THIS ISLAND NATION Weekly Marine Review By Tom MacSweeney, Marine Correspondent. December 28, 2014 Weekly review and digest of news, comment and opinion in the maritime world ………………………………………………………………………………… WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT SEAFARERS ? At this time of t year it is appropriate to remember seafarers on the world’s oceans who are away from their families at Christmastime and New Year. This is the experience of my own family. Seafarers, by the nature of their work, are most often out-of-sight and too often out-of-mind of all except those of their own families and, perhaps though not often certain, the companies which employ them and those whose cargoes they are transporting. Without seafarers, the world’s economy would have great difficulties in surviving, as would nations and people around the world. Remember the following, as just a little example and think of seafarers: If sailors went on strike – What would our lives be like? Think – No coffee at eleven No cup of tea at four or seven No grapefruit or orange would you see Because a lot of things we need would not cross the sea.. No petrol for the bus or car And trains or planes would not go far No imports or exports… World trade would be lost Total economic disaster – What a cost!! So seafarers, keep sailing on.. We need your cargoes.... every tonne. ……………………………………………......................................…… NO IRISH NEED APPLY !! The start of a New Year is traditionally a time for hope, but I am deeply concerned by Email and phone contacts I have received since I wrote in the December edition of THE MARINE TIMES about the way in which the Department of the Marine has treated a young marine engineer at Howth Harbour in County Dublin. It is very disturbing that there should be a perception amongst Irish firms and individuals who have been dealing with the Department of the Marine that the attitude of Department officials towards proposals advanced by Irish people is as quoted in the headline to this paragraph – above. READ MORE in the January edition of THE MARINE TIMES. ………………………………………………………………………………… DO BOATS TALK? I have told my wife that my boat is not an inanimate object, that it does talk to me, which has generated the response from her that the boats costs enough, but does it ever explain why? It may not be capable of vocal expression in terms of the delivery of a voice message, I have responded, but it certainly has an audio capability and a ‘feel’ to it, which lets me know when she (referring to my boat again) is unhappy with her situation, or the demands which I am making upon her. That view, advanced to my wife in discussion, has had less than a generous, gentle or positive reply! Other people, perhaps not of maritime experience, do not accept the view that boats can talk, but I remain convinced that they do, in a particular manner! There has been a fair bit of response to this topic following my blog on the topic on afloat.ie in relation to my interview with the President of the Old Gaffers’ Association. You can read more at: afloat.ie/blogs/island-nation …………………………………………………………. THE NEXT EDITION OF THIS ISLAND NATION The next edition of THIS ISLAND NATION will be broadcast this coming week on stations and times as detailed below and will include a review of the past year. ………………………………………………………………………………… HOW AND WHERE TO LISTEN TO THIS ISLAND NATION RADIO PROGRAMME The programme is broadcast fortnightly on Mondays at 6.30 p.m. on CRY104FM (Youghal Community Radio) and can be heard also live on the station’s website cry104fm and by Podcast for which the link is: cry104fm/?page_id=3126 and where all the editions of the programme are stored The programme can also be heard on NEAR FM 90.3 in the Dublin region fortnightly on Fridays at 6 p.m. On Raidio Corca Baiscinn 94.8 FM in County Clare fortnightly on Tuesdays at 4.30 p.m. On DUBLIN SOUTH FM 93.9 FM These stations are part of the CRAOL community radio network THIS ISLAND NATION can also be heard on these maritime websites Afloat.ie (afloat.ie/blogs/island-nation) MarineTimes.ie (marinetimes.ie) • You can listen to THIS ISLAND NATION radio programme anywhere in the country or abroad on any of the above stations by downloading the free app TuneIn Radio from Google …………………………………………………………………………… SPECIAL 90-MINUTES EDITION OF THIS ISLAND NATION On New Year’s Day DUBLIN SOUTH FM 93.9 FM will broadcast 90 minutes of THIS ISLAND NATION programmes, three programmes in all, one after the other, from 4 p.m. onwards, at 4.