SCOTLAND could soon have its own direct link to Europe via ferry.
Plans have been in the works for years to connect Scotland to northern France and it’s set to become a reality in 2026.
Called ‘Project Brave’, the ferry route was first proposed in 2022 and was originally set to launch in spring 2025, but has faced delays due to a lack of funding.
The route is now being actively pursued once more and could be reintroduced as early as 2026 with the funding issue having now been resolved.
If it goes ahead, the service will link Rosyth, a town in Fife to Dunkirk in France.
If it goes ahead, the route would run three times a week and take 20 hours in total.
Speaking in Westminster in November 2024, Scottish MP Graeme Downie proposed that £3 million in funding was needed to start up the service.
He said: “It is estimated the direct ferry link would initially carry 51,000 passengers a year, rising to 79,000, bringing an additional £11.5 million of spend to the Scottish economy.”
The new proposed route would become one of the longest ferry journeys in Europe.
But that title currently belongs to the service between Portsmouth to Bilbao in Spain, which lasts between 27 and 30 hours.
In the past, Scotland had a similar service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge which Belgium previously connected Scotland to Europe.
The overnight crossing took 17 hours and operated four times per week.
The route was discontinued in 2008, following six years of service.
It was reintroduced in 2009, but was pulled again in 2010 because of insufficient demand.
DFDS operates three main routes from the UK to France.
These are from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk and Newhaven to Dieppe.
Currently, there are no direct passenger ferries from Scotland to mainland Europe.
Other routes DFDS offers include those to the Channel Islands from southern England and the northernmost major ferry route from the UK from Newcastle to Amsterdam.
Another ferry route connects Essex to the Netherlands…
Elsewhere in the UK, Harwich, a seaside town in Essex, already has a direct ferry service to Europe.
Brits looking to head to the Netherlands will be excited to know about Harwich’s ferry link to the Hook of Holland.
With a journey time of roughly seven hours, many tourists opt for the sleeper service so they can arrive in Holland early in the morning.
From the Dutch ferry port, Rotterdam is 40 minutes away by car, while a drive to Amsterdam takes just over an hour.
Meanwhile, a new ferry route to ‘Maldives-style’ UK island loved by royals was scrapped last year.
Plus, find out if taking a ferry could save you money on your next holiday.