Swansea Cork Ferries

Swansea Cork Ferries Limited, is an Irish-based company owned by an Irish business consortium headed by Briar Star Ltd. They had only one route, sailing between Swansea, Wales and Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork in Ireland.

Passenger service

The ferry operated all year round and the ten hour journey was usually covered by an overnight sailing arriving in Ireland early in the morning, sailing back to Wales during the day time, arriving early evening. There was only one passenger ferry operating this service which could accommodate cars, camper vans and had rooms on board for all travellers.

Cessation

The passenger service ceased operating after the 2006 season. After disposing of their most recent vessel (the MV Superferry) due to capacity issues, and the inability to purchase a new vessel, it was announced through the local press that the company would not be operating a service during the 2007 summer season. [cite web
title = Swansea-Cork ferry is suspended
work =
publisher = BBC News article
date = 2007-01-09
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6245633.stm
accessdate = 2008-06-21]

Thirty staff were laid off when the company ceased operations after 2006. Press reports show that the loss of the passenger ferry service have dealt an economic blow to both the economies of south and west Wales and the Cork area in Ireland. Since Swansea Cork Ferries started operating the ferry service in 1987, the company brought 285,000 passengers and 108,459 cars into Cork. Tourism sources in west Cork claimed that the ferry's loss resulted in a 30% drop in tourists coming into the region from Britain, particularly hitting hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and camping centres. [cite web
title = Port of Cork refused to lend E3m to Swansea-Cork Ferries for new ferr
publisher = aferry.to
url = http://www.aferry.to/news/viewpost.asp?news=779&Lang=UK
accessdate = 2008-06-21] The loss cost Eire's Cork and Kerry region an estimate £24.4m in 2007 with the west of Cork being particularly badly hit because its out-of-the-way pubs, restaurants and hotels not served by buses or trains relied heavily on car ferry users. In Swansea and West Wales the hotel, pub, restaurant and B&B trade has been hit by the loss of Irish visitors – an influx that in 2006 brought £65m total to the Welsh economy. The route was also heavily used by English and European tourists as a “relatively close to London” route to the Republic of Ireland with many travellers stopping overnight in Swansea. [cite web
title = Swansea-Cork ferry return hopes rise
publisher = WalesOnline.co.uk
url =http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_headline=swansea-cork-ferry-return-hopes-rise&method=full&objectid=19828265&siteid=50082-name_page.html
accessdate = 2008-06-21]

Reinstatement

Due to frustration with the ferry service not being reinstated, two local businessmen in West Cork started a Campaign website in May 2008 to highlight the impact caused by the continuing lack of the Ferry service - www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com. The site features an online e-petition where people affected by the suspension of the ferry can make their views known.

References

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/7485735.stm] Campaigners aim to restore ferry - BBC Wales - 3rd July 2008

External links

* [http://www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com Bring Back the Swansea Cork Ferry] (campaign to reinstate the Ferry service)
* [http://www.irish-ferries-enthusiasts.com/schistory.htm irish-ferries-enthusiasts.com: Swansea Cork Ferries]
* [http://www.vinamaso.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=415:swansea-cork-ferry-to-be-revived&catid=88:world-shipping-logistics&Itemid=100294 Vietnam Maritime Social Network: Swansea-Cork ferry to be revived]