Challenging Times
By Capt. J. J. Hickey
Inspector of Lights & Marine Superintendent
In last year's Beam we considered some of the challenges we had met and those which lay ahead. Challenges will continue arriving on our shores. Whether it is increased user expectation of service levels, new technology in marine aids to navigation, new power demands, regulations, or management structures, each challenge brings with it its own opportunities.
SOLAS and EU Initiatives
July 2002 saw the introduction of major amendments to the International Maritime Organisation's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention. The past year also saw new and proactive maritime safety initiatives issued in EU Directives. Our Service is committed to advancing, developing, and participating in these and other initiatives in the interest of enhancing the safety of navigation and the protection of our coastal marine environment.
International Maritime Organization
An important initiative contained in the recent amendments to the SOLAS Convention is the requirement for member states to recognise the work of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) together with its recommendations and guidelines on the provision of aids to navigation.
AIS
A common theme of SOLAS and EU developments is the recognition of the potential for enhancing the safety of shipping traffic and its management through the use of automatic identification systems (AIS) onboard ships. This is very similar to the identification system used in air traffic control for many years. It provides 'free to air' vessel information in almost real time. Vital data such as the vessel's name, position, speed, course, rate of turn, and much more will soon be available to all similarly equipped ships and shore stations within VHF radio range. This represents a massive improvement in the availability, quality, and volume of vessel traffic information.
AIS and Aids to Navigation
Early in the conceptual development of AIS Irish Lights, through its membership of IALA, was active in advancing the potential of applying AIS as an aid to navigation. For example, the fitting of an AIS terminal on a lighthouse or floating aid to navigation can now provide much more information than previously possible.
The aid to navigation could transmit by AIS not only confirmation of its name and position, but also information of navigational value such as local wind speed, wave height, and tidal data. For floating and offshore aids to navigation it also offers potential as an active monitoring network system with the capability to warn the mariner directly of a serious malfunction of the aid, or if a floating aid to navigation is off station or adrift.
Dublin Bay AIS Trials
After global satellite navigation, AIS offers the potential to be the second major advance in marine navigational safety in recent times. In March 2002 the Commissioners of Irish Lights in co-operation with the Port of Dublin, sponsored the establishment of the Dublin Bay AIS Trials Group. This group is a central stakeholders' group which seeks to explore and advance the safety and efficiency of coastal and port traffic operations through the use of AIS. Captain Robbie McCabe, Assistant Inspector, was appointed chairman of this group and is ably assisted by Steve Burrows, Principal Design & Projects Manager, as technical advisor. After the start up period, which involved agreeing the terms of reference and parameters of the trials, significant early progress has been made.
Superbuoy
Evolving AIS technology fits well within the conceptual and ongoing developmental work on the Superbuoy project. Early lantern trials proved disappointing. However, a trial using stacked Light Emitting Diode (LED) lanterns started in August. It is hoped that this lantern will achieve the desired performance while being sufficiently robust to withstand the rigorous sea conditions around our coasts.
IALA Conference
The quadrennial conference was held in March of this year in Australia. The main conference venue was in the beautiful surroundings of Darling Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales. There were some very interesting presentations from delegates. My own contribution was on the application of new marine technology in ship operations.
User Consultation
Our User Group meeting in September was well attended and produced a good dialogue on navigational requirements and directions for the future. This group meets annually and is the direct interface between Irish Lights and the marine community who utilise the aids to navigation.
HSC Users Group
A sub-committee of the User Group was set up to examine the special considerations and navigational requirements of high speed craft (HSC) operators. These vessels are employed in the three main east coast passenger corridors and are capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots. While such ships are equipped with very sophisticated navigational aids they still depend upon conventional visual and radio aids to navigation.
Inspecting Committee 2002
The Working Inspection trip this year was conducted from Dun Laoghaire north-about to Galway. Despite some poor weather, all planned inspections apart from one were completed, together with annual service checks to No 1 Larne, Blacksod, and Mutton Island Buoys, and refuelling of Rathlin East and West Lighthouses.
Service Vessel Operations
In her third year consolidated the productivity performance demonstrated in her first two years of operation. During 2002 the vessel was involved in new and potentially important work areas which ranged from servicing new buoy contracts, maintenance support of ocean data acquisition system (ODAS) weather and scientific research buoys, and pumping 180 tonnes of fresh water to the the island community of Inis Meain in the Aran Islands.
