Irish Continental Group has sold its Isle of Inishturk passenger/freight ferry to the Canadian ministry of public works for £6.2 million. The ferry is the smallest in the ICG fleet and has been in service in 1981. In March, it was replaced on the Rosslare Pembroke route by the Isle of Innisfree.

The sale of the ferry and the return to owners of chartered vessels is part of a policy in ICG to redevelop its fleet by acquiring substantially larger ships with economies of scale. This programme has seen the acquisition of the Pride of Bilbao in 1993, the Isle of Innisfree in 1995 and the Isle of Inishmore last February.