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. ………………………………………………………………………………… UNION CRITICISES FAILURE TO PROSECUTE SUBSTANDARD SHIPOWNERS The international ship officers’ union, NAUTILUS, of which Irish officers are members, has criticised UK authorities for not taking action against the owners of a ship which sank off Wales with the loss of six crew. The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch concluded that the 34-year-old vessel had suffered “catastrophic structural failure” as a result of poor maintenance, corrosion and overloading. Nautilus said it has demanded action for over a year since the investigation result showed the ship to be substandard and alleged that the failure to prosecute would lead to “more flouting of rules and regulations.” The MCA said the shipwreck was outside of UK territorial waters, at more than 12 miles off the Welsh coast. Nautilus rejected this and says the ship was UK-owned and managed and had sailed from a UK port. The union has said it will explore whether a private prosecution can be undertaken. ………………………………………………………………………………… BRIDGE HITS YACHT ! A 49-metre long superyacht from the Cayman Islands was hit by a falling bridge as it was being towed into Miami port by two tugs. The yacht’s upper bridge was badly damaged when one side of the Broad Causeway Bridge dropped onto it while the vessel was passing underneath. The boat was trapped for a reported 20 minutes before it could be freed. No one of 15 people reported aboard at the time was injured. The 60-year-old bridge was reported to have suffered a hydraulic systems failure while it was lifted to allow the yacht and tugs through. SEE PHOTO FROM TV PICTURES BELOW. ………………………………………………………………………………… COURT DECISION FAVOURING PIRATES INSULTS SEAFARERS The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme has described the European Court of Human Rights decision that France should pay damages to pirates as “an insult to the seafarers they attacked.” The Strasbourg-based Court ruled that France violated the pirates’ rights to freedom and security because, even though they had been arrested 4,000 miles from French territory, they were kept in custody for 48 hours longer than they should have been. Response Programme Director Roy Paul said EU Member States should move to reverse the judgement: “Pirates gave up any rights when they set sail to attack innocent seafarers engaged in the essential work of seafaring.” The South Asia Regional Director of MPHRP, Chirag Barhi, who himself was held by pirates for eight months, said: “No Court has awarded any damages to seafarers who have been held for years and often appallingly treated by pirates.” ………………………………………………………………………………… OFFSHORE UK JOBS FEARS A financial consultancy study report of the UK offshore sector has suggested that about 35,000 jobs could be lost during the next five years if exploration and production continues to decline at current rates. Employment in the sector at present totals 375,000, …………………........................................................................ NEW OMAN SHIP WILL OPERATE WORLDIWDE The Oman Shipping Company has taken delivery of one of the world’s most advanced fuel efficient LNG carriers – the Adam LNG – which will operate worldwide. The 162,000 cubic metres-capacity vessel was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in Ulsan South Korea. It will operate worldwide with 25 crew including four Omani cadets. ……………………………….. FOUR FISH RECORDS SMASHED IN 2014 The Irish Specimen Fish Committee Report for 2014 records four new records: • Carp 14.24 kg, Loughgall, Co. Armagh, 26th October 2014 – Aaron Cummins • Golden Grey Mullet 1.2 kg, Cork Harbour, Co. Cork, 16th July 2014 – Stephen O’Neill • Thin-lipped Mullet 2.86 kg, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, 23rd August 2014 – Ian Mulligan • Spur Dogfish 11.06 kg, Red Bay, Co. Antrim, 3rd June 2013 – Tom Walsh It was a very good year for anglers with large numbers of specimen-sized fish caught and four new records established, the report says. High water temperatures during the summer were good news for many sea anglers with some of Ireland’s more exotic species like thin-lipped mullet, golden grey mullet and gilthead prominent in the overall specimen fish listings. A total of 526 specimens were ratified in 2014. • The ISFC Awards Day will be held on February 21 in Dublin, on the weekend of the Irish Angling Show ………………………........................... HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL READERS AND LISTENERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND INTEREST IN AND FOR THIS ISLAND NATION AS A MAJOR MARITIME NEWS, COMMENT AND INFORMATION FORUM ………………………………………………………………………………… OTHER MARITIME READING WHICH MAY INTEREST YOU • ‘SEA ECHOES’ column each Wednesday in the Cork Evening Echo • SAILING NEWS page each Thursday in the Evening Echo • THIS ISLAND NATION supplement in THE MARINE TIMES newspaper • THIS ISLAND NATION fortnightly on afloat.ie • MARINE TIMES FORUM each month in THE MARINE TIMES newspaper ………………………………………………………………………………… TWITTER DAILY MARITIME NEWS: @TomMacSweeney ...........……………………………………………………………………. Fair sailing until next week …..
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 14:45:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015