Archives



Freight News, Sea


Six million euros to secure Scottish ro ro link

[ July 8, 2015   //   ]

DFDS Seaways and Forth Ports are to invest over €6 million in the Rosyth-Zeebrugge freight route, Scotland’s only direct ro ro link to the Continent.

Following a meeting between DFDS chief executive, Niels Smedegaard, Forth Ports chief executive Charles Hammond and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, the carrier announced a plan to fit scrubber technology on the route’s sole ship, the Finlandia Seaways by the end of the year to comply with the new IMO sulphur emission rules, a fuel optimisation programme and infrastructure adjustments at the Scottish terminal.

The three stressed the importance of continuing the service as well as route developments and the concrete investment plan for which the basis has been laid in November 2014 when the three parties published a joint statement to secure the route’s future. Nicola Sturgeon commented: “The Rosyth to Zeebrugge freight route is a vital link for Scotland’s economy and hugely important for the large number of customers who use it to get their goods in and out of the country. It is therefore extremely welcome news that DFDS is to continue to operate this service. The investment in port improvements by Forth Ports is also a vital component of increasing the capacity and efficiency of the service. Along with all parties we are committed to work together to look at new ways of increasing and improving its service for years to come.”

Infrastructure adjustments will include equipment to allow double-stacking of containers on the vessel, increasing freight capacity of the vessel by an extra 300 lane metres.

Tags: ,