Combined ship-helicopter operations contributed greatly to the capital works logistical support in the transport of large quantities of material to such stations as Maidens and Mew Island.
It is planned for the ship to undertake the delivery of a batch of buoy bodies and tubes to Trinity House Depot in Swansea for grit blasting and painting in November. While in the Bristol Channel area the vessel will undertake some local buoy attendances and the servicing of the Smalls Lighthouse off Milford Haven for Trinity House Lighthouse Service.
Drydockings
There were two major drydockings in 2002. Both projects were successfully completed, on time and on budget. Our service vessel Granuaile underwent her end of warranty drydock in Rotterdam in January. The opportunity was taken at the time to refurbish the hull painting and antifouling and to complete some minor repairs and modifications.
In August the Automatic Lightfloat Kittiwake was temporarily removed from the South Rock station off the Co. Down coast and towed by Granuaile to drydock and refit in Cork Dockyard. While off-station ALF Kittiwake was temporarily replaced by an experimental Superbuoy for a period of about five weeks.
The lightfloat underwent extensive hull and superstructure grit blasting and painting together with a range of routine maintenance work. The weather was favourable and excellent progress was achieved. The new policy of summer refits paid off handsomely with the assistance of Cork Dockyard personnel who understood the importance of completing quality work in a strict time frame.
Helicopter Operations
In July PLM Dollar Group Ltd (PDG) of Scotland bought out Irish Helicopters. PDG are already involved in helicopter operations in Ireland, especially in fish farming, utility inspections, and filming. PDG operate 14 helicopters and view the acquisition of Irish Helicopters Ltd as a logical expansion of their business. Irish Lights do not anticipate any major changes to the operation of their contract, but no doubt changes will occur over the coming months as the new owners put in place their operations team.
Helicopter Handbook
On 1 October 2002 the Irish Lights Handbook for Helicopter Operations was launched at Baily Lighthouse. This handbook, which is an ISO document, brings together all the various aspects of helicopter safety and operational procedures into one book. The handbook has been issued to all Irish Lights Helibases and lighthouses with helicopter access.
At the same time all Helibase Attendants and Assistant Attendants met at the Baily for a two-day course on the procedures within the Handbook, and for practical training with the helicopter in underslinging operations and the transport of dangerous goods by air.
SAR Activities
The past year saw a number of unfortunate marine tragedies and loss of life. In two cases Granuaile was designated as the on-scene command vessel and controlled the major search and rescue efforts.
Off Co. Down in February, the search for the Ardglass fishing vessel Tullaghmurray Lass and three family members concluded without success and only the recovery of small fragments of debris. Subsequently the position of the wreck was discovered by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
In July the angling boat Pisces foundered off Bagenbun on the South Wexford coast. Granuaile was working in the Rosslare area at the time of the incident and was able to respond immediately to the Coast Guard's Urgency message. The ship played a major role in the coordination and control of the search for the vessel and survivors. The search ended with the discovery of the sunken wreck of the Pisces which was refloated by Naval and Garda Divers and lifted onboard by Granuaile's crane. The wreck was stowed on deck and taken to Waterford Harbour where it was discharged for examination by the Irish Marine Casualty Investigation Board.
Our thoughts and sympathies go to the families and the communities of the people who lost their lives in these two tragedies.
Foc'sle View Aside from changes in navigation technologies, such as AIS described above, there are potential structural changes ahead. A General Lighthouse Authority-wide review of overall operational fleet management and vessel requirements is currently underway. Similarly, a project study is being carried out to examine the potential benefits and difficulties in combining Irish Lights Office and the Lighthouse Depot in the Dun Laoghaire location.
These and other reviews are part of a continual process whereby we must demonstrate that not only are we delivering an effective aids to navigation service to the Mariner, but we are doing so in a modern, cost effective, and efficient manner.
I should like to thank our colleague Service Departments for their valued assistance during the past year and particularly all the Marine Department staff, those ashore and afloat, and all those who mind the rock and headland stations on our coast, for their commitment, hard work and dedication throughout the year.
