• 2021 September 16 16:14

    The new Port of Calais officially inaugurated after six years of construction

    Considered as the largest European port infrastructure project of the decade, the new port of Calais was inaugurated on September 9, 2021 in the presence of: Louis Le Franc, Prefect of Pas-de-Calais, Xavier Bertrand, President of the Hauts-de-France Region, Natacha Bouchart, Mayor of Calais, President of Grand Calais Terres & Mers, Jean-Marc Puissesseau, President of the Société d'Exploitation des Ports du Détroit.

    The extension and modernization of the Port of Calais represented an investment of €863 million. An innovative financial package combining public and private funding from the Hauts-de-France Region, Europe, the Hauts-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Caisse des Dépôts and Meridiam.

    Delivered on May 5, the Port of Clais was officially inaugurated on Sept 9. It is scheduled to be commissioned in October. Located at the heart of of the busiest, most active maritime straits in the world in terms of passenger and goods transport, the new Port of Calais was designed in 2002 on the initiative of Calais' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, then concessionaire of the Port. This port extension and modernisation project was designed to anticipate and adapt to the development of cross-Channel traffic, new-generation ships and logistics and industrial needs of tomorrow.

    With heavy goods traffic which has practically doubled and a volume of cross-Channel freight which has tripled over the past 20 years, the infrastructure of the Port of Calais no longer made it possible to ensure an optimal quality of service. Once the port's capacity limit had been reached, the extension appeared essential. Beyond increasing the capacity of the terminals, the challenge was also to accommodate future generations of ferries over 220 metres long which require longer docking quays and whose manoeuvres require larger basins.

    The extension of the Port of Calais includes a seawall of more than 3 km long, a 170-hectare basin, 90 ha of which are navigable in the first phase, 65 ha of platforms and roads, three new ferry berths, as well as 39 buildings necessary for the operation and secure reception of port customers. To meet the challeges of the ecological transition, the port's design incorporates the constraints of climate change and strictly respects commitments to preserve flora and fauna. The new the Port of Calais represents a tremendous development opportunity for the Calais area and for the entire Hauts-de-France region.

    With 100 ship movements every day and soon a departure every 36 minutes, Calais is the leading French passenger port with 8.5 million passengers annually (2019 figures). While the health crises had a strong impact on tourists traffic in 2020, a recovery is on the horizon. Today, attracting more European passengers is a major challenge for the Port of Calais and its three shipping companies operating there, namely DFDS Seaways, P&O Ferries and, most recently, Irish Ferries since June 2021. As part of its metamorphosis, the Port of Calais is banking on the quality of services offered and the comfort of its customers to increase its tourists appeal. The new passenger building, constructed on the edge of the basin and accessible from the boarding areas, enjoys considerable advantages: a 1000 m2 duty-free (see below), a large restaurant area and children's play space which further adds to the range of services and improves passengers' waiting experience. Its all-glass, transparent design offers a marvellous view of the basin.

    Having disappeared in July 1999, duty-free is making a big comeback on the cross-Channel route. The duty-free shop will cover 1000 m2 on the ground floor of the Le Calais building in the customs area, accessible directly from the boarding areas. A click & collect service will also be offered to travellers who can easily pick up their purchases after placing their order on the internet" it will open in October when the new port comes into service.

    The new port provides Calais and Hauts-de-France region with and exceptional facility that resolutly looks to the future. Beyond its extension and modernisation, its merger with the Port of Boulogne, its recent quadruple ISO certification as well as the association of employees with the capital of the company - unique in a French port - make Port Boulogne Calais an incomparable model in Europe. The six years of work are just a first step: the configuration of the port will continue over the decades depending on traffic and the needs of companies to meet the cross-Channel challenges by 2100


2024 March 19

13:42 ESL Shipping to sell its Supramax vessels
13:22 Ocean Network Express finalises European Union Allowances transaction with BNP Paribas
12:41 Wartsila Lifecycle Agreement provides operational support and cost savings for Korean container vessels
12:10 MOL, Idemitsu, HIF team up to develop e-fuel/e-methanol supply chain
11:42 MAN CEON digital platform receives Cyber Security Product Design Assessment certification from ABS
11:23 “K” Lline begins participating in joint study on liquefied CO2 marine transportation
10:48 Port of Los Angeles container volume increases 60% in Feb 2024
10:24 PortXL signs a partnership agreement with MINDbase
09:47 IMO to open regional office in Fiji to serve the Pacific

