Campaign representatives travelled to Finland to bid for the 28-year-old car ferry which once plied the sea between Helsinki and St Petersburg, and, although the group’s bid fell short of the reserve, it was the highest of four. A meeting has been arranged in Helsinki to negotiate the purchase of the Julia, a 1,400-passenger and 400-car capacity ferry. If they’re successful in their purchase bid, Captain Frank Allen – a former director of marine operations for the old Cork-Swansea service – will sail the 340-cabin vessel back to Cork. The ferry will then undergo modifications to qualify for certification under Irish law and should be in service for the summer season.
There’s no help like self-help, and a community initiative in West Cork hopes to achieve an extraordinary feat. A Cork-Swansea ferry campaign, currently raising €3m to reopen the sea crossing, is on the brink of acquiring a ship to operate the sea crossing service – worth up to €50m in tourism revenue to the region, a valuable sailing and boating destination.
Published in News From the Afloat.ie Archive
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News From the Afloat.ie Archive
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