Strong demand for ferry services

IRISH Continental Group (ICG), the ferry and freight services group which owns Irish Ferries, has seen an 11% like-for-like increase in passenger numbers in the year to date.

The update, announced at the group’s annual general meeting in Dublin, follows on from May’s positive trading statement, which detailed a 10.4% year-on-year passenger increase for the first four months of the year.

Group chief executive Eamonn Rothwell said management had not calculated by how much ICG had profited through extra business from the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud disrupting European air space during April and May. However, Mr Rothwell said Irish Ferries was seeing good bookings for this summer.