https://www.harwichesbjerg.co.uk/harwich-to-esbjerg-ferry-closed/Harwich to Esbjerg Ferry Closed
The UK▸ ’s last ferry connection to Scandinavia closed for good today (28th September 2014), marking the the end of an era. The ferry connection had been in place for almost 140 years.
The route between Harwich, Essex and Esbjerg in Denmark had been run by DFDS Seaways, but the company said the route has been struggling for a long time and would not be able to take on costs associated with a new environmental law. The route is of particular historical significance to DFDS so it’s a very sad day for us all. Our regrets go to our many passengers who must now see the last passenger ferry route between the UK and Scandinavia close.
Passengers wishing to travel by ferry from the UK to Denmark or any other Scandinavian destination will now need travel via Holland, Belgium or France. The ferry was the last remaining connection to Scandinavia and followed similar fate to the ferry connections to Norway, Sweden and Germany.
The port at Harwich now only has one passenger ferry route, that going to the Hook of Holland, which is about 1 hours drive from Amsterdam, but 8 hours drive to Esbjerg.
I am posting this news, from 8 years ago, in "Looking Forward".
Is there an irony on this closure being made on "environmental grounds", pushing people perhaps towards air travel which is such less good for the environment? Could this turn out to be a hiatus in UK -> Scandanavia water based travel, with there being some sense in a new service running across the North Sea - perhaps Hull to Esbjerg or even Aberdeen to Stavanger and/or Bergen?
Interesting also to note that although the route was closed because of "environmental associated costs" m.s. Dana Sirena -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Sirena_Seaways - is still in service elsewhere.
