro earmarked over the next ten years including our Dublin Gateway proposal to provide additional capacity for larger vessels.

This proposal is currently in a planning process with An Bord Pleanala. The company’s pension fund continues to meet the minimum funding standard, following significant investment in the fund since 1997 and the implementation of an appropriate funding strategy, matching assets to the liability profile of a very mature fund.

The first half of this year has seen a 15.7% fall in trade levels on the same period last year with a fall of 13% in turnover. The focus on efficiency continues with the 8th consecutive reduction in the company’s payroll and this together with other cost management measures has ensured that operating profit was less than 5% lower than the same period last year.

However, notwithstanding the downturn Dublin Port is still handling four times the level of trade as it did fifteen years ago. We continued to invest in the port’s infrastructure with the first phase this year’s €20 million capital spend and the company also paid an interim dividend of €5.3 million to its shareholder last month.

The first half of 2009 saw an increase in ferry passenger numbers of 7.6%. This is a welcome boost for the economy as ferry passengers tend to stay longer, spend more and travel further into the country than airline passengers. Our commitment to the cruise sector has again delivered great results in securing Dublin’s first of three "turnaround" cruises this year.

A turnaround cruise is one where a cruise starts in Dublin and generates even greater revenue for the city as passengers finishing on the cruise are likely to stay in Dublin longer than a port of call. Also, those joining the cruise in Dublin will stay in the city and spend in the local shops before embarking on their cruise.

Commenting at the launch of the 2008 Annual Report and 2009 H1 trading update, Mr. Enda Connellan, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company, said: "I am pleased to report an exceptionally strong performance during the year which provided many challenges, not only for us, but the economy as a whole.

Dublin Port Company’s operating profit grew by 25% on a similar turnover as the previous year. Our dividend to our shareholder increased by 22% and we were in a position to invest almost €27 million in port infrastructure.

Dublin Port Company has done a huge amount of work to help contribute to national competitiveness by introducing competition within the port and addressing our own cost base. Our pension funding position remains strong and continues to exceed the minimum funding standard prescribed by the 1990 Pensions Act. Even with trade volumes falling in 2009 with a resultant fall in revenue, Dublin Port Company remains profitable and will continue to pay a dividend to its shareholder.

As a company it is well placed to see through the current economic challenges and provide the necessary investment that will help drive the real trading economy when growth returns." [DUBLIN PORT COMPANY]

Built by Van der Giessen de Noord in Rotterdam, at a cost of £24 million, the BEN-MY-CHREE first sailed into Manx waters on Tynwald Day 1998. Since then she has covered more than 875,000 miles and has an impressive reliability record of over 99%.

The vessel has carried more than 2.5 million passengers and 4.5 million metres of freight since she entered service and has completed more trips than many of the former Isle of Man Steam Packet Company vessels, which were twice as old as the BEN-MY-CHREE is now.

Chief Executive Mark Woodward said: "The BEN-MY-CHREE has been the most intensively used vessel in our history and during this time her record of reliability has been outstanding. She has been a fantastic servant to both the travelling public and the Company and I am delighted to see her complete this impressive number of sailings across the Irish Sea. She is without question one of the most reliable ships ever used by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company in its 179-year history and we look forward to many more years of service from her."

The BEN-MY-CHREE is the sixth ship in the Company's history to bear the name.

Penzance could lose out to Falmouth for the proposed Isles of Scilly Sea Link under proposals discussed by the islands' Transport Strategy committee this week.

The committee was told by council chair Julia Day that the port of Falmouth was now being seriously considered as the Route's mainland end. The news followed a fact-finding mission by the Isles of Scilly Council to Falmouth last Friday "to see what was there".

The Route Partnership withdrew its £23 million plans to build a passenger and freight terminal on Battery Rocks beach in June after pressure from the Friends of Penzance Harbour. On Tuesday, island councillors were told the scheme was "potentially in jeopardy of failure" unless a replacement planning application was submitted by September this year. It is understood the deadline for the Department for Transport's funding could expire at this point.

"Penzance remains, very firmly, our main and preferred option," Cllr Day told the meeting. "But there has been a considerable degree of opposition. We have to have a credible alternative. We have to have the insurance of somewhere else to go. That is why we are looking at Falmouth."

But the Friends, who opposed the plans for the development on Battery Rocks, have branded the proposed move as 'propaganda'.

Chairman John Maggs remains confident the move will never happen due to increasing fuel costs and journey times.

