Year round Swansea Cork ferry sailings planned

The MV Julia can carry 1,860 passengers plus cars and freight

The company running the newly launched Swansea to Cork ferry says it plans to operate year round sailings.

Since reopening the route in March, Fastnet Line said it had carried double the number of passengers originally forecast - 12,000 in April.

Chief executive Phil Jones said they had obviously benefitted from the Icelandic volcano closing airspace.

The previous ferry which ceased in 2006 only operated between March and October.

"March's figures were tremendous but April went through the roof," said Mr Jones.

'Benefit considerably'

"Clearly all ferry businesses have benefited considerably from the volcano, not least ourselves."

Cork-based Fastnet is a cooperative made up of investors on both sides on the Irish Sea who raised 12m Euros (£10.35m).

The company employs 100 staff, including a crew of 71, but says there have been spin-offs for both ports.

Mr Jones said unlike the previous operators the intention was to run all year around.

One has not to get carried away, it's the first year and although it is very successful it will still be tough Fastnet Chief Executive Phil Jones

"The business plan is apart from her going into dry dock in January - which she has to do for something in the region of three weeks - is to run it.

"In the summer time it's very tourist driven. Obviously what is very important in the winter is freight so we have to keep the freight guys happy, which we will do our best to do.

"The big difference is the ships themselves are considerably different - this is a much bigger ship so we can take more freight which is useful for that winter period."

The main catalyst for the return of the ferry was the drop-off in tourism to the Cork region - estimated to down as much as £45m annually.

Llandovery born Mr Jones said: "What they say over in Ireland is that they want the yellow plates back - which is a reference to the registration plates on the UK cars - and they are already saying they are seeing the benefits of that.

"Likewise it will be the case here. Both countries will clearly benefit.

"One has not to get carried away, it's the first year and although it is very successful it will still be tough.

"The long-term plan has to be - and please don't hold me to this - in five to seven years we will bring in another ship."