Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour has confirmed that calls to restore the DFDS ferry service between Newcastle and Bergen, Norway, are ongoing, 18 years after the route was discontinued. The service, which ceased operations in 2008, is remembered fondly by many in both cities, but operators currently deem it financially unviable.
Speaking at a full council session on Wednesday, Councillor Kilgour noted that new direct flights from Newcastle to Bergen, operated by Jet2 and due to start in April, could pave the way for a revived ferry link. She expressed hope that the flights would prove popular enough to become year-round, boosting economic ties in offshore energy and tourism.
“We would also love to see the return of the ferry,” Kilgour said. “We know lots of people in both cities have fond memories of travelling by sea to visit both Newcastle and Bergen. And while at this point operators consider the route is not economically viable, we will continue to work with partners and our friends in Bergen to explore all ways of bringing it back.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Greg Stone, a long-time advocate for the ferry’s return, urged the council to turn “warm words” into action. He suggested working with the mayor to overcome the financial hurdles, which include the need for an expanded passport control facility at Bergen’s port.
Residents have expressed enthusiasm on social media, with one calling the route “an absolute necessity” and another predicting it would be “the most successful” of all lost routes. The ferry originally operated from 1890 until 2008, and its return would rekindle a historic link between the twin cities, which have been twinned since 1968.