2024 March 18

18:13 Brunvoll propulsion chosen for ESVAGT's growing fleet of SOVs
17:42 ADNOC signs second long-term Heads of Agreement for Ruwais LNG Project
17:37 Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard holds launching ceremony for CMAL's MV Isle of Islay
17:24 Fortescue successfully conducts world’s first use of ammonia as a marine fuel in a dual-fueled ammonia-powered vessel in the Port of Singapore
17:02 APL updates on European Union’s Import Control System 2
16:03 MED Marine contracted to build MED-A2575 series tug for SVS Maritime
15:31 Hanwha Ocean and BV join hands to develop a 270K LNG carrier
15:17 HD Korea Shipbuilding awarded contracts for three VLACs
14:18 Port of Skagen and Stillstrom partner to decarbonise anchorage zone with offshore charging solutions
13:22 Sanmar delivers 6th battery electric power tugboat to Norwegian operator
13:16 COSCO SHIPPING Lines announces the launch of OCEAN Alliance DAY 8 product this year
12:21 Dutch offshore wind farm approved by LR
11:39 ClassNK awards first-ever notation for improvements in living and working environment to Fuyo Kaiun's bulk carrier "ELETTRA"
11:31 Davie strengthens Québec’s shipbuilding industry by supporting the reorientation of AFCDC
10:44 Storylines and Brodosplit shipyard renew ship building contract to construct private residence ship
10:25 BOEM announces environmental review of proposed wind energy project offshore New Jersey
09:51 First ‘flying’ electric ferry to debut in New Zealand in 2025

2024 March 17

16:31 Norwegian Shipowners' Association names Harald Fotland as its President
15:22 ABS Wavesight Nautical Systems now supports fully digital, streamlined SIRE 2.0 inspections
14:15 TechnipFMC selected by NEP to deliver the first all-electric iEPCI for CCS
13:03 US sanctions shipping company, targeting Iran and Houthi rebels
11:01 The first hybrid electric vessel built in South America will use a Corvus battery system
09:47 Kalmar and Forterra sign JDA for autonomous terminal tractor

2024 March 16

16:24 The Netherlands selects Naval Group for its submarine replacement program
15:41 Equinor exercises options to extend four-year drilling contracts
14:17 GONDAN Shipbuilders hosts launching ceremony for Edda Wind's CSOV C503
13:47 Van Oord, Van Aalsburg partner to further develop circular fascine mattresses
12:13 Snam wins "A" raing in CDP's Suppliers Engagement Rating for efforts against climate change
10:54 ULSTEIN unveils new subsea vessel for offshore energy tasks

2024 March 15

18:07 DNV gives nod to Friede & Goldman BargeRack solution
18:02 New partnership enables faster offshore wind installations in the U.S.
17:53 First production line at ‘World’s Largest Monopile Factory’ to go live in July
17:21 Brunvoll DP2 upgrades for more Mokster vessels
16:55 CMA CGM to suspend its calls at Port au Prince, Haiti
16:03 GEFO's LNG DF chemical tanker Tosca gets Green Award
15:19 CEVA Logistics develops new vehicle logistics business at the Port of Dunkirk
14:11 MPA: SaR operation continues for a missing crew member of the Liberia-flagged UTOPIA
13:07 To develop the Far East it makes sense to build a new shipyard in the country’s eastern regions, President Putin said
12:48 World’s first use of ammonia as a marine fuel in a dual-fuelled ammonia-powered vessel in the Port of Singapore
11:39 COSCO Shipping calls Port of Genoa, Italy with 20,000 TEU vessels on regular basis
10:03 DMC contracted to supply rudder systems for the world’s largest PCTCs

2024 March 14

18:04 Shearwater awarded seismic survey for UK carbon capture and storage project
17:15 UAE, world leaders discuss maritime corridor for aid to Gaza
16:05 Marine fuel sales at Singapore drop to a three-month low in February
15:43 World Shipping Council selects NCB for liner shipping Cargo Safety Program
15:00 ZIM reports results for 2023
14:57 DP World announces 2023 results
14:29 HaiSea unveils new operations facility for the world’s greenest tugboat fleet
13:44 DEME awards KENC with engineering and fabrication scope on multiple offshore wind installation projects
13:25 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 11, 2024
12:43 Wartsila Lifecycle Agreement to support optimised low-emission operations for two P&O Ferries vessels
11:35 Hapag-Lloyd transport volumes up by 0.5% to 11.9 million TEU in 2023
10:51 NYK and Astomos Energy christen new dual-fuel LPG carrier
10:25 Port of Long Beach container volume up 24.1% to 674,723 TEUs in Feb 2024

2024 March 13

18:02 Lebanese, French officials float a plan to rebuild Beirut port nearly 4 years after huge explosion
17:23 Ascenz Marorka obtains type approval for cyber-security from Bureau Veritas for its digital solutions
16:58 USDOT announces $500 mln for ports available through the Port Infrastructure Development Program
15:44 RINA wins contract to create global investment plan for cruise sector
15:23 Hede International Shipping enters the Transpacific container trade
14:43 Concordia Damen wins contract to deliver a CDS2410 River Pusher to Transporte Fluviales Frey Bentos
14:13 CMA CGM Group launches its first loyalty program SEA REWARD