Calais plans for the future

An ambitious project which aims to raise the status of Calais as a continental logistics hub received widespread approval at its official launch. The strategically-located Calais Premier concept is being promoted as ‘the United Kingdom’s continental gateway’.

Construction is expected to commence on site late next year with phase one scheduled for completion in 2013-2014 at a cost of €200million.  The second phase of the project will add another €100million to the overall figure.  Cap Calaisis, the Calais urban agglomeration community, is also planning to inject a further €2million to provide a dedicated rail link at the site and upgrade the Calais-Dunkirk railway line.

The development will emphasise that Calais occupies a unique geographical position in Northern Europe as a crossroads for the movement of freight by road rail and sea.  The site will occupy 160 hectares of land in the Turquerie industrial zone and is situated alongside the existing railway line and close the Port of Calais and the Eurotunnel’s freight shuttle operations.

Didier Caudard-Breille, chairman of DCB International, the project’s developer, confirmed that there is already a lot of interest being shown by logistics companies because of the site’s strategic position and cost-efficiency opportunities.  He also stated that the project will create thousands of new jobs for a region ravaged by high unemployment.

Another project getting underway is Calais Port 2015.  Backed by the Nord Pas de Calais Regional Council, which owns the port, the proposed €400 million expansion scheme will almost double the port’s capacity by creating a new sea dock north of the existing facilities.

The scheme is in response to two significant challenges: to allow the port to berth the next generation of ferries and ro-ro ships, and meet the forecasted increase in traffic for the 2020-2025 timeline.  The project will incorporate a new 2,500 metre long seawall, 90 hectares of new quayage and a quayside rail terminal between the port’s two basins.  It is expected that first berths will enter service in 2017-2018.

For further information, visit: www.dcbinternational.com or www.calais-port.fr

Published: 07/10/2011