‘Emer’ Finally Departs Cork Bound for Nigerian Service

‘Emer’ Finally Departs Cork Bound for Nigerian Service

#EmerSailsAway – The former Naval Service OPV ship, L.E. Emer, set sail yesterday from Cork Harbour bound for Nigeria, having completed dry-docking work, following her sale last year, writes Jehan Ashmore.

No longer a naval vessel, yet the 'Emer' retained her grey colours as she departed Cork Harbour for the final time, from where she was based out of the naval base of Haulbolwine for almost 35 years.

Her departure fell on yesterday's twinning of the Naval Service's newest addition, L.E. Samuel Beckett (P61) with her adopted city of Cork. She is the first of a pair of newbuild replacements, in which the leadship directly replaced the ageing L.E. Emer (P21) that served a career of almost 35 years.

L.E. Samuel Beckett will be open to the public this afternoon (3-5pm) while berthed at Kennedy Quay in the heart of Cork's docklands, where photos of the ceremony are available HERE.

'Emer' which was brought by Uniglobe Group, set out to sea for the first time since work in Cork Dockyard, from where she was launched in 1978 as the first of the 'Emer' class, an improved version of the orginal and first Irish Naval custom built vessel, L.E. Deirdre of 1972.

After conducting several evolutions and exercises on proving systems, the vessel was released to make its way to long journey to her owners in Nigeria, along the mid-west African coast.

Around this time next year, L.E. James Joyce is expected to be delivered to the Naval Service and to replace one of the two remaining 'Emer' class, the L.E. Aoife which is to be auctioned.

This will leave L.E. Aisling to serve within the navy, where only the flagship L.E. Eithne is the only other member of the current fleet to be custom built for the service from that of an Irish shipyard
.