The first sea bus transportation between Bulgaria and Turkey was started on Tuesday, June 18, as a ferry carried passengers from the Bulgarian port city of Burgas to the northwestern Turkish province of Kırklareli.
Image: Port of Burgas (Bulgaria)
The services were initiated by Istanbul's Sea Bus Operators (IDO) with an aim to boost tourism along Turkey's Black Sea coast. The first ferryboat (Sinan Pasha) reached a port in Igneada district after 5 hours. The first ferry passengers to make the international cruise were Bulgarian authorities and press members.
IDO Chairman Hasan Ustundag said that they had succeeded in establishing the first service between the countries and they would increase the services if they reached the predicted passenger potential.
According to District Governor Cafer Ekinci, they would initiate the necessary work in order to increase the number of ferry services.