Scotland 'needs ferry route to Scandinavia' says Angus MacDonald MSP

The Scottish Government should meet with ferry operators to create a new route between Scotland and Scandinavia, according to an SNP MSP.

Falkirk East MSP Angus MacDonald has established a campaign to call for a ferry link across the North Sea to boost tourism in the wake of Brexit.

Ferry links to Scandinavia did exist until 2014.

MacDonald said there was "great demand" for the service to resume.

“Whether we can secure a route between Aberdeen, Rosyth or elsewhere and one of the fantastic Scandinavian destinations is of course up to the ferry operators – but it would be a significant boon for our economy if we can bring the service back," he said.

“The full implications of the Tories’ extreme Brexit are yet to be known – but given how they have handled the process so far, we can only guess that they will provide our tourism sector with unnecessary challenges.

“In this context, it is vital that we develop and maintain strong connections with the rest of Europe in order to keep enticing tourists to Scotland – and the economic benefit of increasing visitor numbers from some of the world’s wealthiest nations is clear, with Scandinavian tourists spending nearly £8.5 billion in the UK between 2011 and 2016.

“And it is not only tourism that could benefit, but our whole economy – a potential passenger/cargo ferry could have the twin effect of increasing tourist numbers as well as growing our exports across the North Sea.

“I look forward to getting round the table with the Scottish Government and ferry operators – and working together to introduce a new Scotland to Scandinavia ferry service.”

Figures from the ONS show that there were over 15 million visits to the UK from Scandinavia between 2011 and 2016.