"The cost of fuel and time of travel will make it impossible. Before the economic downturn the cost of oil hit $100 a barrel and it will go back to that level again. They are doing this to put pressure on the people of Penzance. There's no way they would unnecessarily lengthen the sea journey."

Penzance Chamber of Commerce wrote to all Penzance Town councillors this week asking them to support the original application, saying any move away would "kill" Penzance. According to Mike Waters, up to 600 people would lose their jobs.

He said: "We are already losing the heliport, and if that happens the chances are that the main railway line will also go to Falmouth and that would be a disaster."

Managing director of Falmouth Docks Peter Child has confirmed that he had received inquiries from the Isles of Scilly about the opportunity to run a service from Falmouth and was in initial talks at the moment. He added: "We could take a ferry within our existing facilities." Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Highways, Transportation and Planning Graeme Hicks confirmed that Falmouth was a "credible alternative". But he said the partnership was still "very much concentrating" on Penzance as a preferred location as a base to maintain the link to the Isles of Scilly. He added: "We recognise that there is some public concern which could jeopardise the scheme and with a project of this scale and importance to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly it's obviously necessary to have an insurance policy.

"Falmouth is a working freight port and is clearly a credible alternative with some exciting business opportunities."

[SW BUSINESS]

RATHLIN EXPRESS - the new passenger ferry made made her debut at Rathlin Island on Monday. The passenger catamaran constructed by Arklow Marine Services for the Rathlin Island Ferry Company has an  overalllength of 17.72m, a beam of 6.5m carries 98 passengers and with Scania 16L main engines will attain a service speed of 17 knots.

The proprietor, Ciarán O'Driscoll won the ferry contract for the service from Ballycastle to Rathlin Island, ironically as he comes from Cape Clear Island - Ireland's most southerly island - given that Rathlin is the most northerly one.

"The introduction of a new fast passenger service between Rathlin and Ballycastle will enhance the tourism product in both centres," said Mr O'Driscoll.

The operator will be Rathlin Island Ferry Limited as part of the O'Driscoll company which already runs two ferry services to the West Cork Islands of Whiddy Island and Cape Clear Island.

Mr O'Driscoll continued: "Having been born and bred on an island I am very aware of the challenges that islanders face.

"Access is the most important aspect as this is our lifeline for everything.  Improved ferry services will improve the life standard of the islanders all year round."

"Employment is another critical consideration for island dwellers and I do not envisage any staff reductions; indeed I would foresee a need for additional recruitment as the business develops," he said. The catamaran will make the crossing between Ballycastle and Rathlin in approximately 20 minutes."

This September, for the first time, the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society will be opening the steam tug-tender DANIEL ADAMSON to the general public. This will enable the society's efforts to restore the vessel to passenger carrying condition to be inspected by non members. DANIEL ADAMSON built at Tranmere in 1903 has been undergoing restoration work since 2004.

The open day is being held on Saturday September 12, 2024 between 10:30 and 15:00 as part of the 2009 English Heritage "Heritage Open Days" programme being hosted at various venues around the country.

The FREE PUBLIC PLACES are offered on a STRICTLY LIMITED basis on a date which coincides with a Members' Open Day and offers the public opportunity to visit the vessels whilst it is still a "work in progress".

Photographs and information about the vessel will be on display, and artefacts recovered from the tug will be displayed in our own mini "Black Museum" organised by our Archivist. Guided tours will be on offer and Tea, Coffee and light refreshments will be on sale as well as merchandise from the DAPS souvenir shop. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to join our existing membership which now exceeds 350 world wide.

Cammell Laird Shiprepairers  and Shipbuilders Ltd are kindly sponsoring the appearance of the "Adamson Military Band" from Dukinfield, Manchester to provide music for the day's events. This is a voluntary brass band which was established in 1888 and named in honour of Daniel Adamson who had taken such a keen interest in the welfare of the band. The band will be performing twice during the day at 11:30 and 13:30.

If you would like to visit the Daniel Adamson on Saturday September 12 please con contact the visitor co-ordinator, Colin Brogan preferably at: [email protected] or alternatively on: 07746199844.

• Places are strictly limited and will be on a first come - first served basis.

• No Children under eight years of age will be permitted. Children aged 8 to 16 are welcome but they must be accompanied by an adult.

• Tickets will not be issued but those who wish to attend will receive confirmation from the Society and their names recorded. The vessel is berthed at Sandon Dock, Liverpool with access via the Wellington Dock Gate which will be manned and clearly signposted on the day. Full access details will be forwarded to successful applicants.

