ALL ROADS LEAD TO NEW FERRY SERVICE
THE Scenic Carlingford Ferry is ready to sail later this week, once the final statutory inspection by the Marine Survey Office for the Department of Transport is carried out.
This is the final hurdle which the long awaited ferry service linking Greenore with Greencasle in Co Down has to face before daily sailings commence.
‘ There is phenomenal interest so we are very excited to commence operations very shortly,’ commented Mr Paul O’Sullivan, director and founder Carlingford Ferry.
There has been a frenzy of work in recent weeks with the installation of bespoke navigational lights to guide the ferry across the Lough as well as new specialist fenders at the slipways in Greenore and Greencastle
The 44 vehicle ferry, Gabrielle Aisling, arrived in Carlingford Lough at the beginning of June, and the four captains and crew have been using the time to prepare for the service going into operation.
The €9.75million privately funding project involved the construction of a 60 metre long reinforced concrete slipway at Greenore, and a 58 metre long reinforced concrete suspended pier, supported by vertical tabular piles in Greencastle. The construction work, also included berthing and fender piles to facilitate ferry berthing, steel gangway, new hard standings for parking and queuing. Distinctive directional signs for the ferry have also been erected on roads leading to Greenore.