Rosyth - Zeebrugge ferry

The Rosyth - Zeebrugge ferry was a freight-only ferry travelling between Rosyth in Fife, Scotland, and Zeebrugge in Belgium. It was operated by DFDS and travelled in each direction three times a week.

A passenger service operated on the route until December 2010; it was originally provided by Superfast from 2002 to 2008, with DFDS (formerly Norfolkline) taking over in 2009 to offer a thrice-weekly service each way. However they found the service was unprofitable, and cancelled it a year later, replacing it with the freight-only service.

For passengers wishing to travel from Scotland to mainland Europe by boat, the nearest crossing is now from Newcastle to Amsterdam (actually the Dutch port of IJmuiden).

The freight service was closed in 2018, following an engine fire on the vessel. However, in 2022 DFDS in conjunction with Ptarmigan Shipping started a consultation on restoring the route for freight at the previous thrice-weekly timetable, using a single vessel, but with the possibility of adding a second vessel and/or a passenger service in the future. The anticipated crossing time would be 20 hours, with a cost that would be competitive with the Newcastle service. Results of the consultation are expected in 2023.

Routes

British Side

Route	To	Notes
	Forth Road Bridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth

Belgian Side

Route	To	Notes
N31	Zeebrugge, Brugge
Error: N31 (Belgium) does not exist

Ferries

Name	IMO	Operator	Dates	Notes
Tor Finlandia	9198721	DFDS	2009-2018
Cimbria Seaways	8413992	DFDS	2009-2010
Scottish Viking	9435454	Norfolk Line	2008-2009
Blue Star I	9197105	Superfast Ferries	2006-2008
Superfast X	9211511	Superfast Ferries	2002-2006
Superfast IX	9064059	Superfast Ferries	2002-2005

Links

• Norfolk Line page
• The Scotsman - Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service axed (23.04.2018)