Future of soon-to-be retired OPV's?

[na grohmiti]

Clare Byrne spoke about the plans for the ship on Friday.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22339357/

Defence officials advised scrapping LÉ Eithne to avoid repeat of ‘LÉ Aisling situation’ involving warlord

CLIP • 13 MINS • 05 JAN • TODAY WITH CLAIRE BYRNE

Jack Horgan Jones, Political reporter with the Irish Times and Captain Nick Sloane, Salvage master and former President of The International Salvage Union

[na grohmiti]

The beginning of the end.

LÉ Eithne departs from Haulbowline Naval Basin assisted by tugs DSG Alex + Jerry O'Sullivan for the last time on Tuesday, March 5th, bound for Cork Dockyard at Rushbrooke. The former flagship of the Naval Service is to be sent abroad and broken up for recycled scrap, at a later date. The flagship was designed as a helicopter patrol vessel (HPV) LÉ Eithne which was decommissioned in 2022,. The LÉ Eithne is also historically significant, given that it was the last naval vessel built in Ireland (Verlome dockyard) Length: 84.8 m (278 ft) overall Launched: December 19, 1983 Construction started: December 15, 1982 Armament: 1× Bofors 57 mm gun; 2× Rheinmetall 20 mm Cannon; 7.62 mm GPMG Decommissioned: 8 July 2022 Displacement: 1,920 tonnes (full load) Laid down: 15 December 1982 For many of a crew of 86 (9 officers and 77 ratings). .. It was a home away from home, Other facts. The LÉ Eithne was the flagship of the Irish Naval Service but it is past retirement age. Not only is the LÉ Eithne the last remaining Irish navy ship built in Ireland, but it had a pretty interesting history before retirement. It was built by the Verlome Cork Dockyard in Cobh, Cork in 1984 and was the first vessel to cross the Atlantic and visit South America. Since 1984, all Irish navy ships have been built in England. In 2006, it became the first ship to travel in the Southern Hemisphere .During the 2015 migrant crisis, when refugees were attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in dangerously ill-equipped and overcrowded boats, the LÉ Eithne was sent by Ireland to help.It pulled more than 3,400 people from the water.

[Rhodes]

I believe the ships will be going to Belgium for scrapping.

[na grohmiti]

I believe the ships will be going to Belgium for scrapping.

Sometime in June, apparently.

[na grohmiti]

Now moored at the same dockyard at which she was built (Verolme) , the former flagship of the Irish navy now awaits its final voyage to the breakers yard .

Some commenting that there is nearly as many not in use Naval Vessels at Verolme now, as there is in Haulbowline.

[na grohmiti]

Multratug 18 is on it's way to Rushbrooke from Rotterdam (having sheltered in St Nazaire from the recent storm), to begin the process of towing P31, P41 and P42 for disposal, in Belgium.
It's due in Cork on the 17th.

[spider]

Some commenting that there is nearly as many not in use Naval Vessels at Verolme now, as there is in Haulbowline.

Pity someone didn't nab the crests on the funnels...nice bit of memorabilia.

[na grohmiti]

Pity someone didn't nab the crests on the funnels...nice bit of memorabilia.

There's quite a lot of kit aboard that hasn't been stripped, surprisingly. Anything not nailed down is long gone of course, but anything that takes effort and tools to remove seems left in place.

[na grohmiti]

Local SF TD just woke up. His question in the dail, the same day the tug arrives to tow the ships away.

By the way is the maritime defence force now. Who knew?

https://fb.watch/rwL1FqNIHB/

[Flamingo]

Which rock has he been hiding under the last few years?