Date: 10th June 2011

 The SEStran board has approved a recommendation that stakeholders from both sides of the North Sea form an alliance, to address the reduction in ferry services from Rosyth to Zeebrugge, recently announced by DFDS Seaways. 

The frequency of service has been reduced from 4 weekly sailings to 3, following the decision by DFDS Seaways to withdraw the vessel Cimbria Seaways from service on the route, on 21^st May 2011.  

Stakeholders in Scotland and Flanders are concerned that the service may eventually be discontinued. This would oblige road hauliers to utilise alternative ferry services from Newcastle and Hull. 

This will not only have  a detrimental effect on the environment, by causing a huge increase in lorry road miles, but the roads utilised ; the A1 in particular, have a less than satisfactory road safety record.

SEStran Chair Russell Imrie said:“DFDS Seaways decision to reduce the frequency of the freight service from Rosyth to Zeebrugge is disappointing. SEStran is involved in a range of projects that seek to reduce the amount of freight on the nation’s roads by transferring it to rail and sea. The Zeebrugge service, which is Scotland’s single direct sea link with Europe, is a vital component in this strategy”.

“The Interreg lVB North Sea Region Programme Food Port project, which aims to promote better levels of accessibility and connectivity for transporting food products across the North Sea region, is typical of the type of initiatives that will be affected by the reduction in service”.

“Working in partnership with the West Flanders Agency POM, SEStran will organise a business-to-business event involving all stakeholders, to encourage hauliers on both sides of the North Sea to use the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service. Our aim will be to sustain the existing service and encourage DFDS Seaways to increase frequency of sailings between the two ports”.

A meeting will take place between SEStran Chair Russell Imrie and regional, politicians in West Flanders to take the initiative forward, towards the end of June.

For further information, contact:

Andrew Dougal, SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk

ENDS

SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven new Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is a partnership of eight local councils covering the Borders, Clackmannanshire East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Fife.

 Notes

1.    SEStran is taking forward a range of projects, funded through the EU Interreg lVB North Sea Region Programme, that seek to encourage the development of sustainable freight options. These include:

·         Dryport : Which looks at establishing intermodal freight hubs and how they can contribute towards reducing congestion and improving efficiency, by transferring road freight to rail, sea-borne transport and other sustainable modes.

·         Connecting Food Port Regions: Which aims to promote better levels of accessibility and connectivity for transportation of food products across the North Sea region, and beyond, and the identification of the potential for more efficient and sustainable transport provision.

·         Lo-Pinod : (Logistics Optimisation for Ports Intermodality : Networks Opportunities, Developments) : Which aims to revitalise ports that are currently under utilised and trail they movement of freight by barge in the Forth Estuary, This reducing dependence upon road transportation and associated greenhouse gas emissions.            

 2. ROSYTH TO ZEEBRUGGE FERRY SERVICE REDUCTION 

 1. BACKGROUND  

1.1 Scotland`s only ferry service to mainland Europe has undergone many changes over the last three years. The ferry operator has changed three times and most recently in December 2010 the facilities for carrying passengers were removed. At this juncture two vessels were engaged to carry freight with 4 weekly sailings from each port however the service suffered further detriment by the number of sailings being reduced to three sailings a week from each port.  

1.2 The most recent announcement from DFDS Seaways the operator of this service was to inform the hauliers who use the ferry that the three sailings a week would continue to a revised timetable however this frequency would be undertaken utilising one vessel the Tor Finlandia with the second vessel, Cimbria Seaways which was a charter vessel withdrawn from service on 21st May 2011.  

1.3 There is a concern from the stakeholders in the freight sector in both Scotland and Flanders that this service could be discontinued forcing road hauliers to utilise the ferry services to Zeerugge provided by DFDS in Newcastle and P and O from Hull. Not only will this have a detrimental effect on the environment by a huge increase in lorry road miles but the roads utilised in England namely the A1 have a less than satisfactory road safety record.   

2. PROPOSED STRATEGY  

2.1 SEStran is a partner in the Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme project

Food Port that is led by the West Flanders agency POM. Forth Ports and the Port of Zeebrugge are also partners in this project which has the objective to identify sustainable transport corridors for the movement of food products and encourage hauliers to use these routes transferring the movement of these goods from road to rail and short sea shipping. As Scotland has only one ferry link to mainland Europe it is appropriate that every effort should be made in this project to encourage hauliers to use the Rosyth to Zeebrugge service and attempt to increase the flow through of freight at both ports to sustain the service and increase the frequency of sailings between the ports.

 

2.2 To achieve this objective it is proposed that SEStran and POM organise a Business to Business event with all stakeholders which would include DFDS, the ports, the respective governments and their agencies, chambers of commerce, the economic development departments of local authorities, road hauliers and their associations, targeted businesses etc.

 2.3 This strategy is at an early stage of development but support has already been forthcoming from both the ports and the development agencies in West Flanders and

discussions have begun with agencies in Scotland with the intention that the event would be organised to take place in the autumn of this year.

 

 2.4 A meeting is being arranged between the SEStran Chair Russell Imrie and regional politicians in West Flanders to launch this initiative towards the end of June.  

3. RECOMMENDATIONS   

3.1. It is recommended that the Board notes the contents of this report and approves the strategy in Section 2.  

 

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