The shipping platform

Location: Shannon Foynes Port is located on the River Shannon, on the SW coast of Ireland. General overview: Shannon Foynes was formed as the result of the amalgamation of the Shannon Estuary Ports and the Foynes Port Co. The Shannon Foynes Port Co is responsible for managing the maritime activity on the Shannon Estuary. Its area comprises the 196nm² of navigable waters from Loop Head to Limerick City, a distance of approx 54nm. The port consists of 6 facilities: Limerick Dock, Shannon Airport Jetty, Aughinish Marine Terminal, Foynes, Tarbert Island Jetty and Moneypoint Marine Terminal. The port can handle vessels over 180,000DWT in the lower estuary and has facilities for dry/bulk ships, container ships and tankers. Shannon International Airport Jetty, the oil jetty at Dernish Island, is used by vessels up to 6,500DWT for the importation of jet fuel direct to the airport. Aughinish Jetty serves an alumina extraction plant handling bauxite vessels up to 75,000DWT, draught 12.5m and alumina vessels at the outside berth. Tankers use the inside berth for fuel oil and caustic up to 40,000DWT, subject to max LOA of 180m. Max draught 11.0m (brackish). Tarbert Island Jetty serves ESB power station for the importation of HFO, handling vessels of 70,000DWT. Moneypoint Jetty serves the ESB coal fired power station with berthing facilities for vessels up to 250,000DWT. Foynes is well sheltered with 2 deep water jetties with facilities for dry cargo and bulk vessels up to 37,000DWT. There is an oil berth (dolphins) for vessels up to 10,000DWT. The chief imports are fertilisers, timber, fuels and general cargo; principal exports are meat, hydrate and sugar. Traffic figures: Approx 7,600,000t of cargo handled annually. Load line zone: North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31. Max size: Moneypoint Jetty: LOA 300m. Tarbert Island: LOA 259m, draught 14.6m. Aughinish: Inside Jetty: LOA 180m, draught 11.0m, 40,000DWT. Outside Jetty: LOA 225m, draught 12.5m, Panamax (75,000DWT). Shannon Airport Jetty: LOA 107m, draught 7.0m, 6,500DWT. Foynes: LOA 190m, beam 28m, 35,000-40,000DWT. Max vessel on max port draught of 10.5m will arrive on first of ebb tide and sail 2 hours before HW. Limerick: LOA 150m, tidal draught. Largest vessel handled: "Buccleuch", 185,000DWT bulker, draught 17.4m.