A roll-on-roll-off (ro-ro) service between Swansea and Cork could be back in place by the beginning of 2009, says the commercial manager of the Port of Cork. Captain Michael McCarthy says that he is in talks with two Irish operators, which are keen to restart the service, which ended a year ago when the operator sold the vessel used to run the route.
Both the Port of Cork and Associated
British Ports, which operates Swansea, are keen to re-start the service. The director and deputy director of Swansea Port are due to visit Cork this month (September) as part of their annual tour of their Irish customers.
There is great support in Cork for the ferry service, the absence of which this summer was blamed for losing the region 38 million euros in tourist revenue, as well as forcing many Irish hauliers to drive much further to find a ferry crossing.
The Port of Cork is also keen to set up direct ro-ro routes from Cork to southern Spain, so that Irish haulers going there can by-pass the UK altogether. It gives the example of an Irish haulier going from Limerick to Madrid, who would have to drive nearly 2,000km going via the UK, but less than 600km if there were a direct ferry from Cork-Gijon.
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