Scotland-France ferry still planned for 2026
French port says route is part of Dunkirk's €40bn regeneration programme - but service has no start date yet
DFDS has previously said passenger numbers could eventually reach close to 80,000 per year with three crossings a week
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Plans for a new ferry link between Rosyth and Dunkirk are still alive and are being considered as part of Dunkirk’s €40bn regeneration programme, but no start date has been set yet.
Danish ferry operator DFDS told The Connexion that recent UK media reports suggesting the service could begin in May are not true.
“We do not know where that date came from,” the spokesman said. “We are still interested in the route, but cannot say when it will happen.”
The proposed Rosyth–Dunkirk route would take around 20 hours, with plans for three crossings a week.
DFDS previously estimated passenger numbers could reach close to 80,000 per year.
The route was first announced in 2024, with an initial aim to start in spring 2025.
However, DFDS delayed the launch in early 2025 while seeking financial help to cover the cost of required passenger-handling and customs facilities at Rosyth.
The main difficulty is the need for a border control post on the UK side following Brexit, particularly for checks on food, animals and plants arriving from the EU.
Dunkirk investment
On the French side, Dunkirk port has space waiting at its wharfs for non-EU traffic, including customs posts.
The port is also at the centre of a €40bn (£35bn) regeneration programme, which officials say aims to mirror the Second World War resilience for which Dunkirk is famed.
Daniel Deschodt, deputy chief executive of the port of Dunkirk, said the route could be particularly popular with Scottish rugby fans for the Six Nations tournament.
The extra service is part of broader efforts at Dunkirk to expand connections with the Nordic countries, South America, and beyond, supporting both freight and tourism.
UK efforts
In Scotland, officials have discussed docking ferries at Rosyth and then driving 30km to Grangemouth, where customs facilities already exist.
In November, the Scottish agriculture minister announced a consultation to restart the route, reflecting wider government support for initiatives that boost ports and new mainland Europe links.
A previous DFDS line between Rosyth and Zeebrugge took passengers and freight lorries until 2010, when the passenger service ended due to falling numbers. Freight-only services ceased in 2018 after a fire at sea.
Issues for UK/EU plant and animal control deal
Talks on a plant and animal health agreement have hit hurdles, as the EU is insisting the UK would cover costs of re-installing controls if it withdraws from the deal.
The UK would also need to stay in ‘dynamic’ alignment with EU rules. Among other points, a deal could allow the UK to once again issue EU-recognised pet passports.
