New Rosslare to Dunkirk Ferry Route Announced As Businesses Are Urged To Avoid UK Land Bridge

Companies are being urged to decide how they will get their products to and from the European market when the Brexit transition period ends on January 1.

A new direct ferry service from Rosslare Europort to Dunkirk is heralded as a welcome addition to the list of shipping options to replace the UK land bridge amid fears of long delays.

The service will be operated by the Danish international shipping company DFDS and will operate six times a week from January 2.

The additional route means that there will be 13 direct round-trips between Rosslare and the European mainland during peak times of the year.

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the service is a “welcome addition” of capacity as the transition phase of Brexit draws to a close.

“I urge companies to take advantage of these new routes as a real alternative to avoid the inevitable delays that will be experienced at the UK Landbridge,” said Ryan.

The government is urging businesses, freight logistics companies and shippers to consider switching to direct shipping routes to the mainland to avoid the delays involved in transit through the UK.

Travel time for the Rosslare-Dunkirk route will be 24 hours. This is longer than trips to other French ports like Cherbourg or Roscoff, but leaves users three hours from Paris and 20 minutes from the Belgian border.

“This is an enormously exciting development, not just for us at Rosslare Europort, but for Ireland as a whole, Irish industry and the transport sector,” said Port General Manager Glenn Carr.

Carr said the route will also be attractive to inbound and outbound tourism when Covid-19 travel restrictions are eased.