Swansea to Cork ferry service has ended
THE Swansea to Cork ferry service has ended.
The service will be placed into receivership or liquidation later today with the loss of 78 jobs and an expected loss of 20 million euros in direct tourist spending in the South Wales region.
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The Swansea to Cork ferry carried around 153,000 passengers since it was launched by Fastnet Line in March 2010.
Crossings stopped in October last year when Fastnet Line entered into a form of bankruptcy protection known as examinership.
The operator needed to raise 1.65 million euros to emerge from the examinership process.
Noel Murphy, chairman of the West Cork Tourism Co-operative Society which owns Fastnet Line, said the ending of the service will mean South Wales and Swansea will see tens of thousands less tourists arriving from Ireland and from people throughout the rest of the UK who passed through Wales as a result of the ferry.
He said: "Despite heroic efforts by staff and supporters of the ferry service in both Ireland and Wales, we are very disappointed to announce that we could not save this vital piece of tourism and transport infrastructure."
A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said it had been advised the proposition for additional financial assistance for the Swansea to Cork ferry service from Fastnet Line was not commercially viable by its investment arm Finance Wales.
Swansea Council has already stated it is not in a position to offer financial assistance to the ferry service.
A spokesman for the local authority said: "It is disappointing news that the Swansea to Cork ferry has closed and our thoughts are those people who will be losing their jobs.
"We worked closely with the ferry company by offering marketing support.
"Ireland remains a valuable tourism market for South West Wales and we will continue to work with partners on both sides of the Irish Sea to make the most of the tourism opportunities that are available."
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by wank345
Sunday, April 22 2012, 10:43PM
“good good good haaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa its closed haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”
by Dooyah
Friday, February 03 2012, 9:44PM
“abertawegolf2
Press Alt Gr & hit 4 . You should get €
Go really OTT and offend loads - Hire nude dancers and serve "Top Totty" on draught (Topical news on the website today). Why should Prague get all the boozed up stag holidays?”
by abertawegolf2
Friday, February 03 2012, 8:59PM
“Hey up!!! handyman you've got a valid point here, Ferry casino from Swansea to Ireland, now we're talking. I think that's a very good idea, right then boyo, who can we get to bung in the £/$/euros, (sorry ain't got a Euro symbol on this PC) by the time them £/$/euros reach a destination, one could be quids in, concerning the ARP on currencies. Now who Sponsor's Swansea City.........Premier league..........!!!!!um”
by Gowerview
Friday, February 03 2012, 12:26PM
“No urgency ..from Senedd or council ..no regeneration of Swansea,more like managed decline”
by swanseajock
Friday, February 03 2012, 11:39AM
“kevinkelly10...the reason, in my opinion, is that they are much better at 'stunt' legislation, ie carrier bags, no smoking etc (to say "we were first look how good and effective we are") than they are at "proper" political decisions. The grand stunt to persuade us (and we are mostly doubters and didn't vote for the WAG) that they are a viable form of government, rather than just an unneccessary tier of over-government in this country”
by kevinkelly10
Friday, February 03 2012, 11:14AM
“WAG,Don't smoke,don't drink,we're going to take your body organs, without our permision,why cant they concentrate more on the economic situation herein wales.Independence for wales with this lot in charge,in six months we'd all be starving and freezing,unless we could eat wind turbines.”
by handyman
Friday, February 03 2012, 9:10AM
“I use the plymouth to santander ferry once a year to visit friends in northern spain its a trip that can take 2 days its packed with people and cars has resteraunts cinema bars casino duty free etc..and looks like a money maker,why didnt the ferry owners WAG and irish gov side not take this route into consideration when doing the figures?”
by hacker_jack
Friday, February 03 2012, 7:39AM
“by trunkles3Thursday, Feburary 2 2012, 8:51PM
"hacker_jack "Actually Susiqzz most of the problems were related to poor port facilities on the English side."
Who in their right mind would consider Illfracombe for any kind of ferry operation! It's difficult enough walking along the quay, queuing up and maneuvering cars on and off a boat would be a nightmare."
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Which is why cars were not really an option and without cars you don't have a product anyone wants.”
by SAswan
Thursday, February 02 2012, 9:59PM
“What about a boat link between swansea marina and the mumbles.
Amphibius duck between marina observatory slipway and knab rock slipway.”
by SAswan
Thursday, February 02 2012, 9:56PM
“Develop Pembrey as a west wales regional airport”