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Marine Advisers to Help Select Replacement for Naval Service Former Flagship LÉ Eithne

Meanwhile, Mr. Martin said that the two former Royal New Zealand Navy inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) that were delivered to Cork last May to replace the decommissioned LÉ Orla (P41) and LÉ Ciara (P42) are expected to become operational later in 2024, following a programme of work, crew familiarisation, and training.

3rd April 2024

Jehan Ashmore

Marine advisors have been appointed to support the procurement of a multi-role vessel (MRV) to replace the Naval Service’s decommissioned flagship, LÉ Eithne which departed the navy’s base in Cork Harbour last month and awaits to be recycled from an EU approved facility. AFLOAT also adds above at the city’s north quays, the bow of Arklow Fame, previously reported in 2016 as the last vessel to be dry-docked (asides static museum ship Jeanie Johnston) then the state’s largest such facility in Dublin Port, before ‘finally’ forced to close in 2017, in order to facilitate major infrastructure works, since completed. Currently, the only ‘ship’ dry-dock in the Republic is the Rushbrooke based Cork Dockyard (Doyle Shipping Group) which is used by the Navy.

Marine advisors have been appointed to support the procurement of a multi-role vessel (MRV) to replace the Naval Service’s decommissioned flagship, LÉ Eithne which departed the navy’s base in Cork Harbour last month and awaits to be recycled from an EU approved facility. AFLOAT also adds above at the city’s north quays, the bow of Arklow Fame, previously reported in 2016 as the last vessel to be dry-docked (asides static museum ship Jeanie Johnston) then the state’s largest such facility in Dublin Port, before ‘finally’ forced to close in 2017, in order to facilitate major infrastructure works, since completed. Currently, the only ‘ship’ dry-dock in the Republic is the Rushbrooke based Cork Dockyard (Doyle Shipping Group) which is used by the Navy. Credit: Irish Examiner-twitter

Advisers from the marine sector have been appointed to help procure a multi-role vessel (MRV) to replace the former flagship of the Naval Service, the LÉ Eithne which was decommissioned in 2022.

According to the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, who is also the Minister for Defence, provided an update on the newbuild replacement, said the work of the marine advisors will inform, “in due course”, a tender competition in line with the public-spending code.

The LÉ Eithne (P31) which had carried this pennant number since its commissioning into service in 1984, however last month, was towed out of the navy’s base basin on Haulbowline, Cork Harbour and is set to be recycled overseas (as the Republic does not have an EU approved facility). 

At the time, the 84m vessel was only towed within the harbour as Afloat that day tracked the former flagship taken to a nearby up river-side berth alongside Cork Dockyard. This was rather apt given that this ship-repair/maintenance facility (part of the Doyle Shipping Group) was the former shipbuilding site of Verolme Cork Dockyard (V.C.D.) that built the Helicopter Patrol Vessel (HPV) at Rushbrooke, west of Cobh.

Meanwhile, Mr. Martin said that the two former Royal New Zealand Navy inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) that were delivered to Cork last May to replace the decommissioned LÉ Orla (P41) and LÉ Ciara (P42) are expected to become operational later in 2024, following a programme of work, crew familiarisation, and training.

The former Taoiseach also added that there are also a number of initiatives to counter staffing challenges. Among these, he said, was phase three of a Naval Service recruitment drive.

More from EchoLive.ie, which has a report on these developments. 

Self Defense Test Ship (SDTS) EDD-964 (ex-USS Paul F. Foster) used by the USN for experimental weapons and sensors testing, coming into San Diego. April 2, 2024 

The decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer ex-Paul F. Foster (EDD 964) conducts a successful demonstration of shipboard alternative fuel use while underway in the Pacific Ocean on a 50-50 blend of an algae-derived, hydro-processed algal oil and petroleum F-76. Paul F. Foster has been reconfigured as the Self-Defense Test Ship to provide the Navy an at-sea, remotely controlled, engineering test and evaluation platform without the risk to personnel or operational assets. (U.S. Navy photo by Charlie Houser/Released)
USS Paul F. Foster off San Francisco on 12 October 1985

More details
USS Paul F. Foster departs Pearl Harbor on 1 June 1991

The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is underway in the Atlantic Ocean. 2013 conducting sea trials after 4 year refit

130827-N-ED185-018ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 27, 2013) The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is underway in the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft carrier is underway for the first time in four years conducting sea trials. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian G. Reynolds/Released)

HMNZS Breeze (T02) was a coastal cargo boat which was requisitioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and converted into a minesweeper.

HMNZS Breeze
Heat proved to be one of the toughest challenges for crews in the wartime Pacific. War artist Russell Clarke painted crew members cleaning the boilers on HMNZS Breeze, a similar-sized vessel to the Bird-class ships Moa, Kiwi and Tui.

Breeze was owned by the Canterbury Steam Shipping Company. She was taken up on 3 March 1942, under protest, to replace the Puriri which had sunk in a minefield. She was a sister ship to Gale.

Operational history

Breeze joined the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla at Tulagi in April 1943. On her arrival she was also formed, with Matai and her sister ship Gale, into the 9th Auxiliary Minesweeping group within the flotilla. They carried out night-time patrol and escort duties under COMSOPAC control. The Japanese were well north by this time, but occasionally made sudden attacks into American strongholds around Guadalcanal.

In July 1943, prior to being fitted with radar, Breeze collided with USS LST-895 off Guadalcanal while patrolling in a monsoon rainstorm. Grazing port to port, she had a boat wrecked.

During convoy escort duty in Ironbottom Sound she was attacked, but not damaged, by dive-bombers.

From time to time the flotilla boats would return to Auckland for refits, usually escorting freighters bound the same way.

By the middle of 1944 the owners were demanding the return of Breeze and her twin Gale. COMSOPAC released her on 10 November 1944.

Fate

She was sold to the Philippines in 1964 and renamed Balabac in 1966.

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