26/1/10 CORK CITY COUNCIL APPROVES FUNDING FOR CORK - SWANSEA FERRY.

200,000 euro to be invested by local authority.

Cork City Council has voted unanimously to approve an investment of €200,000 in the new ferry to Swansea, which sets sail on March the 1st.. The money is available from the sale of Council owned property on Albert Quay and then investment was requested by the West Cork Tourism Co-operative which last year raised over €3m to enable the new service to be established.

At last nights Council meeting in City Hall, a number of Councillors recalled that Cork has a formal twinning agreement with Swansea, and said the new Ferry offers huge potential to promote tourism for the City.

This latest investment follows recent cash injections by Kerry County Council (€50k) and Cork County Council (€200k) - and is a welcome show of confidence in the viability of the new ferry service. There are several investment opportunities now available to individuals, business (and Councils!) - see the Fastnet Line website for more information.

The company’s new cruiseferry, the Julia, is currently  at Ringaskiddy ferryport (Cork) following successful berthing trials on Monday. At the end of the week she will sail to Swansea for dry-docking, before returning to Ringaskiddy in time for her maiden voyage on the 1st March 2010.

Thanks to Gary Andrews from the Ferries of Northern Europe Yahoo group for the photo - you can see more of Gary’s photos of the Julia here.