Interview with Len Cremin, Chief Engineer, ILV Granuaile | Season 6 – Episode 29
Floats Mar 24, 2026
The Commissioners of Irish Lights, known in Irish as Coimisinéirí Soilse na hÉireann and commonly called Irish Lights, is responsible for lighthouse and marine navigation safety around the island of Ireland. Its remit covers Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, surrounding seas and islands, and part of the west coast of Britain. Irish Lights provides and supervises all general aids to navigation. Irish Lights currently operates a single light tender, ILV Granuaile.
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CHIEF ENGINEER
Kevin Reid of Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport was invited on board the Irish Light Vessel (ILV) Granuaile to interview Chief Engineer Len Cremin about the ship, the work of the crew, and his own role on board.
Len Cremin, Chief Engineer, trained in Cork at the old Regional Technical College, before it became Cork Institute of Technology and later the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI). He completed his HND Marine qualification in the RTC and undertook most of his professional certification through the NMCI in the years that followed.
He qualified as a Chief Engineer in 2001 and was a chief onboard vessels from 2005. Len went on to spend seven years on cruise ships and twelve years aboard private yachts. He decided to hang up his travelling boots and got a job aboard the Granuaile.
ILV GRANUAILE
The state-of-the-art vessel was laid down at the Galați shipyard in Romania in 1997 and was delivered to Dún Laoghaire Harbour on 31 January 2000. Classed as a buoy tender and lighthouse vessel, she serves the Irish coast in a range of roles. She is 2,625 gross tons, 79.6 metres long, has a top speed of 13 knots and an endurance of up to 45 days at sea without refuelling. She carries 320 cubic metres of bunkering and 425 cubic metres of fresh water, making her well set up for extended voyages.
The home port of Granuaile is Dún Laoghaire, where she normally berths at Berth 2, with Berth 4 also available. She can berth at ports including Belfast, Cork, Galway, Foynes and Limerick Port, Derry (Londonderry), and Killybegs. While she operates from a number of ports around the country, Dublin is her usual base, were the Commissioners of Irish Lights head office is located.
SPECIFIC ROLE
The vessel’s primary role is the deployment and recovery of buoys, both inshore and offshore. With numerous buoys positioned around the coastline, particularly at ports, the crew recover and maintain them on a scheduled programme. They also service lighthouses, which, while unmanned, still require regular maintenance. This includes delivering water and fuel, along with all the equipment needed for ongoing repairs and upkeep.
The vessel can also be used for hydrographic surveys, with all necessary equipment carried on board. A large deck-mounted 20-tonne crane with 20-metre outreach allows for cable operations to depths of up to 100 metres.
DRY DOCKING
There are two types of dry-dock surveys: intermediate and special. The intermediate survey takes place every two and a half years, when the vessel is lifted out of the water for a hull inspection and routine deck and tank maintenance. The five-year special survey involves more extensive statutory work, including the strip-down of major components such as the twin Schottel steerable thrusters, bow thruster and shipside valves, under the supervision of the vessel’s classification society.
MAINTENANCE
The engineering department runs an automated maintenance programme using the MXsuite system. All machinery and equipment on board are logged in the system, which generates daily and weekly maintenance schedules. This work is carried out by the on-board engineering and deck teams.
If you have an idea for a story, please email Kevin Reid at [email protected]
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Photo Credits:
Niall Carson/PA Archive/PA Images
Irish Examiner
Riatsnapper
Video Credits:
Irish Lights vessel Granuaile working on No. 1 Buoy off Larne in foggy weather on August 26th 2021 – Paul Stewart
Irish Lights vessel Granuaile, Cork city bound in lower Cork harbour on Tuesday April 25 – 2023 – Audi Audi
