ILV Granuaile on arrival in Dun Laoghaire on 17 February 2000 (photo: Roger Digan photography)

SINCE MY LAST REPORT about the building of ILV Granuaile the sea going staff have had an extremely busy, interesting, and a rewarding year. Having successfully completed sea and buoy-lifting trials in The Netherlands Granuaile was handed over to the Commissioners of Irish Lights by Damen Shipyards on 31 January 2000. Under the command of Captain Robert McCabe she sailed to the covered Lursen Dockyard in Bremen, West Germany. Painting of the decks and superstructure was completed there, under controlled environmental conditions, to ensure that the paint system would endure the rigours of the weather prevalent on the Irish coasts and achieve the contracted five year paint guarantee.

From Bremen Granuaile almost immediately took up operational duties, as Captain McCabe with the 'starboard watch' sailed to the Trinity House Depot at Harwich and discharged the Trinity House buoys which had been on loan to Damen Shipyards for buoy lifting and deployment trials. After discharging the buoys, Granuaile made passage to Rosslare, re-lighting an extinguished Trinity House buoy en-route.

She arrived at Rosslare on 14 February 2000 where she entered the service of the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Frank Fahey, joined the ship at Wicklow on 17 February, with Commissioners and Officials, for her passage to Dun Laoghaire.

Following a magnificent welcome at Dun Laoghaire, training of the ship's staff began in earnest. The Deck, Engineering, and Catering departments were faced with a new ship, new and unfamiliar equipment, and a new working agreement. Familiarisation and training in this new equipment was structured, and a team approach was adopted to ensure that each crew member was competent and confident in the use of all the equipment prior to the ship taking up Service work.

Practice in buoy lifting and deployment was carried out in Skerries Bay with the clean North India buoy being used as a practice buoy. This exercised crew members in driving the 20 tonne crane and familiarised them in the new deck equipment provided for buoy and chain work. It was also an opportunity for myself and the bridge team to exercise the Dynamic Positioning system and the other control systems used to manoeuvre the ship. The people of Skerries must have wondered what this strange looking ship was up to as the buoy was lifted and deployed at least twelve times per day over the course of a weekend.

The crews were also exercised in boat launching and recovery using the new Welin Lambie constant heave tensioning davits. The new lighthouse oil and water delivery hoses were run out and tested together with their associated pumps. The Engineering department underwent rigorous familiarisation and training in the computerised power management and engine monitoring systems. The navigational team came to terms with the integrated bridge and its associated computerised systems.

On completion of training in the equipment each crew member underwent an examination which was set by the Master, and conducted by the Engineering Operations Manager (Chief Engineer) and the Senior Operations Officer (Chief Officer). All crew members passed their examinations, and certificates of competency were issued. These certificates are valid for one year when further on-board examinations will take place to ensure that all the crew remain competent in the use and care of the equipment.

Outside agencies were contracted to give training and certify crew members in cutting and burning, fast boat handling, and food hygiene. Within a short period the majority of the training was completed with the ship and its crews ready for operational work.

The Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Frank Fahey, attended the official commissioning ceremony of ilv Granuaile in Dun Laoghaire on 23 March 2000.

Granuaile is proving to be an extremely effective aids to navigation vessel in the varying work that she undertakes. Because of her design and equipment she has lifted and deployed buoys in weather conditions in which other vessels could not attempt such operations. She undertakes rapid and effective intervention with buoy malfunctions. Ship's personnel are competent in the repair and maintenance of solar powered buoys which has resulted in thorough repairs being effected to extinguished buoys, negating the need to return to such buoys until their routine checks or replacement dates are due.

She has landed water and fuel to lighthouses in a fraction of the time taken in the past. This is achieved by pumping oil and water directly from the ship to the lighthouse through the ship's high pressure pumps and hoses.

Underslinging cargo with the helicopter has taken place at Bull Rock, Skelligs, Inishtrahull, and Rockabill Lighthouses. These operations have been successful due to the large area available on the main deck for landing and lifting cargo, the manoeuvrability of the ship, and her ability to hold station for prolonged periods at a desired heading. An important factor in the success of these helicopter operations is pre-planning coupled with the skill and professionalism demonstrated during such operations by Lighthouse Attendants, ship's crew, and the helicopter pilots. Because of the excellent manoeuvrability provided by the two azimuth propellers and her 360º bow thruster, a new approach has been adopted to servicing and maintaining our floating aids to navigation and offshore rock stations, making each operation safer and more efficient then we have experienced in the past.

Contributing factors in the success of Granuaile is on-board management and the working agreement reached between ship's crews and the Commissioners of Irish Lights. She carries 16 core crew with a provision to carry 2 extra riding crew in whatever discipline required during periods of intensive work. The Master, in consultation with the Inspector of Lights and Marine Superintendent, is responsible for forecasting budgets, purchasing necessary equipment within the limitations of such budgets, and planning and drawing up refit specifications. The ship is self catering and the responsibility of running the day-to-day business in sustaining provisions lies with the Master.

The International Safety Management (ISM) Code has been put in place and includes the procedures necessary to operate Granuaile safely and efficiently for the Commissioners of Irish Lights. The Code has been audited by Lloyd's Register of Shipping, who have issued Irish Lights with a Safety Management System (SMS) certificate of compliance. This system is rigidly adhered to on board and results in a streamlined and professional approach to both on-board management and operations.

The flexibility in working arrangements on board Granuaile has led to good morale and a team spirit demonstrated by crew members who at times are required to work on deck, engine compartments, or galley irrespective of the individual's discipline. Examples of this flexibility are that the catering and engine room crew will assist on deck if necessary, and the deck crew will work and assist in the engine room or galley if necessary.

We continuously build upon our experience in managing and operating Granuaile. This has led to a sense of personal satisfaction for myself and my seagoing colleagues.

Granuaile remains under guarantee by Damen Shipyards until February 2001. As with any complex new building we have experienced minor teething problems with some of her equipment. Damen Shipyards continue to honour their obligations under the terms of the guarantee, and their representatives have attended on board to effect adjustments or necessary modifications to equipment carried on board. We are confident that all equipment requiring adjustment or modification will be recognised and attended to by the end of the guarantee period.

Granuaile is a credit to the vision and effort invested in her by the Commissioners of Irish Lights and the Marine Department, and is proving to be the 'state of the art' Aids to Navigation Vessel predicted by them.

Granuaile II sold out of Service

IRISH LIGHTS Tender Granuaile II was taken out of service on 17 January 2000 and offered for sale. She was purchased by Gardline Shipping of Great Yarmouth, England, on 26 May 2000 and re-named Ocean Seeker. It is understood that after re-fitting at Great Yarmouth she sailed at the end of June 2000 to carry out an hydrographic project in UK waters.

ILT Granuaile II was built at Port Glasgow by Ferguson Brothers in 1970, and was the second Irish Lights vessel to be given the now traditional name of Granuaile. This photo was taken in 1970 during trials off Greenock. Her name was changed to Granuaile II in 1999 to permit our new vessel to be registered as Granuaile.