FERRIES could be setting sail from Rosyth to Belgium as early as next year, according to Douglas Chapman.

The Dunfermline and West Fife MP has hailed the announcement that the service could be ready by 2023, which would see ships travelling from the town to Zeebrugge.

Ptarmigan Shipping and DFDS have signed an agreement to further investigate the route, and have set the target date for freight journeys.

Mr Chapman said: "This announcement is the culmination of months and months of work to get us to this stage.

"I am hugely excited by this announcement of further investigating the possibility to start a direct freight service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in 2023, and that this also includes investigating the possibility for a regular passenger service

"Connections have been made with VisitScotland and VisitFlanders along with a commitment to explore a full range of tourism and passenger opportunities."

The plans are subject to support from the market and stakeholders, with a further study due to be carried out to consider passenger services.

The SNP politician has been campaigning to re-establish the link and in February said that there was "momentum building" to restore the ferry, which stopped in 2018.

READ MORE: Rosyth ferry service could re-start, says government minister

He now says that this announcement is a "step forward" and has vowed to continue work to ensure it's success.

"Following Brexit we have identified many exporters who are keen to use a more direct route into key EU markets and every avenue is being explored to boost trade using this new, cost effective ferry service," he added.

"The signing of this agreement is a great step forward. We've found that the project has a high amount of public and commercial goodwill and the hard work will continue in both Scotland and in Flanders to make sure the service is a huge and sustainable success."

Scottish Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell also welcomed the "incredibly exciting" news. His party called for ferry links with Europe to be renewed in the wake of Brexit ahead of the 2021 Holyrood election.

He said: "Reinstating the Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry would connect Scotland back to the heart of Europe once again. "Ahead of the Holyrood elections in 2021, the Scottish Greens called for ferry links with Europe to be renewed in the wake of Brexit.

"So it’s incredibly exciting that we are moving closer to this route being reinstated, both for freight and passengers. It would make a big contribution to delivering economic and environmental benefits to Rosyth and the rest of Scotland."

Mr Chapman has argued that Rosyth is a well placed transport hub to link Scotland to mainland Europe.

He had raised the issue in parliament in January, using the debate to highlight the "huge impact" of Brexit on Scotland’s economy and said that the route would "hugely benefit" Scottish exporters.

READ MORE: Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman raises Rosyth ferry case in Westminster

The Rosyth ferry started sailing in 2002, by Superfast Ferries initially and then Norfolkline, but stopped carrying passengers in 2010 when it became a freight-only service.

It was then operated by DFDS but a fire on board the Finlandia Seaways ship in April 2018 hastened the end as the company could not find a replacement and “lost all hope” of turning around losses.

In the summer of 2019, talks were at an "advanced stage" between the Scottish Government and Perthshire firm TEC Offshore, who wanted to operate a ferry service between Rosyth and Eemshaven – a port near Groningen – in the north of the Netherlands.

However, those plans ran aground amid complaints of a lack of support, with Mr Chapman commenting this was "no surprise" and that he was working with another "interested party".

In March of this year, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Neale Hanvey backed his former SNP colleague, saying that it was "up to the Government to make it happen."

READ MORE: Rosyth ferry: It's up to Scottish Government to 'make it happen'

At that time a Transport Scotland spokesperson said that Holyrood "strongly supports the development of Scotland’s ports and the potential for new direct ferry services linking Scotland to Europe."

In December 2021 Mr Chapman had said he was "hugely optimistic" that the service could return by the end of this year, saying that plans were "well advanced".

He added: "It is important that we learn lessons from previous operators and looking forward, much of our thinking is taken from the very successful ‘Brexit-buster’ ferries operating out of the Republic of Ireland."

READ MORE: Douglas Chapman MP confident that ferry service will sail in 2022

The Statement of Intent which has now been released reads: "Ptarmigan Shipping and DFDS have signed an agreement with the intention to further investigate the possibility for a new Ferry route between Rosyth and Zeebrugge with a target date being early 2023 for freight.

"This is all subject to the support we can get from the market and stakeholders, which will be our focus during the next few months. A further study is being carried out regarding the passenger business."