New direct ferry service to launch between France and Ireland

"Hibernia Line will deploy two ferries to operate six crossings a week between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Cork from mid-June. Departures will be in the evening, with the crossing taking approximately 21.5 hours, the company said in a statement. Bookings opened on May 7th, with fares starting at around €500 each way for a car and two passengers."

"The two ferries that will operate the route are called the St Patrick and the MV Akka. The ships have the capacity for more than 600 passengers per sailing with around 200 cabins on each. Hibernia Line says that both ferries will be "pet-friendly". There will also be dining areas, lounges, a play area for children and gaming spaces."

"Hibernia Line founder and chief executive, Aidan Coffey, said that while fuel prices are increasing amidst the conflict in the Middle Least, the company has no issues of supplies. "We are not the same as the airline fuel. We are not the same as home heating oil. We operate on a different fuel altogether. We are assured that there is no problem in relation to supply," Coffey said."

"This new ferry route is also expected to create 250 jobs, including "more than 200 crew positions", according to Hibernia Line. The majority of staff will be Irish, Peter Stolk, the company's director of port operations, said during a press conference."

Hibernia Line will begin operating its first ferry service between Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France and Cork in south-western Ireland from mid-June. Two ferries, the St Patrick and the MV Akka, will run six crossings per week, with evening departures and a crossing time of about 21.5 hours. Bookings opened on May 7, with fares starting at around €500 each way for a car and two passengers. Each sailing can carry more than 600 passengers and includes around 200 cabins per ferry. The ferries will be pet-friendly and will offer dining areas, lounges, a children’s play area, and gaming spaces. The company expects the route to create 250 jobs, including more than 200 crew positions, with most staff Irish. Hibernia Line says fuel supply is assured despite rising fuel prices linked to conflict in the Middle East.

Read at The Local France