Best wishes to all for 2003.
Inspector of Lights & Marine Superintendent
In last year's Beam we considered some of the challenges we had met and those which lay ahead. Challenges will continue arriving on our shores. Whether it is increased user expectation of service levels, new technology in marine aids to navigation, new power demands, regulations, or management structures, each challenge brings with it its own opportunities.
SOLAS and EU Initiatives
July 2002 saw the introduction of major amendments to the International Maritime Organisation's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention. The past year also saw new and proactive maritime safety initiatives issued in EU Directives. Our Service is committed to advancing, developing, and participating in these and other initiatives in the interest of enhancing the safety of navigation and the protection of our coastal marine environment.
International Maritime Organization
An important initiative contained in the recent amendments to the SOLAS Convention is the requirement for member states to recognise the work of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) together with its recommendations and guidelines on the provision of aids to navigation.
AIS
A common theme of SOLAS and EU developments is the recognition of the potential for enhancing the safety of shipping traffic and its management through the use of automatic identification systems (AIS) onboard ships. This is very similar to the identification system used in air traffic control for many years. It provides 'free to air' vessel information in almost real time. Vital data such as the vessel's name, position, speed, course, rate of turn, and much more will soon be available to all similarly equipped ships and shore stations within VHF radio range. This represents a massive improvement in the availability, quality, and volume of vessel traffic information.
AIS and Aids to Navigation
Early in the conceptual development of AIS Irish Lights, through its membership of IALA, was active in advancing the potential of applying AIS as an aid to navigation. For example, the fitting of an AIS terminal on a lighthouse or floating aid to navigation can now provide much more information than previously possible.
The aid to navigation could transmit by AIS not only confirmation of its name and position, but also information of navigational value such as local wind speed, wave height, and tidal data. For floating and offshore aids to navigation it also offers potential as an active monitoring network system with the capability to warn the mariner directly of a serious malfunction of the aid, or if a floating aid to navigation is off station or adrift.
Dublin Bay AIS Trials
After global satellite navigation, AIS offers the potential to be the second major advance in marine navigational safety in recent times. In March 2002 the Commissioners of Irish Lights in co-operation with the Port of Dublin, sponsored the establishment of the Dublin Bay AIS Trials Group. This group is a central stakeholders' group which seeks to explore and advance the safety and efficiency of coastal and port traffic operations through the use of AIS. Captain Robbie McCabe, Assistant Inspector, was appointed chairman of this group and is ably assisted by Steve Burrows, Principal Design & Projects Manager, as technical advisor. After the start up period, which involved agreeing the terms of reference and parameters of the trials, significant early progress has been made.
Superbuoy
Evolving AIS technology fits well within the conceptual and ongoing developmental work on the Superbuoy project. Early lantern trials proved disappointing. However, a trial using stacked Light Emitting Diode (LED) lanterns started in August. It is hoped that this lantern will achieve the desired performance while being sufficiently robust to withstand the rigorous sea conditions around our coasts.
IALA Conference
The quadrennial conference was held in March of this year in Australia. The main conference venue was in the beautiful surroundings of Darling Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales. There were some very interesting presentations from delegates. My own contribution was on the application of new marine technology in ship operations.
User Consultation
Our User Group meeting in September was well attended and produced a good dialogue on navigational requirements and directions for the future. This group meets annually and is the direct interface between Irish Lights and the marine community who utilise the aids to navigation.
HSC Users Group
A sub-committee of the User Group was set up to examine the special considerations and navigational requirements of high speed craft (HSC) operators. These vessels are employed in the three main east coast passenger corridors and are capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots. While such ships are equipped with very sophisticated navigational aids they still depend upon conventional visual and radio aids to navigation.
Inspecting Committee 2002
The Working Inspection trip this year was conducted from Dun Laoghaire north-about to Galway. Despite some poor weather, all planned inspections apart from one were completed, together with annual service checks to No 1 Larne, Blacksod, and Mutton Island Buoys, and refuelling of Rathlin East and West Lighthouses.
Service Vessel Operations
In her third year consolidated the productivity performance demonstrated in her first two years of operation. During 2002 the vessel was involved in new and potentially important work areas which ranged from servicing new buoy contracts, maintenance support of ocean data acquisition system (ODAS) weather and scientific research buoys, and pumping 180 tonnes of fresh water to the the island community of Inis Meain in the Aran Islands.
