Bolougne-sur-Mer is a gateway to France's Côte d'Opale, a popular stretch of coastline with tourists from northern Europe, and from the UK, with Boulogne-sur-Mer just 50kms across the seat to Dover in England. 

The new service will also act as an alternative to the UK landbridge for freight services to continental Europe. The port of Boulgne-sur-Mer is 40kms from Calais, and is already well established as a leading agri-food hub in Europe. It is also a leading fishing port in France, with its industrial hinterland handling more than 300,000 tonnes of seafood products each year.

The Hibernia Line services will be officially launched in Ringaskiddy next week. The new ferry service is backed by Laurence Goodman, the chair of APB Group and the son of Larry Goodman. Hibernia Line's chief executive is freight industry veteran Aidan Coffey, while executive chair of the Designer Group and former Musgrave and Cairn Homes finance director Tim Kenny was appointed a director of the fledgling ferry service last month.