A NEW ferry service between Rosyth and Dunkirk has been hailed as "incredible news" with the UK Government announcing funding of £3 million for vital port infrastructure.
The money from the Treasury will address the lack of Border Force and Customs facilities at the Forth Ports site, which was one of the last remaining obstacles to restoring a direct Scotland to Europe sea route.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander will visit the Port of Rosyth this morning (Thursday) to confirm the "significant" investment and meet representatives from ferry operator DFDS and Dunkirk.
Mr Alexander said: "With the UK Government delivering £3m in investment, this new direct ferry service would connect Scotland to Europe’s doorstep.
"The UK Government is backing Scottish businesses to grow, export and compete on the world stage.
"It would boost tourism, open up new markets for Scottish businesses, create jobs, take freight off our roads and grow Scotland’s economy.
"This is a big step forward and I hope we will soon see the first ferry set sail. This is a major vote of confidence in Scotland’s, and the UK’s, economic future.”
Dunfermline and Dollar Labour MP Graeme Downie said: "The return of a passenger and freight ferry service from Rosyth to Europe is incredible news for Rosyth, Dunfermline, Fife and the rest of Scotland.
“This connection, talked about for many years, has now been delivered thanks to the UK Labour government, with this funding and with the UK-EU trade deal announced last year.
“By committing £3m for improvements to the Port of Rosyth, we will bring back this service, providing the people of Fife with direct routes to mainland Europe and encouraging visitors from across the continent.
"This is fantastic news for Fifers, our businesses and our local economy."
Danish-owned DFDS aim to launch a freight and passenger service, three times per week, with a sailing time of 20 hours to and from France.
It would link with Dunkirk’s state-of-the-art rail terminal, which connects the port to major centres across the European Union, opening up significant new opportunities for Scottish exporters.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Backing Rosyth with this £3m investment would be a major boost to Scotland’s infrastructure and tourism, and make the area a more attractive place to live, work and start a business in the years to come.”
The funding is subject to a commercial agreement between Forth Ports and DFDS, and business case approval.
Stuart Wallace, CEO at Forth Ports, said: “Forth Ports welcomes this step from the UK Government to support the growth of the maritime freight and passenger sector in Scotland.
"A ferry service from Rosyth to mainland Europe is a key part of the Forth Green Freeport and this funding helps create the market conditions needed to see the ferry take a step closer to reality.”
The former SNP MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, Douglas Chapman, campaigned for years to bring back the Euro-ferry service, almost since it stopped eight years ago.
And his successor, Mr Downie, has also pushed hard for its return, identifying last October that funding for port improvements at Rosyth was the "final barrier".
This week he said: "Less than two years into a UK Labour government, we have made this a reality, benefitting the local economy from visitors and supporting local business that want to export more easily to Europe.
"This Labour government is putting Scotland back in the heart of Europe."
Superfast Ferries first launched a ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in 2002 and it was later taken over by Norfolkline.
It stopped carrying passengers in 2010, when it became freight-only, and DFDS became the third operator of the route.
The service ended in 2018 shortly after a fire on board the Finlandia Seaways ship.
Mathieu Girardin, executive vice president and head of DFDS’s ferry division, said: “We are pleased to see the UK Government’s commitment to strengthening port infrastructure in Rosyth.
"This is an important step in bringing a new route between Scotland and mainland Europe closer to reality.
"While a few elements still need to be addressed, we see strong potential in the route and look forward to continuing our discussions with all partners involved to move the project forward.”
And Daniel Deschodt, executive vice president of the Port of Dunkirk, said: “The establishment of a direct maritime link between the ports of Rosyth and Dunkirk is a significant strategic asset.
"This new freight and passenger ferry service will enhance connectivity between the two countries, facilitating smoother trade flows and serving as a powerful catalyst for economic growth.
"It will stimulate port activity, boost local employment, and strengthen the logistics, competitiveness, and tourism of both regions within Europe.”
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