Combined ship-helicopter operations contributed greatly to the capital works logistical support in the transport of large quantities of material to such stations as Maidens and Mew Island.
It is planned for the ship to undertake the delivery of a batch of buoy bodies and tubes to Trinity House Depot in Swansea for grit blasting and painting in November. While in the Bristol Channel area the vessel will undertake some local buoy attendances and the servicing of the Smalls Lighthouse off Milford Haven for Trinity House Lighthouse Service.
Drydockings
There were two major drydockings in 2002. Both projects were successfully completed, on time and on budget. Our service vessel Granuaile underwent her end of warranty drydock in Rotterdam in January. The opportunity was taken at the time to refurbish the hull painting and antifouling and to complete some minor repairs and modifications.
In August the Automatic Lightfloat Kittiwake was temporarily removed from the South Rock station off the Co. Down coast and towed by Granuaile to drydock and refit in Cork Dockyard. While off-station ALF Kittiwake was temporarily replaced by an experimental Superbuoy for a period of about five weeks.
The lightfloat underwent extensive hull and superstructure grit blasting and painting together with a range of routine maintenance work. The weather was favourable and excellent progress was achieved. The new policy of summer refits paid off handsomely with the assistance of Cork Dockyard personnel who understood the importance of completing quality work in a strict time frame.
Helicopter Operations
In July PLM Dollar Group Ltd (PDG) of Scotland bought out Irish Helicopters. PDG are already involved in helicopter operations in Ireland, especially in fish farming, utility inspections, and filming. PDG operate 14 helicopters and view the acquisition of Irish Helicopters Ltd as a logical expansion of their business. Irish Lights do not anticipate any major changes to the operation of their contract, but no doubt changes will occur over the coming months as the new owners put in place their operations team.
Helicopter Handbook
On 1 October 2002 the Irish Lights Handbook for Helicopter Operations was launched at Baily Lighthouse. This handbook, which is an ISO document, brings together all the various aspects of helicopter safety and operational procedures into one book. The handbook has been issued to all Irish Lights Helibases and lighthouses with helicopter access.
At the same time all Helibase Attendants and Assistant Attendants met at the Baily for a two-day course on the procedures within the Handbook, and for practical training with the helicopter in underslinging operations and the transport of dangerous goods by air.
SAR Activities
The past year saw a number of unfortunate marine tragedies and loss of life. In two cases Granuaile was designated as the on-scene command vessel and controlled the major search and rescue efforts.
Off Co. Down in February, the search for the Ardglass fishing vessel Tullaghmurray Lass and three family members concluded without success and only the recovery of small fragments of debris. Subsequently the position of the wreck was discovered by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
In July the angling boat Pisces foundered off Bagenbun on the South Wexford coast. Granuaile was working in the Rosslare area at the time of the incident and was able to respond immediately to the Coast Guard's Urgency message. The ship played a major role in the coordination and control of the search for the vessel and survivors. The search ended with the discovery of the sunken wreck of the Pisces which was refloated by Naval and Garda Divers and lifted onboard by Granuaile's crane. The wreck was stowed on deck and taken to Waterford Harbour where it was discharged for examination by the Irish Marine Casualty Investigation Board.
Our thoughts and sympathies go to the families and the communities of the people who lost their lives in these two tragedies.
Foc'sle View Aside from changes in navigation technologies, such as AIS described above, there are potential structural changes ahead. A General Lighthouse Authority-wide review of overall operational fleet management and vessel requirements is currently underway. Similarly, a project study is being carried out to examine the potential benefits and difficulties in combining Irish Lights Office and the Lighthouse Depot in the Dun Laoghaire location.
These and other reviews are part of a continual process whereby we must demonstrate that not only are we delivering an effective aids to navigation service to the Mariner, but we are doing so in a modern, cost effective, and efficient manner.
I should like to thank our colleague Service Departments for their valued assistance during the past year and particularly all the Marine Department staff, those ashore and afloat, and all those who mind the rock and headland stations on our coast, for their commitment, hard work and dedication throughout the year.
Best wishes to all for 2003.