For further information about the Steam Tug-Tender DANIEL ADAMSON and the Daniel Adamson Preservation Society visit www.danieladamson.co.uk

West Cork Tourism is seeking to appoint a chief executive to run the Fastnet Line which will relaunch the Swansea-Cork ferry route next March.

The successful applicant will asked to develop the company's operations during the next seven months and raise an additional €1.5 million for working capital.

A co-operative, formed by West Cork Tourism, has already raised €3m towards the purchase of the MV JULIA, a 1,800-berth vessel capable of carrying 400 cars.

The cooperative has struck a deal with a Finnish bank for a loan to purchase the vessel which previously plied the Baltic Sea.

The agreement has to be ratified by a Finnish court, but the co-operative hopes to have its hands on the vessel before the end of the summer.

"We hope to have a chief executive in place in August and hope to get the ship by the end of August or the start of September," West Cork Tourism chairman Conor Buckley said.

He said he was hopeful the Fastnet Line would be officially launched in October and that a major marketing campaign would then get under way.

The tourist industry in the south-west region is estimated to have lost up to €150m since Swansea-Cork Ferries closed the route in 2006.

It had been a financially viable service, but the company ceased operations when it sold on the MV SUPERFERRY and was unable to purchase a replacement ship.

As a result the crew of 120 lost their jobs, along with 45 shore staff in Ireland and a further 30 in Swansea.

Mr Buckley said the new ferry would have to be fitted out to comply with Irish regulations and it would be later in the year before the Fastnet Line sought a crew for it.

It had been hoped to restart the service last year but it took so long to reach an agreement with the Finnish bank that time slipped away.

Mr Buckley said it was decided it would be wasteful to start operations out of season and instead it was felt it would be better to hold off until next March.

He said that decision would benefit shareholders and tourists' interests in the long term.

The Port of Cork and British Associated Ports, which runs the Port of Swansea, have promised incentives to the operators to restart the service.

Meanwhile, Cork County Council and Fáilte Ireland are expected to provide €500,000 for a marketing campaign.

[IRISH EXAMINER]

Mersey Ferries are now offering an annual season ticket for the circular river cruises costing just £39.

A vast  port for cargo ships will be built in Salford.

Port Salford, which could create more than 2,000 jobs, won planning approval after a five-year fight against red tape.

A huge freight terminal will be built on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal at Barton, Eccles. Peel Holdings, which is behind the scheme, wants it to become one of the busiest ports in Britain.

The old Salford docks were closed in 1982 after a decline in heavy industry. The M.E.N revealed the proposal in 2004 but it stalled after concerns from the Highways Agency.

Peel says it will cut congestion by providing an alternative to road haulage.

Modelled on Duisport, in Germany, the company says Port Salford would bring numerous benefits to the region, handling an estimated five per cent of Britain's container movements.

Peel's property director Mike Butterworth said: "We are thrilled that the plans have been approved. Port Salford will bring rail, road and short-sea shipping together in a unique development alongside the Manchester Ship Canal."

The site will be between Barton Bridge and Irlam.

It will be the only inland water-served distribution park in Britain. Port Salford will offer container ship berths and have the capacity to double the number of container trains that serve the two terminals in Trafford Park. The project would be able to receive 16 freight trains every day.

Peel says re-routing Trafford Park trains away from Manchester Piccadilly would remove most freight traffic through the Oxford Road/Piccadilly corridor, allowing for more passenger trains.

Mr Butterworth added: "The scheme is part of Ocean Gateway, Peel's proposed ?50bn investment strategy for the north west region.

"Peel's vision is to establish the gateway as a key source of new jobs, inward investment and sustainable development together with environmental improvement.

"This scheme ticks all the right boxes, in terms of taking freight off the roads, reducing CO2 emissions, creating jobs, using a brownfield site and making a substantial contribution to the improvement of the highway infrastructure. "

Councillor Derek Antrobus, Salford's planning boss, said: "This development will boost the economy by up to ?83m a year and create around 2,000 jobs. It also makes a significant contribution to improving regional transport and frees up capacity at Manchester's Piccadilly Station."

But opponents say it will make their lives a 'living hell'.

