France-Scotland ferry project: Almost 80,000 travellers a year expected

Close to 80,000 passengers a year are expected to use a planned ferry service between Scotland and France. 

The service, planned to run three times per week between Rosyth and Dunkirk and operated by DFDS, would initially see 51,000 annual passengers according to estimates, before rising to 79,000. 

Funding issues have stalled the project, but talks on this matter have resumed, and the service could be in place by this summer according to British media outlet Metro. 

The route is expected to bring over £11 million in revenue to Scotland according to Scottish Labour MP Graeme Downie, however around €3.5 million needs to be green-lit to kickstart the route. 

DFDS is seeking to raise this financing from Scottish government grants.

Read more: Scotland-France ferry plan faces delays

Vital link between countries 

Whilst still far off the busiest UK-France ferry route – Brittany Ferries Normandy-Portsmouth route sees over 800,000 annual passengers, and upwards of five million passengers travel on various services between the UK and France – it will be a vital connection between Scotland and mainland Europe. 

The last ferry route to provide such a link for passengers, between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in Belgium was cancelled as operators chose to focus on freight links. 

The planned route between Rosyth and Dunkirk would take around 20 hours. 

April 2025 will see the launch of the second hybrid electric-gas ferry between the UK and France, taking over the busy Portsmouth-Normandy route. 

Read more: New hybrid ferry to run on Normandy-Portsmouth route next month