Port of Cork Celebrates Brittany Ferries 40 Years Linking Ireland and France
While Irish Ferries are in the doldrums with their WB Yeats ship stuck in dry dock for the rest of the year, it was all smiles and birthday cake in Ringaskiddy this morning as celebrations were held to mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of Brittany Ferries’ Cork-Roscoff route.
In May 1978, Brittany Ferries launched their Cork-Roscoff ferry route from Cork City Quays with their flagship ‘MV Armorique’. At the time, all ferries departing Cork used the passenger terminal at Tivoli, before being transferred downriver to the dedicated Ringaskiddy Ferry Terminal which opened in 1982. Since then, the passenger and freight route linking Ireland and France has gone from strength to strength and today the Port of Cork acknowledged this service by wishing Brittany Ferries a Happy 40th Anniversary linking the two countries.
Port of Cork Chairman, John Mullins said: “It is with great pleasure that today we wish our long-term customer, Brittany Ferries, a very happy 40th anniversary linking Ireland and France. This company has shown true dedication in providing a reliable and attractive ferry service for both passengers and freight. On behalf of the Port of Cork I would like c2ngratulate Brittany Ferries on the last the 40 years’ service and wish them every success for the next 40 years.”
Over the last 40 years, Brittany Ferries has become the market leader on the Western Channel for passengers and freight and in 2018 this commitment was further endorsed when Brittany Ferries announced the first ever ferry service linking Ireland and Spain, with the new Ro-Pax twice weekly service from Cork to Santander. As well as serving Cork to Santander, this route also delivers an additional weekly return sailing from Cork to Roscoff.
In 2017, Brittany Ferries carried more than 87,000 passengers, which was an increase of 4% on the previous season and contributing to the national economy. While France continues to be a popular travel destination for Irish travellers, the number of French people visiting Ireland showed no signs of waning as nearly 45,000 availed of the route, representing 52% of all passengers carried.