Two ferry developments are making the map between Ireland, Scotland and mainland Europe a lot more interesting. One has now become reality: Hibernia Line launched its new Cork-Boulogne ferry in June 2026. The other, Rosyth-Dunkirk, will not go ahead for now: on 16 September 2026 Forth Ports ended its talks with DFDS.
The difference between the two projects is now important. Cork-Boulogne is operating, with six sailings per week in each direction. Rosyth-Dunkirk stopped before it started, despite government funding for border infrastructure at Rosyth.
Update 12 October 2026: Cork-Boulogne has been sailing since 12 June 2026, operated by Hibernia Line with St Patrick and Akka, year-round from Monday to Saturday. Rosyth-Dunkirk will not go ahead for now: on 16 September 2026 Forth Ports, owner of the port of Rosyth, said its talks with DFDS had ended and that the service will not restart (The Connexion).
What has changed?
The biggest change is Cork-Boulogne. What was still a planned route when we first wrote about it has now launched. Hibernia Line operates the service between Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour and Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France six days a week in both directions, throughout the year.
Rosyth-Dunkirk went the other way. The UK Government committed £3 million towards Border Force and Customs infrastructure at Rosyth, on condition of a commercial agreement between Forth Ports and a ferry operator. That agreement never came: in September 2026 Forth Ports ended its talks with DFDS.
So the situation is now quite clear: Cork-Boulogne is a new ferry route you can actually use. Rosyth-Dunkirk is off for now.
In a nutshell
- Cork-Boulogne is now operating. Hibernia Line launched the passenger and freight service between Ringaskiddy and Boulogne-sur-Mer on 12 June 2026.
- There are six sailings per week in each direction, with the service operating year-round.
- The route is operated by St Patrick and Akka, both RoPax ferries carrying passengers, vehicles and freight.
- Rosyth-Dunkirk will not go ahead for now. Forth Ports ended its talks with DFDS on 16 September 2026, despite £3 million from the UK Government for border infrastructure at Rosyth.
- No other Scottish port has been named, so there is no new Scotland-France route to wait for.
Can you book these ferries?
| Cork-Boulogne | Yes. The route has been operating since June 2026 and bookings are open through Hibernia Line. |
| Rosyth-Dunkirk | No. The plan stopped in September 2026, when Forth Ports ended its talks with DFDS. |
Cork-Boulogne: Ireland’s newest ferry to France
Hibernia Line now operates a direct passenger and freight ferry between Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour and Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France.
The service launched on 12 June 2026 and now runs six times per week in both directions. Hibernia Line describes it as a year-round service rather than a seasonal summer route.
Ireland already has several direct ferry routes to France, including Rosslare-Cherbourg, Rosslare-Dunkirk, Dublin-Cherbourg and Cork-Roscoff. We compare those options in our guide to ferries from Ireland to France, and all five routes in the other direction in our guide to ferries from France to Ireland.
What makes Cork-Boulogne particularly interesting is the arrival point. Boulogne sits in northern France, close to Calais and within relatively easy reach of Belgium, the Netherlands and western Germany.
For travellers starting in southern Ireland and continuing towards northern France or Benelux, that creates a very different route choice from arriving in Brittany or Normandy.
Cork-Boulogne route block
| Route | Ringaskiddy, Cork to Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France |
| Operator | Hibernia Line |
| Ships | St Patrick and Akka |
| Type of ferry | RoPax ferries carrying passengers, vehicles and freight |
| Started | 12 June 2026 |
| Frequency | Six sailings per week in each direction |
| Crossing time | About 21 to 23 hours, overnight (departures 21:00 from Cork, 22:00 from Boulogne) |
| Operation | Year-round |
| Best for | Southern Ireland to northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of western Germany |
| Status | Operating and bookable |
Hibernia Line currently accepts cars, motorhomes, caravans and motorcycles. Foot passengers are planned, but the operator says dedicated foot-passenger fares are not generally available for booking yet.
Which ferries operate Cork-Boulogne?
