Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has issued guidance to port owners on their responsibility to (a) maintain and (b) upgrade harbour facilities.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DfT publishes three core documents to support the ports sector: the Port Marine Safety Code, last updated in 2016 (with an update due in early 2024), the Guide to Good Practice on Port Marine Operations, last updated in 2018 (with an update due in mid-2024), and the Ports Good Governance Guide, last published in 2018.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding to what end will be provided to the Network Rail Modernising Maintenance project as it applies in Scotland.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Decisions regarding specific funding levels for Network Rail in Scotland, including individual projects, are devolved to the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to which (a) country and (b) port each (i) freight and (ii) passenger ferry route runs from the UK to the (A) EU and (B) European Economic Area; and which commercial operating company serves each route.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what designated maritime routes into and out of the United Kingdom have been established on what dates since the UK left the European Union.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what designated maritime routes into and out of the United Kingdom are in development.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the designated maritime routes are between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, ships' routeing measures adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for navigation and safety purposes, such as traffic separation schemes, operators and vessels are able to traverse any area of sea, or set up longer term regular routes where suitable market demand exists.
Ferry routes are developed on a commercial basis by private sector operators in order to provide services that meet wider passenger or freight demands. Government would not ordinarily expect to be involved in such decisions, or privy to operator business planning, and as such cannot provide formal details on ferry routes under development.
In the period following 31 December 2020 we are aware of 5 ferry services that have been established, as set out in table 1:
Table 1
Route | Operator | Date |
Tilbury - Calais | DfDS | June 2023 |
Medway (Sheerness) - Calais | DfDS | June 2021 |
Dover - Calais | Irish Ferries | June 2021 |
Teesport - Zeebrugge | CLdN | March 2023 |
Teesport - Rotterdam | CLdN | March 2023 |
Table 2 details Ro-Ro (Roll on-Roll off, freight) and Passenger Ferries (Roll on-Roll off freight and passenger) vessels with regular routes (120 times per year), i.e. those that could be considered freight or passenger ferries, between UK and EU/EEA countries:
Table 2
EU/EEA Route (UK port to EU/EEA port) | Destination Country | Vessel Type | Ship operator |
North Killingholme-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Purfleet-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Teesport-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Tilbury-Zeebrugge | Belgium | Ro-Ro | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Esbjerg | Denmark | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Dover-Calais | France | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Dover-Dunkirk | France | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Newhaven-Dieppe | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Plymouth-Roscoff | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Poole Harbor-Cherbourg | France | Pass. Ferries | Condor Ferries |
Portsmouth-Le Havre | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | Brittany Ferries |
Portsmouth-Ouistreham | France | Pass. Ferries | DFDS Seaways |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Sheerness-Calais | France | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
St Helier Harbor-Saint-Malo | France | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Condor Ferries |
Immingham-Cuxhaven | Germany | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Fishguard-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Heysham-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Holyhead-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Liverpool-Dublin | Ireland | Ro-Ro | Seatruck Ferries |
Pembroke Dock-Rosslare | Ireland | Pass. Ferries | Irish Ferries |
Felixstowe-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Harwich-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries and Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
Hull-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | P&O Ferries |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Immingham-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | Stena Line |
London-Vlissingen | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | Stena Line |
North Killingholme-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
North Shields-Ijmuiden | Netherlands | Pass. Ferries | DFDS |
Purfleet-Rotterdam | Netherlands | Ro-Ro | CLdN Ro-Ro SA |
Immingham-Gothenburg | Sweden | Ro-Ro | DFDS |
Data Source: Sea by Maritech
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government, (b) Scottish transport agencies and (c) Scottish maritime agencies on the provision of ferries in Scotland since the UK left the EU.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As per UIN 197145, international freight and passenger ferry services are generally operated on a fully commercial basis, whilst domestic ferry routes in Scotland are a devolved matter. Therefore, neither I nor the department has had specific conversations on these matters with the organisations mentioned.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department provides on whether the Subsidy Control Act 2022 precludes (a) the Scottish Government Road Equivalent Tariff and (b) other public subsidies from operating where a private operator operates a competing service.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
International freight and passenger ferry services are generally operated on a fully commercial basis, without UK government support. The UK ferry market is a highly competitive sector with operators offering multiple routes and good levels of connectivity to the EU.
The Subsidy Control Act 2022, of which the main provisions came into effect on 4 January 2023, sets the framework for support to ferry services in the United Kingdom, including that provided by devolved administrations, with a view to securing fair competition, value for money and compliance with our international trade obligations.
The Department for Transport provides no specific guidance on this related to ferries. The Department for Business and Trade leads on subsidy matters and provides guidance on public authorities' legal obligations under the UK subsidy control regime.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's policy is on (a) state aid and (b) other support for ferry services, in the context of the UK's exit from the EU.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
International freight and passenger ferry services are generally operated on a fully commercial basis, without UK government support. The UK ferry market is a highly competitive sector with operators offering multiple routes and good levels of connectivity to the EU.
The Subsidy Control Act 2022, of which the main provisions came into effect on 4 January 2023, sets the framework for support to ferry services in the United Kingdom, including that provided by devolved administrations, with a view to securing fair competition, value for money and compliance with our international trade obligations.
The Department for Transport provides no specific guidance on this related to ferries. The Department for Business and Trade leads on subsidy matters and provides guidance on public authorities' legal obligations under the UK subsidy control regime.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 19 July 2023 to Question 194262 on Public Transport, if he will provide details of the interventions conducted in Scotland and the locations where they took place.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
My answer of 19 July referred to the 33 interventions the Government put in place to address the HGV Driver Shortage. Interventions that were not in devolved policy areas were applicable in Scotland. These include:
It would not be possible to collate data on where in Scotland these interventions were utilised without incurring disproportionate cost.