By Steve Bargeton, political editor, and Lars Niven

SCOTLAND’S SEA link with the continent was in doubt last night as ferry giant Superfast announced it is to pull the plug on the flagship service between Fife and Zeebrugge.

Launched after years of campaigning, careful negotiation and a £10 million public subsidy the maiden voyage in May 2002 was hailed as a “dream come true.”

But last night that dream lay in tatters as efforts got under way to try to find another operator to take over the route.

A statement from the Attica Group, the parent company for Superfast Ferries which operates the service, confirmed that the last sailing from Rosyth will be on September 13.

It is understood that the reasons behind the Attica decision are a failure to build up the freight side of the business and the rocketing price of oil.

The weakness of sterling against the euro is also believed to be a factor as the company’s costs are paid in euros and they get their revenue in sterling.

However, sources last night insisted that the Rosyth- Zeebrugge service is commercially viable.

The statement signed by the directors of Attica said they would work with the Scottish Government to find a new operator.

“The Superfast Ferries offices will be available to assist all customers with information regarding reservations for travel dates after the 13th September 2008,” it said.

“Attica Group has had discussions with the Scottish Government and Forth Ports for the future of the line and has assured them that we shall provide all information and assistance required to operators who may wish to take up the route.”

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson, who travelled to Greece with Forth Ports last month to try to save the service, admitted that the Scottish Government had been unable to persuade the company to change its mind.

“We have been working closely with Superfast’s parent company Attica to persuade them to continue to operate the route, as have Forth Ports,” he said.

“Ultimately this is a commercial decision for the company.

“Scottish ministers are strongly committed to the continuation of this route, and will pursue all viable options to achieve continuity of a commercially operated service.

“We will continue to work with Forth Ports, Attica and others in seeking to identify an alternative commercial operator for what Attica has clearly demonstrated is a commercially successful service and one which generates important benefits to the people of Scotland.”

Last night there was shock and disappointment at the announcement.

Former First Minister Henry McLeish, who brokered the deal to bring the ferry service to his native Fife, said, “I am very disappointed indeed at this news.

“Back in the early part of the decade this was part of getting stronger transport links for Scotland to expand internationally.

“I am sure the Scottish Government will be doing everything they can to find another operator.

“I have known since the early days that freight had not reached the level that the company had hoped.”

Mid Scotland and Fife Labour MSP John Park, who broke the news at Holyrood, said, “As far as I am aware this a commercially viable route.

“The Scottish Government have to respond quickly to this and find another operator.

“We don’t want to see a break in service.”

Scottish Labour called on First Minister Alex Salmond to personally intervene.

“This is devastating news for the whole of Scotland but obviously most particularly Fife itself,” said finance spokesman Iain Gray.

“The Rosyth ferry has been successful and has assisted Scottish businesses to trade and compete with companies across Europe.

“Alex Salmond needs to immediately personally intervene and ensure that representations are made to the company at the highest level.

“People in Fife I’m sure would like to know why previous representations made by the Scottish Government have failed to make any impact.

“The Scottish Government should also be trying to ensure that other operators are approached to ensure a continuity of service at the Rosyth hub.”

Fife Council, which played a key role in bringing the service to the region, expressed its disappointment at the news.

“There is no doubt that today’s announcement is a blow for Fife and we will sorely miss all the benefits the ferry brings in providing a direct link between Fife and the rest of Europe,” said Peter Grant, leader of Fife’s ruling SNP/Lib-Dem coalition.

“The Scottish Government has been heavily involved in discussions over the past few months to help resolve this issue positively and that effort will continue now with the emphasis on finding a new operator to take over the route.

“It goes without saying that we will make whatever contribution we can to help move this process forward and bring this ferry link back to life.”

Alice McGarry, chairman of the south west Fife area committee, said, “There is still a great future for the port as a main gateway to Europe and I’m grateful for the work done by the Scottish Government to maintain this link so far.

“I’m very positive about the future and I know it won’t be too long before we see ferries sailing up the river and under the bridges again.”

Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, said, “This is very bad news and a setback for Rosyth as a ferry port.

“The Scottish Government must do everything they can to reverse this retrograde step.

“The First Minister must take a personal interest in this as it is not only economically important for Rosyth, but also symbolically significant for Scotland.”

His Liberal Democrat colleague Jim Tolson, the MSP for Dunfermline West, described the news as a devastating blow to the Fife economy.

“I understand that the Scottish Government is negotiating with other operators to try to replace the Rosyth-to-Zeebrugge ferry route,” he said.

“I also understand that these negotiations are at a very early stage.

“At present, any job losses have yet to be confirmed, but as local MSP I have already met with the transport minister to discuss the situation and will continue to monitor events carefully.”

SNP MSP Bruce Crawford, who was instrumental in bringing the ferry service to Fife, said he was “hugely saddened” by the news.

“I will support every effort of the Scottish Government and Forth Ports working together to ensure a ferry service is continued between Rosyth and the continent,” he said. “It is obvious that the price of fuel will not have helped and Gordon Brown as a Fife MP and the Prime Minister needs to consider that.

“Country-to-country ferry services are reserved to Westminster.”

Central Fife MSP Tricia Marwick, another long-time champion of the Fife ferry service, said, “There is no doubt that the service is commercially viable but does not fit in with the company profile.

“I am hopeful that we can find another operator.

Rosyth SNP councillor Douglas Chapman, who campaigned to bring Superfast to Fife said, “The decision by Superfast is a body blow for Rosyth, Fife and indeed the whole of Scotland and we can’t hide our disappointment, but we are resilient people and if we maintain our can-do attitude then who knows what other opportunities may come to the fore.”

Fife-based MEP Catherine Stihler said, “Superfast being taken over by a private equity firm in the New Year was a worrying development, and since then we have remained in contact with Forth Ports and Superfast in the hope that such a situation would not occur.

“What we need to do now is look for a new operator to service the route.”

Dunfermline East MSP Helen Eadie said, “Fife and Scotland’s tourism industry will suffer if we do not find a replacement operator immediately, and I appeal to Superfast to stay until the end of the year—giving us more time to find an alternative.”