Earlier industry reports linked SUPERFAST IX and Akka to the proposed route. That uncertainty has now disappeared: Hibernia Line operates the service with St Patrick and Akka.
Both are RoPax ferries, designed to carry passengers, vehicles and freight. That combination is important for a long-distance route like this, where freight demand can help support the service throughout the year while passengers get cabins and onboard facilities for the overnight journey.
Hibernia Line’s current timetable has the two vessels alternating between Cork and Boulogne throughout the week. Sailing times vary by departure, so it is worth checking your exact date rather than relying on one standard crossing time.
Why Cork-Boulogne could be useful for travellers
For many Irish travellers, the established ferry routes to France still make more sense. Cork-Roscoff is particularly useful for Brittany, while Rosslare-Cherbourg works well for Normandy and western France. Rosslare-Dunkirk is already a strong option for northern France and onward travel towards Belgium and the Netherlands.
Cork-Boulogne adds another combination: a southern Irish departure port with a northern French arrival. That can be especially useful if Cork is convenient at the start of your journey but your destination lies much further north or east on the Continent.
It works the other way too. Travellers from northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands now have another way to reach southern Ireland without travelling through Britain.
Rosyth-Dunkirk: the plan that stopped
The second story is the proposed Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry.
It would have restored a direct passenger ferry between Scotland and mainland Europe for the first time in around fifteen years.
The UK Government announced a £3 million commitment in March 2026 towards Border Force and Customs infrastructure at Rosyth. The funding is subject to a commercial agreement between Forth Ports and a ferry operator, as well as approval of the business case. You can read the UK Government announcement here.
DFDS was in talks with Forth Ports and the Port of Dunkirk. On 16 September 2026 Forth Ports said those talks had ended and that the service will not restart; DFDS said it was disappointed (The Connexion).
Rosyth-Dunkirk route block
| Route | Rosyth, Scotland to Dunkirk, northern France |
| Operator | DFDS was in talks until September 2026 |
| Type of ferry | Proposed passenger and freight service |
| Crossing time | Around 20 hours has been discussed in earlier plans |
| Frequency | Three sailings per week has previously been proposed |
| Launch date | Not going ahead for now |
| Status | Talks ended on 16 September 2026 |
Why Rosyth-Dunkirk would have mattered
For Scottish travellers, the route would solve a very different problem from Cork-Boulogne.
There is currently no direct passenger ferry from Scotland to mainland Europe. For many travellers, Newcastle-Amsterdam is the nearest major international passenger ferry, while routes from Hull, Harwich, Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth and Plymouth require an even longer drive south.
A Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry could allow travellers to board close to Edinburgh and arrive directly in northern France, with Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and much of France within easy onward reach.
The plan was a freight and passenger service three times per week, with a crossing of around 20 hours.
One route is sailing, the other stopped
The two stories have now reached very different stages.
Cork-Boulogne has made the jump from proposal to operating ferry route. It now gives travellers another direct choice between Ireland and France and is particularly interesting because of the combination of Cork and northern France.
Rosyth-Dunkirk did not make that jump. Government support and talks with the ports and DFDS gave it more substance than a simple route idea, but without a commercial agreement there is no ferry. If another operator or port picks up the idea, we will update this page.
That distinction matters with new ferry projects. Ports, border facilities, freight contracts, vessels and timetables all have to come together before a proposed line becomes something passengers can actually use.
For now, Cork-Boulogne is here. Rosyth-Dunkirk is off.
Useful sources
- Hibernia Line – Cork-Boulogne route announcement and service details
- The Connexion – Scotland-France ferry plans axed as Forth Ports pulls out (21 September 2026)
- GOV.UK – £3 million commitment towards the Rosyth-Dunkirk project
- FerryGoGo – Cork-Boulogne ferry route
- FerryGoGo – compare ferries from Ireland to France
Last updated: 12 October 2026. Cork-Boulogne sails year-round. Rosyth-Dunkirk will not go ahead for now.
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