Investing in the Future
In order to support the profound and structural transformation of its business model,
Dunkerque-Port is committed to an ambitious development and investment strategy, while constantly seeking to reduce its environmental footprint and anchor its activities in the region in a sustainable way.
Over the period 2020 – 2030, Dunkerque-Port’s investment plan amounts to more than €1 billion. Here are a few examples.
UPCOMING PROJECTS
CAP2020
The CAP2020 project to extend the Atlantic dock by 2028 will see the construction of a 1000-metre long, state-of-the-art terminal to meet the challenges of decarbonising maritime transport and port handling. This new terminal will be able to accommodate 2 Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS) simultaneously, doubling the port’s container handling capacity.
NEW PIGGYBACK TERMINAL
The commissioning of a piggyback terminal at the western port of Dunkirk in 2025 will provide a low-carbon alternative for freight units using the port’s ro-ro services, as well as for road flows generated by all existing and future industrial and logistics facilities in the Dunkirk conurbation.
PROJECTS IN PROGRESS
ATLANTIC INTER-INDUSTRIAL ROUTE (RIA)
As part of the installation of the two new gigafactories, a new road infrastructure, known as the Route Inter-Industrielle Atlantique (RIA), is being created at the Western Port. It will facilitate access to the new industrial units, improve traffic flow on existing roads and anticipate the CAP 2020 project, which plans to extend the Atlantic basin. The works include the construction of 16 kilometres of roads, 7 kilometres of soft lanes, the diversion of watergangs, the excavation of materials and the development of environmental compensation areas.
Co-financing : Conseil départemental du Nord, Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque.
NATURAL HERITAGE MASTER PLAN (SDPN)
Sustainable development is at the heart of Dunkirk-Port’s actions, as it strives to ensure that development projects, natural environments and biodiversity coexist.
In 2010, Dunkerque-port drew up a natural heritage master plan (SDPN) to reconcile economic activities and ecological functions, by conserving or creating natural habitats and biological corridors. In total, more than 1,000 hectares of the port area will be dedicated to biodiversity.
DUNKERQUE LOGISTIQUE INTERNATIONAL (DLI)
Dunkerque-Port is developing a 150-hectare zone dedicated to the development of logistics activities for dry and temperature-controlled goods.
Named Dunkerque Logistique International (DLI), this new turnkey zone has been awarded the “Choose France” label. 400,000 m² of new warehousing space is currently completed, under construction or planned. They are a testament to the area’s dynamism and potential.
Co-financing : Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque
ZONE GRANDE INDUSTRIE 2 (ZGI2)
The Zone Grande Industrie 2 (ZGI2) site, located to the east of the ZGI site, is currently being developed and will also be delivered on a turnkey basis over a backfilled area of 130 hectares.
It will be the site of a factory to be built by ProLogium, a Taiwanese manufacturer of solid electric batteries, by 2026.
Co-financing : Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque
QPO
Several projects are underway in the QPO area of the West Port, covering a total surface area of 120 hectares. This area is now home to QPO SAS, a terminal dedicated to the handling and storage of solid bulk. In the future, it will also be home to the industrial facilities of ORANO-XTC New Energy and AMELI.
SRD
The 80-hectare brownfield site of the former SRD refinery is currently being redeveloped to accommodate new industrial and logistics activities. Since the end of 2024, a logistics terminal for new vehicles, managed by CEVA LOGISTICS, has been in operation.
PROJECTS DELIVERED
FILLING THE CEREAL DARSE
Dunkerque-Port has completed the filling in and servicing of an old dock to deliver a 9-hectare platform in 2023 to cereal terminal operator Nord Céréales, which is currently building new storage silos with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes, bringing its total capacity to 370,000 tonnes at the eastern port. By supporting this project, Dunkirk-Port is consolidating its position as one of France’s leading agro-industrial hubs.
Co-financing : Plan France Relance
NEW DOCKLANDS AT THE WESTERN PORT
Between August 2021 and February 2023, Dunkerque-Port will deliver 14 hectares of open land to the west port of Dunkirk. Following a call for expressions of interest, these were awarded to Terminal des Flandres and have helped to optimise the handling capacity of containerised flows.
Co-financing: Plan France Relance, Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, Région Hauts-de-France
ZONE GRANDE INDUSTRIE (ZGI)
The turnkey Zone Grande Industrie (ZGI) site, which has been awarded the “Choose France” label, covers a total area of 160 hectares and has been designed and implemented to support the region’s economic development and the national reindustrialisation strategy. Today, it is home to the Clarebout (in operation) and Verkor (under construction) production units, as well as the Grand Port electricity substation.
Co-financing : Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque
NEW RO-RO 6 CROSS-CHANNEL FOOTBRIDGE
To optimise the reception of ferries at the West Port, Dunkerque-Port has invested in a new berth, called RORO6, to replace RORO1. Commissioned in April 2024 and able to accommodate vessels up to 215 metres in length, the new bridge will accommodate DFDS’s Ropax vessels lined up between Dunkirk and Dover.
Co-financing : Union européenne
COMBINED RAIL TRANSPORT
The continued development of the port’s container business requires an ambitious strategy to shift traffic from road to rail. Dunkerque-Port has therefore invested in doubling the reception capacity of the rail-road transhipment centre at the Flandres terminal.
Commonly known as the “dry port”, it now has 4 850 M tracks and has been able to handle complete trains in a single block since April 2022. This investment is generating major productivity gains for rail transport operators.
Co-financing : Plan France Relance
Shore power connection
To enable container ships calling at Dunkirk to switch off their auxiliary engines while covering their energy needs, Dunkirk-Port has equipped the quay at the Flandres terminal with an electrical connection system. This investment will enable shipowners to make significant environmental gains throughout their call.
Co-financing: Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, FEDER
Brexit adjustments
Thanks to its geographical position, the Port of Dunkirk is a privileged partner for trade with the United Kingdom. Between 2020 and 2023, various road infrastructure and control works have been made necessary by the gradual implementation of Brexit.
Co-financing: Union Européenne
New electric station
In order to anticipate future industrial and port requirements linked to economic developments in the western port, a new electrical substation located in the ZGI zone was commissioned in 2021. With an initial capacity of 40 MW and directly connected to the ENEDIS or RTE network, this substation will eventually be able to supply 110 MW of power.
Co-financing : Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque, ENEDIS et RTE
