Industrial activity may be ticking upwards across Forth Ports, but plans for a Scotland-France ferry service remain high and dry. The long-awaited Ro-Ro ferry service between Rosyth and Dunkirk has been delayed once more, pushing back hopes of restoring a direct maritime link between Scotland and mainland Europe. The setback emerged this week amid renewed discussion around regulatory and border control constraints, reviving concerns first raised during earlier political debates in Edinburgh and Westminster.
The renewed uncertainty contrasts with growing industrial activity across the Forth Ports estate, including Rosyth and Leith, where investment linked to offshore wind, green energy and freeport status is accelerating. Port owners Forth Ports and partners behind the Forth Green Freeport continue to position Central Scotland as a logistics and manufacturing hub, even as the ferry project struggles to overcome Brexit-era administrative barriers.
Brexit bureaucracy returns to the fore
The proposed Rosyth–Dunkirk service, backed by Danish operator DFDS and known as Project Brave, was originally targeted to launch in late 2025 or early 2026. It was intended to offer three weekly sailings for freight and passengers, with a North Sea crossing time of around twenty hours. However, reports this week confirmed that unresolved border control post requirements have again stalled progress.
Earlier coverage by WorldCargo News highlighted political backing for the route within the Scottish Parliament, including interventions by Green MSP Mark Ruskell and assurances of support from First Minister John Swinney. At that time, delays were explicitly attributed not to commercial appetite or port readiness, but to the location and approval of post-Brexit border inspection facilities. Despite support from the Port of Dunkirk, the Scottish Government and the UK Government, the administrative impasse has persisted. Forth Ports, which owns and operates the Rosyth ferry terminal, has repeatedly stated its willingness to accommodate the service. The delay means Rosyth remains without a direct European ferry link, eight years after the closure of the former Zeebrugge route.
Les Alizés breezes back into Leith
A visible symbol of that industrial momentum has been the return of Les Alizés to the Port of Leith. The French-owned heavy-lift crane vessel, capable of lifting 5,000 tonnes, is supporting the installation of monopile foundations for the Inch Cape offshore wind farm. The crane was first alongside two weeks ago. Its presence and return has drawn attention well beyond the quayside.
The vessel is operating from Leith’s upgraded Charles Hammond Berth, which has been strengthened specifically to handle heavy-lift and offshore wind components. Monopiles exceeding 100 metres in length and weighing more than 2,000 tonnes have been arriving at the port ahead of offshore installation operations continuing into 2026.
Freeport investment gathers pace
While the ferry proposal remains unresolved, wider industrial activity within Forth Ports’ Scottish holdings has gathered momentum. This month, the Forth Green Freeport confirmed the release of £25 million in UK Government seed funding, matched by project partners to exceed £50 million in initial investment. The programme targets offshore wind, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, modular manufacturing and logistics. Key marine sites within the freeport sit squarely within the Forth Ports estate, including Rosyth, Leith and the busy short-sea and container terminal at Grangemouth.
The funding is designed to prepare land and infrastructure to attract up to £7.9 billion of public and private investment over the coming decade. For port operators, the freeport designation strengthens the strategic case for new trade flows and industrial tenants. Forth Ports has consistently linked the ferry proposal to this broader regeneration agenda, arguing that direct European Ro-Ro connectivity would complement green manufacturing and export-led growth. The continued delay represents a missed opportunity, even as other strands of the freeport vision advance.