Deal for €10m ship under way

THE man planning to re-launch the Cork-Swansea sea route is flying to Finland today where he hopes to conclude a deal to acquire a new €10 million ferry.

Captain Frank Allen is hoping to finalise negotiations with a Finnish bank to purchase The Julia, a ferry capable of carrying 1,800 passengers and 400 cars.

Capt Allen, whose father, Charlie, was one of the leading figures in the former B+I line, attended two special meetings in Swansea yesterday where investors were asked to make up a shortfall of e500,000 needed to seal the deal.