One year after the takeover of the container terminal of the West Port of Dunkerque by APM Terminals (61%) Terminal Link, a CMA-CGM subsidiary (30%), and the Port Authority of Dunkerque PAD (9%), the development of the NFTI container terminal is now well under way.

Dunkerque’s determination

Covering some 44h and equipped with four gantries, NFTI will be boosted by two new post–Panamax gantries that are due to become operational at the end of 2008.

During 2007, two events negatively effected NFTI: the loss of the banana traffic from the French West Indies due to hurricane Dean in August, and the decision by Maersk Line to no longer include Dunkerque in the round voyage of its two Asia and Africa services.

Conversely, positive events included the arrival in May of MSC which introduced a weekly port call to Dunkerque and the opening of its of office in Dunkerque (as of January 9, 2008), and the launch by CMA-CGM of two weekly services (Agadir Express 1and 2) connecting the Moroccan ports of Casablanca and Agadir with Dunkerque (first port call in December 2007).

In addition, Irish shipping company EUCON Shipping and Transport set up a weekly containerised service between Dunkerque and Dublin.

With a throughput of 197,000teu, NFTI is determined to stamp its presence on the world’s container handling market and to that end, work has already started on improving the facilities including a new terminal gate, restoration and extension of the quay, repair of the drainage network, installation of twelve beacon posts and the consolidation of 704 reefer outlets.