Rosslare Europort General Manager Glenn Carr has welcomed the announcement by DFDS of a new, six-times direct weekly service, each way between the County Wexford port and Dunkirk in Northern France.

The new service, which sets sail on 2 January 2021, will give Irish industry a vital post-Brexit connection, with congestion-free access to Rosslare Europort, and landbridge-free access to the continent of Europe.  It will increase to up to thirteen, the number of direct Rosslare Europort to Europe ro-ro sailings each way on a weekly basis across all routes in peak season, cementing Rosslare’s status as Ireland’s Gateway to Europe.

Commenting on the ongoing development at Rosslare  Glenn Carr said: “This is a hugely exciting development, not only for us in Rosslare Europort, but for Ireland as a whole, Irish industry, and not only the haulage sector but also the Coach as well. We have engaged with many Irish transport operators and their representatives, to understand their needs – particularly in the context of Brexit – and worked with shipping operators and ports in Europe to identify strong offerings for the sector.  The frequency we will now offer from Rosslare Europort will ensure a wide range of options to bypass the landbridge through Britain, with DFDS offering a 24-hour voyage time to such a prime location, less than three hours from Paris, and barely 20 minutes from the Belgian border.  We welcome DFDS to Rosslare, and look forward to building an enduring partnership with them.”

DFDS joins existing shipping operators Stena Line, Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries at Rosslare Europort.  The new service, which will provide a crucial freight route, will also be very attractive for inbound and outbound tourism when COVID travel restrictions are eased. As well as new business such as DFDS’ forthcoming service and the arrival of Brittany Ferries earlier this year, Iarnrod Éireann – the Port Authority for Rosslare Europort – has recently secured planning permission for a major transformation of Rosslare Europort, as part of its Port Masterplan.