A new ferry service linking Rosslare Europort Ireland to Dunkirk France set sail on Saturday, January 2, with the first vessel making the crossing fully booked.
The service (by DFDS Seaways) is aimed at truck drivers and logistic companies who previously used the UK's land bridge to get to the continent, but now wish to avoid Brexit-related delays - like customs checks and paperwork.
The first DFDS vessel to undertake the Rosslare-Dunkirk crossing (Dunkerque Seaways ferry) left at 2 pm Saturday afternoon.
While it will take nearly 24 hours to get to its destination, bringing drivers to Dunkirk reduces red tape and the need for rest periods that would otherwise have been taken while crossing Britain. And it will be attractive to hauliers who have to travel on to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany as Dunkirk is near the Belgian border.
The first vessel is carrying nearly 100 trucks and trailers to Dunkirk, with a similar number onboard the next DFDS service out of Rosslare later on Saturday.
The new DFDS service, along with expanded service from Stena Line, means there will eventually be a total of 15 crossings from Rosslare to the continent per week, and 15 return trips, representing a near-tripling the number of routes available to drivers from Europort.