A new ferryboat connection has linked the Bulgarian town of Svishtov with its Romanian neighbour across the Danube River to the north, Zimnicea, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on November 17 2010.

The investment, worth about six million euro, was made by a Romanian investor. The line has been operating for the past few days, the report said.The ferryboat's capacity includes up to 250 passengers, 12 lorries and 40 cars, the report said.

"This will create more possibilities for business opportunities and for new workplaces in the region," Emil Dimitrov, deputy Svishtov Municipality mayor, told BNT.The residents of Svishtov, reportedly, reacted positively to the new development, saying that this ought to "stir up" the local economy.

The new ferryboat connections means that the distance from Svishtov to the Romanian capital, Bucharest, has been reduced by about 120km.