CEVA Logistics develops new vehicle logistics business at the Port of Dunkirk

The Port of Dunkirk and CEVA Logistics announced today that they have signed a contract for a plot of land on which CEVA will develop a new finished vehicle logistics operation for import and export by sea.

Dunkerque-Port has selected CEVA Logistics, a world leader in logistics, as a candidate in a Call for Expressions of Interest (AMI) for the issue of title to occupy a 9.5-hectare plot of land.  

On this site, located in the eastern part of the Port of Dunkirk, CEVA will be deploying a complete new vehicle logistics park, linked to the maritime flows of exports and imports to and from the Port of Dunkirk.  

The site will contain vehicle reception and storage areas, as well as loading and unloading areas for trains and vehicle transport trucks. Development will start in October 2024. Following completion, CEVA expects to handle around 47,000 vehicles a year and to reach an annual volume of 95,000 vehicles by March 2025. These projections are based on CEVA’s close relationships with the major auto makers, who are keen to transit their flows through the Port of Dunkirk, the gateway to France’s battery valley and the only European port to offer an ecosystem around electric mobility.

The construction of a 600 m² workshop will enable on-site preparation operations, including washing, engraving, plate fitting and other detailing and mechanical services to be carried out on 50,000 vehicles per year. A paint shop, using local skilled labor, is also planned, as well as the installation of electric charging stations and a service station.  

In the medium term, CEVA will double its capacity with an additional 10.5 hectares of land, bringing the total surface area of its platform to 20 hectares and its park capacity to 8,700 parking spaces.

As Europe’s leading multimodal operator of finished vehicles, with its unrivalled multimodal network, CEVA’s possesses a fleet of 3,000 trucks and 3,000 car-carrier wagons. In addition to its sea chartering capabilities of its deep-sea car-carrier vessels, CEVA has a number of assets at its disposal to develop intermodal links at the Port of Dunkirk and attract additional volumes.

The implementation of a rail spur will enable CEVA to speed up turnaround times, by reserving one or two rail links per week and by allocating part of its own fleet of vehicle transport trucks on a recurring basis.

Most ports in Northern Europe have been particularly congested since the resumption of automobile production. By setting up in the Dunkirk port operations, CEVA will contribute to strengthening automotive hubs and the emergence of the electric vehicle ecosystem in the Hauts-de-France region.

This new activity will be accompanied by the creation of direct jobs, based on the recruitment of 37 people on permanent contracts.  To carry out tasks complementary to its core business, CEVA will call on subcontractors, relying as much as possible on local companies.

About CEVA Logistics

CEVA Logistics, a world leader in third-party logistics, provides global supply chain solutions to connect people, products and suppliers worldwide. Headquartered in Marseille, CEVA Logistics offers a wide range of customized end-to-end solutions in contract logistics and air, sea, land and finished vehicle transportation. CEVA Logistics is present in 170 countries worldwide, with almost 110,000 employees at over 1,300 sites. With pro forma sales of $15.1 billion in 2023, CEVA Logistics is part of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions.

About Dunkerque-Port

The Port of Dunkirk is a founding member of the Norlink federation, which brings together the main seaports (Dunkirk, Boulogne-Calais), dry ports (Getlink) and inland ports (Béthune, Lille, Dourges, Valenciennes) in the Hauts-de-France region. Norlink is France's leading seaport complex (Boulogne-Calais + Dunkirk). The Federation also brings together the main rail and river operators in the Hauts-de-France region. As the 9th largest port in the Channel and North Sea Range, the Port of Dunkirk is a leader in a number of segments: No. 1 container port for fruit and vegetable imports; No. 1 rail port in France; No. 3 grain port in France. The integration of multiple maritime, logistics, energy and industrial activities enables us to offer a high-performance, sustainable ecosystem to all our customers and partners. As an entrepreneur and developer of a major industrial port zone, Dunkerque-Port works with the region on a daily basis to support decarbonization. The development of one of France's first low-carbon industrial zones (ZIBAC) is a perfect illustration of this, as is the creation of the battery industry. The Port of Dunkirk is the gateway to France's battery valley, and the only European port to offer an ecosystem focused on electric mobility.