A new ferry service directly connecting Scotland and France could begin later this year, as part of a €40bn (£35bn) regeneration project at the port of Dunkirk. The proposed route would run from Rosyth in Fife to Dunkirk, re-establishing a passenger and freight link that has been absent for over a decade.
The plans have already secured around €4bn (£3.5bn) in private and public investment, according to the Guardian. The service, to be operated by Danish company DFDS, would run three return trips per week with a journey time of approximately 20 hours, making it one of the longest ferry routes in Europe.
Earlier projections had aimed for a spring 2026 launch, but progress has been delayed while the Scottish government establishes a new border control post for checking goods at Rosyth. However, Dunkirk Port stated last week that it looks forward to the new crossing ahead of the Six Nations rugby tournament in early 2027.
The last passenger ferry from Scotland to mainland Europe ceased in 2010, while freight services ended in 2018 after a fire on board a DFDS ship. The new route aims to boost trade, tourism, and economic growth, making Scotland more accessible for tourists travelling with campervans, motorbikes, and bicycles.
Dunkirk officials have described the overall regeneration programme as mirroring the city's famed WWII resilience. The ferry would re-establish both passenger and freight links between Scotland and mainland Europe, filling a gap left since the closure of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge service.
