Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry route: Expected launch date announced which could take Scotland rugby fans to France

They said on Tuesday they expected the link to be launched by DFDS late this year or early in 2027 - and confirmed it would be going ahead.

Port supervisory board vice president and Dunkirk Mayor Patrice Vergriete said: "The question is not 'Is it going to happen' but rather ‘when’."

Referring to the France v Scotland match in next year’s Six Nations tournament, he said: “We hope our Scottish friends will be able to come all the way to France to attend this event by then.”

Mr Vergriete said there was demand for the route, despite the length of the 20-hour crossing.

He said: “Customers are there. Scotland is looking forward to this new service and we are looking forward to it as well.”

However, he said an obstacle remained in the need to establish EU border checks for farm produce, which would require new Scottish legislation.

The Scottish Government hopes a border control post can be established at Grangemouth because Rosyth - 20 miles away on the opposite side of the Forth - does not have such facilities.

Mr Vergriete said: “As soon as this obstacle is behind us, we will be ready to roll.”

Agriculture and connectivity minister Jim Fairlie announced the border post plan in November to help restore an international ferry link from Scotland following an eight-year gap.

A DFDS spokesperson 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, but there is no firm timeline yet.”

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.”

“We have always made clear our support for the development of Scotland’s ports and the potential for new direct freight and passenger ferry services linking Scotland to Europe.

“We will continue to engage with port operators and others to explore how that might be delivered so that Scottish exporters have more direct routes to market.”

In 2018, the service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge closed after being downgraded to a freight only service.

Greek operator Superfast launched the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route in 2002, but pulled out in 2008, blaming low passenger numbers and high fuel costs.

The route was revived the following year by Netherlands firm Norfolkline, but it stopped carrying passengers and became freight only at the end of 2010 after the company was taken over by DFDS.

The operator ended sailings in 2018 after it said it had “lost all hope” of making the route profitable, with the decision hastened by a fire aboard one of its ferries on the route which put it out of action for several months.