Date: 09th September 2008

9 September 2008  

Freight Ferry Service linking Norway, Shetland and South East Scotland with Europe is delayed

SEStran disappointed that service cannot start in 2008

SEStran is disappointed that the proposed freight ferry service linking Norway Shetland and South East Scotland with mainland Europe will not begin until at least 2009.

Following an EU wide tendering process, John White, the operator selected to run the new service, had hoped to commence operations by the end of 2008. But following the announcement by Superfast ferries that they were withdrawing from the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route in September 2008, the companies’ application for EU funding has not been selected.John White have been advised to resubmit their application in January 2009.

SEStran Chair, Cllr Russell Imrie, said:

“We are naturally disappointed at the delay, but it was impossible to foresee that Superfast would withdraw from the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route.  This presents issues of competition, which John White could not account for in their application. The application will therefore be resubmitted in January, taking into account the new realities”.

“SEStran remains committed to supporting this project, which we believe has the potential to provide a major boost to the economy of South East Scotland. The new service will be able to make good use of the region’s excellent transportation links for onward transfer of freight.”

“One positive benefit of the delay is that John White will now be able to start the service with a bigger vessel. This means that tonnes more goods, which would otherwise have had to go by road, could now travel by sea, reducing the region’s carbon footprint and cutting congestion on Scotland’s roads”.

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, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Dougal,

SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk 

Notes

1     The NORSHUKON LINK Project Partners are: Møregruppen AS (public/private consortium of Norwegian business  interests), Shetland Development Trust, ZetTrans (Shetland Transport Partnership) and SEStran (South East of Scotland Transport Partnership)

2     The NORSHUKON LINK is an initiative aimed at providing a new Motorway of the Sea ferry link between mid Norway (Kristiansund), Shetland, the UK and the Continent. 

3     The key objectives of the new service, which will possibly link in with existing UK / Continental services, are:-

·         To shift significant volumes of freight from road to sea between Norway – UK and Norway – Continent;

·         To increase tourism potential in the areas served; and

·         To reduce peripherality and improve socio-economic cohesion across the connected areas.  

4     The service is being promoted under the banner of NORSHUKON LINK - the acronym signifying the areas involved in the project.

5     John White is a Shetland based businessman with interests in the provision of passenger transport services as well as the freight haulage and logistics industries.

6     The NORSHUKON LINK motorway of the sea service is included in the EU Interreg IVB North Sea Programme as part of the StratMos Demo Project (Strategic Motorway of the Sea Demonstration Project, 2008-2011).  The StratMos Project will assist in further strengthening of the MoS route through various initiatives to help inform users about the revised supply chain opportunities that exist using sea transport as opposed to long distance road transport and leading to further modal shift from road to sea.

7     Details of the 2008 Marco Polo call for proposals can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/transport/marcopolo/home/home_en.htm 

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