DUNFERMLINE and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman has held "positive" talks about a new passenger and freight ferry service between Rosyth and Belgium.

And he believes Brexit could actually enhance the prospects of the route being profitable – DFDS pulled out last month after it "lost all hope" of turning round losses.

Mr Chapman met the General Representative of the Government of Flanders, Nic Van der Marliere, to discuss the possibility of a new link.

The Belgians are keen to restore the "historic link" and the MP said: "Even before the withdrawal of the DFDS service, we were already in talks with Flanders regarding a new passenger and freight ferry service from Rosyth into Europe.

“Due to the confusion and potential delays at English ports such as Dover as a result of Brexit, these circumstances may become a driver for more seaborne traffic from Scotland as no Scottish exporter wants their goods sitting in a customs queue on the south coast.

"Similarly for tourists, no-one wants to start their holiday waiting in the equivalent of bank holiday-style traffic jams as they try to get onto a ferry in Hull or Folkestone."

A fire on board the Finlandia Seaways ship on April 16 hastened the end of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge freight ferry service run by DFDS. It said it was unable to find a replacement and had "lost all hope" of turning round losses.

The Rosyth ferry has been operating since 2002, initially by Superfast Ferries and then Norfolkline, but stopped carrying passengers in 2010 when it became a freight-only service.

Mr Chapman said: "Much of the feedback I received from passengers using the previous ferry service was that Rosyth was so easy to access and there was no better sight than coming up the Forth and under the bridges when your holiday was over, and what a first impression of Scotland that view gives to incoming visitors.

“If there is an opportunity to be grasped then now is the time to plan and prepare for a new sustainable service and I am delighted that our meeting ended on such a positive note to encourage us all, at both ends of the route, to work together.

“In addition to the meeting with Flanders, I have also met with our transport minister, Humza Yousaf, and it’s our intention to seek further discussions with Forth Ports and potential operators who would be confident about running a new and sustainable service from Rosyth into Flanders.”

A Forth Ports spokesperson said: “Forth Ports are happy to discuss the potential of a new ferry service for the Port of Rosyth with any interested operator.”

Mr Van Der Marliere said he had discussed DFDS' decision to stop the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry service with Mr Chapman.

And he told the Press: "The Government of Flanders regrets the closure of the service and is keen to ensure this historic link is revived.

"To this end, we had a productive discussion on next steps as well as alternative options such as a combined passenger and freight service.

"Regardless of Brexit, Scotland and Flanders should seek to collaborate on common strategic interests around the North Sea."

Mr Chapman has been keen to promote Rosyth's potential as a sea link to Europe and, earlier this year, welcomed talks which could see a passenger ferry service from Rosyth to Scandinavia.

P&O Ferries spoke with the Scottish Government to discuss the possibility of a route.