ADVERTISEMENTHopes for a new direct ferry service between Scotland and France have resurfaced, but without any concrete moves towards launch.
The planned service will provide three weekly sailings from the port of Rosyth near Edinburgh to Dunkirk in France. Proposals for the so-called ‘Project Brave’ ferry service were first floated in 2022, but stalled due to lack of funding.
Now, talks of funding the initiative have restarted, as supporters argue that the link would have massive economic benefits, both from transportation of passengers and the movement of freight.
For tourists, it would provide a convenient travel option, with the possibility of taking a vehicle on the crossing, giving more flexibility at the other end. Given that it would be an alternative to road and air transport, it would also align with goals to reduce carbon emissions.
“Industry agrees and ferry operators stand ready to deliver a route, but the Scottish government lacks the courage to support Project Brave,” claims Neale Hanvey, former leader of the Alba party.
“What can be done to encourage the Scottish government to invest a modest amount of pump-prime funding to realise the economic and environmental benefits that would be felt by all across the UK?”
If the service were to launch, it would be a crossing of around 20 hours, making it one of the longest sea journeys in Europe. The current longest crossing is from Portsmouth, UK, to Bilbao, Spain, which takes between 27 and 30 hours.
When did Scotland last have a direct ferry to Europe?
From 2002, Scotland had a direct ferry connection to Zeebrugge in Belgium from its port in Rosyth. Operated by Superfast Ferries, the service was an overnight crossing of around 17 hours, departing around four times per week.
Although the summer months saw good demand for the service from passengers, concerns mounted over the lack of freight on the crossing. In 2005, the crossing frequency was reduced to just three times per week.
The following year, Superfast Ferries adjusted its vessel from the Superfast X to the smaller Blue Star I, operated by its sister company Blue Star Ferries. Then, in 2008, the service was discontinued entirely.
Unperturbed by the poor performance of the route, Norfolkline, a subsidiary of Danish company DFDS, picked up the service in 2009 with a three weekly overnight crossing. But that didn’t last long either, as DFDS pulled the passenger service from the route in 2010, citing insufficient demand.
DFDS continued to run a freight-only service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge until 2018, when it closed following a fire on board its freight ship.
When will the new Scotland to France ferry launch?
Although there is some support for a direct Rosyth to Dunkirk ferry service, its launch is not without its hurdles.
According to the Dunfermline Press, the original Spring 2025 launch date has been delayed and pushed back as DFDS is seeking grants from the Scottish Government to help launch the route.
However, when DFDS previously tried to obtain funding to support the route, Transport Scotland concluded that subsidising routes in such a way could be deemed ‘anti-competitive.’
ADVERTISEMENTAt Westminster in November, Graeme Downie MP said £3 million (€3.6 million) in funding was needed, adding that "It is estimated the direct ferry link would initially carry 51,000 passengers a year, rising to 79,000, bringing an additional £11.5 million (€14 million) of spend to the Scottish economy.”
According to a spokesperson for DFDS, it is continuing to discuss the opportunity with the Scottish government, with conversations ongoing around “practical issues which will have to be resolved before any new ferry service can be introduced.”
“As it stands, the timeframe is currently looking like the second half of 2025,” the spokesperson concludes.