Rosyth to Dunkirk ferry: will Scotland get a direct ferry to Europe?

Update, September 2026: the Rosyth to Dunkirk ferry will not go ahead for now. On 16 September 2026 Forth Ports, which owns the port of Rosyth, ended its talks with DFDS: “these discussions have not been able to be concluded, such that the service will not restart.” DFDS said it was disappointed. Scotland still has no direct ferry to mainland Europe.

Earlier in 2026 the plan, often called ‘Project Brave’, looked closer than ever, with public money promised for border facilities at Rosyth. Below is what was planned, why it stopped and which routes you can use instead.

We are also tracking this route in our wider update on possible new ferry services: new ferries on the horizon: Cork to Boulogne and Scotland to Dunkirk.

What is Project Brave?

Project Brave is the name often used for the plan to restore a direct ferry connection between Scotland and mainland Europe. The proposed route would run between Rosyth, near Edinburgh, and Dunkirk in northern France.

The project has been associated with Ptarmigan Shipping and, more recently, with discussions involving DFDS, Forth Ports, the Port of Dunkirk and government bodies. The basic idea is simple: Scotland would once again have a direct ferry route to the continent, instead of relying on routes from England, the Channel ports, or long drives south.

Rosyth to Dunkirk: current status

In 2026 the UK Government committed £3 million to Border Force and Customs infrastructure at Rosyth, on condition that Forth Ports and a ferry operator reached a commercial agreement, and the Scottish Government pledged another £3 million. That agreement never came: on 16 September 2026 Forth Ports said its talks with DFDS had ended and that the service will not restart (The Connexion).

No other Scottish port has been named, so for now there is no new route to wait for.

Proposed route	Rosyth, Scotland to Dunkirk, France
Route type	Expected to be freight and passenger, likely RoPax-style
Operator	DFDS was in talks; those ended in September 2026
Reported crossing time	Around 20 hours has been discussed
Reported frequency	Three sailings per week has previously been mentioned
Can you book it?	No: the plan stopped in September 2026

Why this ferry would matter for Scotland

A direct Scotland to France ferry would be a big deal. It would give Scottish travellers, exporters and hauliers a direct link to mainland Europe without first travelling deep into England or using the Dover-Calais corridor.

For passengers, the attraction is obvious. A Rosyth to Dunkirk ferry could work as an overnight-style crossing, where you board in Scotland and arrive in northern France without a long motorway journey through England. For people travelling with a car, campervan, motorbike or bicycle, that could be a much calmer way to reach France, Belgium, the Netherlands or beyond.

For freight, the argument may be even stronger. A direct route could help Scottish exporters move goods to Europe more efficiently, reduce pressure on southern UK routes, and bring back a connection Scotland has been missing for years.

Passenger ferry or freight ferry?

This is the detail we would still be careful with. Some coverage of the route uses passenger-ferry imagery and talks about a passenger connection. That may well be the aim this time, but it is worth remembering the history of the old Rosyth to Zeebrugge link.

The previous freight route between Rosyth and Zeebrugge was not a normal holiday ferry in the way many travellers imagine. The vessel linked to the former service, the Finlandia Seaways, was a ro-ro freight ship with very limited passenger capacity.

That does not mean a new Rosyth to Dunkirk ferry could not be passenger-friendly. The current proposal has been described as a freight and passenger ferry service. But until we see the vessel, timetable, cabin options, vehicle booking details and passenger facilities, it is sensible not to treat it as a guaranteed holiday ferry just yet.

What happened to the old Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry?

Scotland previously had a direct ferry connection to mainland Europe via Rosyth and Zeebrugge in Belgium. The route changed over time and eventually became freight-focused. In April 2018, a fire broke out in the engine room of the Finlandia Seaways. DFDS later closed the Zeebrugge-Rosyth freight route, saying the damage and lack of a suitable replacement vessel meant it had no realistic way to continue the service.

That closure left Scotland without a direct roll-on/roll-off ferry link to mainland Europe. Since then, Scottish travellers heading to the continent have generally had to use routes from England, the Channel ports, or drive south before crossing.

Our take: a pity, for now

We would love to see this route happen. A direct ferry from Scotland to Dunkirk would be genuinely useful, especially for travellers in Scotland and northern England who want to avoid the long drive to Dover, Portsmouth, Harwich or Hull.

It would also add something different to the UK ferry map. Instead of yet another short Channel crossing, this would be a long-distance ferry route with real strategic value: freight, tourism, cars, campers, cyclists and potentially a much more relaxed way to reach mainland Europe from Scotland.

New ferry routes are difficult to launch: ships need to be available, the port and border checks must be ready, and the commercial case has to work. In September 2026 that last step failed. If another operator or port picks up the idea, we will update this page.

What are the alternatives for now?

Until Rosyth to Dunkirk becomes bookable, travellers from Scotland still need to use existing ferry routes. The most practical options usually involve driving south to one of the established UK ferry ports, depending on your destination:

• Newcastle to Amsterdam can work well if you are travelling from Scotland or northern England towards the Netherlands, Germany or northern Europe.
• Hull to Rotterdam is another useful overnight option for northern travellers heading to the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany.
• Harwich to Hook of Holland is strong for comfort and onward travel, especially if you want a relaxed overnight crossing.
• Dover to Calais or Dunkirk is still the fastest short-sea option, but it usually means a much longer drive from Scotland.
• Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth and Newhaven can make sense if your final destination is western or southern France.

So for now, the way from Scotland to the continent is one of these routes. From Scotland and northern England, the overnight ferries from Newcastle and Hull save the longest drive.