Passenger ferry to Wales may be restored by 2008

A PASSENGER ferry link between the Irish south-west and Wales could be re-established in 2008.

Swansea-Cork Ferries, which last January announced the discontinuation of the service for this summer tourist season, said yesterday that it was trying to source a new vessel with the hope of resuming the service next year.

“We are in discussions with a number of ship owners with a view to achieving a purchase deal by September of this year and resumption of the service in 2008,” a company spokesman said yesterday.

The service, said to be worth €35 million annually to the local economy, was axed in a shock announcement on January 8.

Thirty ferry workers lost their jobs after the company said it had failed to procure a suitable ship to replace its MV Superferry. It had decided to sell the 35-year-old vessel in October 2006.

One month later, Swansea-Cork Ferries thought it had secured a modern vessel for around €30m, but the seller was unable to fulfil all of the sale conditions and the deal collapsed in late December.

Having realised it would be impossible to offer a summer service, the ferry company announced it would not operate the route, leading to the loss of 30 jobs.

The Mayor of County Cork, Councillor John O’Shea, said the ferry company’s announcement was good news.

“I hope it will materialise and there will be no further hiccups,” the Bantry-based councillor said.

He said the tourist businesses in West Cork and Kerry would be hit this summer because of the lack of a ferry link.

“It was a specially important link for British tourists and Irish people living across the water. They were responsible for a lot of business in the region,” Cllr O’Shea said.

A new freight ferry service between Cork and Swansea was launched on March 21 by HJ Lines, much to the delight of hauliers who were having to drive to Rosslare after the other service was axed.

The 1980-built MV Victoria is a 6,000 tonne roll-on, roll-off ferry, which can accommodate 12 drivers and 65 trailers.

HJ Lines managing director, Hugh Johnson, said he is considering increasing the number of sailings from three to four a week in the near future.