The plug has been pulled on Fife’s freight ferry route to Europe.
A fire on board one of DFDS’s ro-ro freight ships, in which a crew member was injured, has sounded the death knell of the Rosyth service.
DFDS has used the incident to close the loss-making route for good.
The Finlandia Seaway’ engine room was seriously damage by the blaze.
With the ship being out of commission for months, and a search for a replacement vessel proving fruitless, DFDS has decided to shut the Rosyth service.
Kell Robdrup, senior vice president of DFDS’s route connecting to the southern part of the North Sea, said the loss of the ship would bring about further losses on the route.
“And it means that we have lost all hope of being able to turn around the route’s loss-making situation.
“Therefore we have no alternative but to close the route as we undoubtedly will lose clients who will be forced to seek alternative solutions for their transport.”
Apologising to customers, he said that in tandem with the Scottish Government and port, the firm had “tried everything in our power” to save the route.
Charles Hammond, group chief executive of Forth Ports, voiced his disappointment.
“The service has a long history at Rosyth, operating since 2002, but has faced a number of challenges over the years.”
He said Forth Ports would work to ensure customers hit by the loss could be accommodated from Grangemouth.
