Irish Ferries to buy new ferry

IRISH Continental Group’s ferry division Irish Ferries is to buy passenger car cruise ferry Kronprins Harald from its owners and operators Color Line of Norway, for €45m.

The vessel is being purchased for use on Irish Ferries route between Rosslare and Cherbourg and Roscoff in France.

With its current vessel Normandy Irish Ferries carries around 50,000 cars, 170,000 passengers and 2,500 freight units on about 270 annual sailings.