Susan Simpson, head of Barton Residents' Association, said: "Already people are struggling to sell their houses and there's going to be a hell of a lot of negative equity. People are going to struggle to get to the road and it's going to take forever to get out of Barton." [MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS]

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch have published the report on the sinking of the dredger ABIGAIL H at Heysham Harbour in November 2008. Copies can be downloaded from the MAIB web site [click here]

MARINE SPECIALIST TECHNOLOGIES

PEEL PORTS

MARINE TERMINALS LTD

Siptu members working for Marine Terminals Limited (MTL) are to seek an all-out picket from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) at Dublin Port as the protest enters its second week. The trade union, which represents most of the 70 workers at MTL, placed pickets at the company's premises last Friday. It said the dispute was over attempts by the company to impose compulsory redundancies as well as reductions in pay and conditions for members.

The union said that when the company decided to make 19 staff members redundant earlier this year, it used its own selection criteria. Siptu said five workers were made redundant initially, and that on May 15th a further 14 were told by management that they were to be let go.

“On the same day, all other Siptu employees were written to telling them they must sign new contracts agreeing to pay cuts of between 14 and 18 per cent, or be sacked,” it said.

The union said that the company had placed the workforce on a 20-hour week and deployed new workers from Scotland and Northern Ireland to take up the slack. Siptu’s Oliver McDonagh said the union remains available for talks but that since Peel Ports took over the Marine Terminal operations last year it has shown “a consistent unwillingness to treat with the union or accept agreed procedures for dealing with problems.”

“The only reason we are applying for an all-out picket is the absolute refusal of the company to engage with us,” Mr McDonagh added. However, a spokesman for the company disputed Siptu’s claims saying the union “should stick to the facts”. The spokesman said: “We’ve attended six meetings with them to try and reach agreement and recently won a Labour Court hearing which agreed we were within our rights to make 13 people redundant due to the economic downturn.

“It’s unrealistic to expect crane operators to earn up to €75,000 per year in the current economic crisis. We have offered up to €60,000 per annum, which has been rejected by the union, as has an offer of up to €75,000 redundancy," he said. "It’s unfortunate the union have called for an escalation of industrial actions they would be far better taking a more realistic attitude to discussions.”

Siptu accused the company of “grossly exaggerating” the amounts they were offering in redundancy payments to workers. Mr McDonagh said: “Media reports have been citing the company as offering €75,000 in redundancy payments, but not one worker so far being made redundant has been offered that much.

“Of the 13 workers being made compulsorily redundant under the Peel Ports formula, so far two workers are being offered €70,000. . . . The average payment is €37,000.” On Monday the company secured a renewal to the interim exparte injunction to prevent picketers from obstructing vehicles entering or leaving the cargo terminal. [IRISH TIMES / MARITIME CLIPPINGS]

STENA LINE

SEAFRANCE MANET  It was announced this week that Stena Line have acquired the SEAFRANCE MANET. The ship will work alongside the HSS STENA VOYAGER and STENA CALEDONIA. The vessel will provide the company with the opportunity to increase frequency of sailings and timetable options for both freight and tourism customers on the route.

The SEAFRANCE MANET will be renamed and will undergo a comprehensive refurbishment - and it is expected to take up service in the autumn.

Between now and then the company will be in regular consultation with key stakeholders to establish the optimum timetable arrangements.

The introduction of the new vessel will result in an overall increase in staff numbers.

"The addition of this vessel to the fleet is an important strategic investment to help secure the long term future of the route," said Paul Grant, Route Manager for Stranraer-Belfast.

In a letter to staff today, the Route Manager explained a review had been carried out in the early part of this year in order to improve financial performance on the route and to minimise exposure to escalating fuel prices - and this had resulted in the purchase of an extra ship.

"The MANET will operate alongside the HSS STENA VOYAGER and the STENA CALEDONIA to create a service schedule which will give us a better frequency of and wider choice of sailings, on our fastcraft and conventional vessels. This increased flexibility will help us to meet the challenges ahead," he said.

The Route Manager explained the optimum schedule for the three vessels has yet to be determined.

"In all possible scenarios we will be assessing the implications and impact on our staff as one of our key priorities. Any timetable changes will inevitably result in a reduction in trippage for the HSS STENA VOYAGER. This will mean fewer core crew on that vessel, but the introduction of the MANET will create new job opportunities," he said.

HSS STENA DISCOVERY has been renamed HSS DISCOVERY and reflagged to Nassau prior to her departure from Belfast for Venezuela.

STENA LEADER went technical on her 22:00 Larne - Fleetwood on Sunday June 28 with problems with her port engine. She diverted  diverted to Holyhead - where she remained until Thursday. After repairs and headed back to Larne to take up service.