Loss of Fife ferry to cost locals millions
Ferry Online Travel News 02/06/2008
Superfast Ferries has announced it will drop its Fife ferry service
Property consultant DTZ believes that the recent withdrawal of the ferry between Rosyth and Zeebrugge could have a significant economic impact on Fife. The company said that removing the service would impact "extremely adversely" on the local economy, predicting losses of up to £20 million a year as a result.
Last week Superfast, the Greek ferry company which operated the route, announced that it would be forced to drop the route from its schedule as the result of increasing fuel prices. In addition, a lack of demand for freight services on the ferry and an unfavorable exchange rate with the euro have sunk the ferry service. The service will stop running on September 14th this year.
Business leaders in Fife are also disappointed about the news. Graham Russell, chairman of the east of Scotland region of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "We hear that the Scottish Government is negotiating with other operators to replace the ferry. We fervently hope the talks come to a positive conclusion.
"Each ferry can carry more than 1000 passengers, 120 cars and 100 commercial vehicles – so to lose the Rosyth-Zeebrugge gateway with Europe is a grievous blow to the Scottish economy.
He added: "We will monitor the situation carefully and take particular note of the future of the workers at Rosyth and those businesses servicing the dockyard."
Although September will mark an end to Superfast’s operations to Belgium, Stewart Stevenson, the transport minister said this week that there were “encouraging signs” that another company make take interest in operating the route.
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