A ferry service directly linking Scotland and France could relaunch later this year as part of a €40 billion (£35bn) regeneration project at the port of Dunkirk.
The prospective cargo and passenger route from Rosyth in Fife to Dunkirk in northern France is part of a plan to regenerate the 60-year-old port area.
It has been 16 years since passenger services ran a route from Rosyth to Europe.
The last freight ferry connected to mainland Europe nearly eight years ago, ceasing after an onboard fire in 2018.
Amid speculation about the route’s return, Dunkirk Port officials stated last week that they hoped to see the new crossing in place before the Six Nations rugby tournament in early 2027.
Port supervisory board vice president and Dunkirk Mayor Patrice Vergriete said: “The question is not ‘is it going to happen’ but rather ‘when’,” reported The Scotsman.
If viable, the ferry route could make Scotland more accessible for tourists travelling to France by car.
The most recent major ferry service from Scotland took freight and passengers from Rosyth to Zeebrugge in Belgium.
Superfast Ferries ran the route from 2002, with Danish company DFDS eventually taking over before the passenger service was scrapped in 2010 due to insufficient demand.
DFDS is expected to operate the proposed 20-hour crossing three times a week.
A DFDS spokesman told BBC Scotland News there was “no firm timeline yet” on launch dates or schedules.
They said: “DFDS is still interested in the service, and we are actively engaged in constructive discussions with the local authorities.
“Progress is being made, and we remain optimistic about the potential of this new route.”
Previous attempts to reinstate the route were set back while the Scottish government looked to establish a new border control post for checking farm produce.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work with DFDS to assess the long-term commercial viability of the proposed service.
“A consultation on proposals to amend the minimum requirements for the location of a border control post ended last week, and next steps will be announced in due course,” reported BBC News.
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