Scotland’s long-lost ferry link to mainland Europe could sail again as early as next year, after the SNP Government confirmed proposals to restore a direct route between Rosyth and Dunkirk.
The move has been welcomed across Fife and the Highlands as a chance to reconnect Scotland with Europe, boost trade, and bring visitors directly into the heart of the country.
The plan, supported by shipping company DFDS through Project Brave, would see a combined freight and passenger service between Rosyth and Dunkirk, operating up to three times a week.
The route would offer an alternative to congested English ports and provide European travellers with a faster, greener way to reach Scotland and the Highlands.
Local MSP Annabelle Ewing said the decision marked “exactly the kind of forward-thinking, practical action people expect from the SNP Government.”
She added:
“Re-establishing the Rosyth–Europe ferry route will boost local jobs, strengthen Fife’s economy and support our exporters, helping to undo some of the real damage caused by a Brexit Scotland did not vote for.”
The new proposals remove key post-Brexit barriers by allowing goods arriving from the EU to be checked at existing facilities in Grangemouth, rather than requiring a costly new Border Control Post at Rosyth.
If approved by UK and EU officials, this approach would clear the final obstacle and allow DFDS to launch the service by spring 2026.
Economic modelling suggests the route could contribute around £11.5 million annually to Scotland’s economy, while significantly reducing road miles for freight and cutting emissions.
DFDS expects to carry more than 50,000 passengers in the first year, rising to nearly 80,000 within five years.
The ferry would also support Rosyth’s green freeport status, part of a wider development plan aiming to create up to 34,000 jobs across the region.
Tourism leaders say the return of the ferry could transform how visitors access the north, with Rosyth acting as a landing point just hours from the Cairngorms, the west coast, and the NC500.
Motorcyclists, campervan travellers and cyclists are expected to be among the early adopters, drawn by the freedom of travelling directly from Europe to Scotland’s open roads.
Annabelle Ewing said the move was not just about trade, but about Scotland’s place in the world.
“While Westminster drags its heels, the SNP is delivering on Scotland’s ambition to be an outward-looking, confident European nation once again,” she said.
“But only with the fresh start of independence can Scotland go further in realising this potential.”
The revival of the Rosyth–Dunkirk ferry could reopen Scotland’s European gateway, bringing jobs, investment and visitors to the regions that need them most, from Fife’s docks to the Highland glens.
