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With continuing worldwide headlines
being made just up the coast by
increasing numbers of migrants at
Calais, the port of Dunkerque has
expressed itself satisfied with its 2015
numbers. Although annual traffic was
1% down on 2014 at 46.6 MT, general
cargoes were 15% up overall at 20.6
MT. Significantly, cross-channel traffic
hit a new record at 16.2 MT, an uplift
of 16%.
Daniel Deschodt has no quick or tidy
answers to the situation at Calais and
is acutely aware that Calais’s problem
does not mean a win for Dunkerque –
“It is for France and Europe collectively
to fix. I notice the Belgian prime
minister is now saying that Zeebrugge
is now having issues with migrants, so
action is needed” – and points out that
the road and rail closures and issues
that have so bedevilled Calais’s normal
working operations have knock-on
effects for all users of the transport
infrastructure in the region, often to
Dunkerque’s disadvantage.
He believes that Dunkerque has not
been a focus for migrant activity (so far)
for two reasons: “The ferry terminal is
a long way from the town and we only
have one channel crossing per day,
whereas Calais has many and therefore
Dunkerque confidence
much more activity.” He also points
to the drawn out MyFerrylink saga at
Dover-Calais, which finally closed its
doors in July 2015 for the last time,
creating cross-channel potential for
Dunkerque. “DFDS has a large portfolio
of good customers on the Dunkerque
route, and the quality of vessels linking
to Dover is very good.” No doubt this
set of circumstances partly explains
what he calls “tremendous growth in
cross-channel ferry business, which
is increasing fast”, and he goes on
to cite as an example the enormous
jump in units shifted by P & O between
Zeebrugge and the port of Tilbury
since 2008. From 70,000 units in that
first full year of operation, P & O were
on target to hit 210,000 units of freight
on the route in the 2015 calendar year.
Deschodt believes there is much to
celebrate in the port’s annual figures.
Which ones are the standouts in his
view? “The big successes of 2015
were the increase in containers and
the record growth in grain,” he asserts,
with the former up 1% to a new record
of 316,000 TEU and 3 million tonnes
carried (+4%) while grain, which has
been part of Dunkerque’s big push
over the past few years and a key
part of its strategy, jumped to a traffic
record of 3.1 MT, an increase of 35%.
Migrants, grain, short sea traffic - just some of the themes on the agenda
as
Paul Hamblin
talks to Daniel Deschodt, Chief Commercial Officer,
about the Port of Dunkerque’s 2015 performance and future plans.
With a broad investment stratety
backed by its state supporter, the
French government, new features
are coming on stream in both 2016
and beyond. Most significant, says
Deschodt, is the 500m extension of the
quay at the container terminal. With its
depth of 18m, two 18,000 TEU vessels
will, from the end of 2017, be able to
berth at the same time at the quay.
Two large platforms for logistics and
industrial use are also being prepared
in the industrial zone.
It’s a busy part of the world, so who
are his competitors? “We have to look
north, to Zeebrugge and Antwerp,
those in the North Sea market. But it is
a friendly rivalry, we are all looking for
the right traffic at the right port. We are
looking for the traffic whose obvious
port of call is Dunkerque.”
With their Government backing, seven
French ports can rest easy knowing
that a decision made for one will not
be allowed to impact negatively on
another. “Le Havre is for the Atlantic
market and the Normandy hinterland,
Marseille serves the Med while we
serve the North Sea.”
And what about slightly more surprising
growth? “Short-sea shipping traffic
is on the march for us,” he says.
“Spain, Portugal, Morocco… it’s a great
alternative to rail.”
28
Logistics Business Magazine | February 2016
PORTS