Dunkirk Port a growing hub for fresh produce

During the annual press conference of its activity report, Port of Dunkirk announced the good figures in every sector. Liquid bulk traffic rose by 4% to just over 12.2 million tones (27% of total activity). Hydrocarbon traffic increased by 15% to 3.1 million tones, while LNG activity remained particularly buoyant at 8.2 million tones. The Dunkirk LNG terminal welcomed 118 calls in 2024, excluding bunkers. Solid bulk up 7% to 15.2 million tones (33% of total activity). Ore traffic recovered by 23% to 7.9 million tones, following the technical disruption that affected operations at the Dunkirk steelworks for more than three months in 2023. At the same time, cereals traffic dropped by 20% to 1.3 million tonns, due to poor 2024 harvest in France. General cargo increased by 3% to 18.6 million tones (40% of total activity).

Investments on fresh produce, Conhexa to double capacity

The temperature-controlled fruit and vegetable sector keeps particularly busy with Port of Dunkirk. At the beginning of 2024, a delegation made up of representatives from Dunkerque-Port, Conhexa, CMA CGM, the city of Dunkerque and the CNPTA travelled to the West Indies to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the friendship charter between the port of Dunkerque and the French banana industry. In addition, the Belgian group Conhexa, a key player in cold logistics in Dunkirk, is preparing to commission a stacker crane-type positive cold store with a future capacity of 10,000 pallets at its facilities in the West Port. This new infrastructure will double the Group's total storage capacity in Dunkirk for this type of product.

Future hub of Omer-Decugis

Omer-Decugis & CIE, one of the major French importers of fresh and exotic fruit and vegetables (Rungis), will build a logistics and ripening platform in Dunkirk. The new facility, covering around 20,000 m2, should be operational by 2027 and will enable the Group to double its current capacity, while reaffirming the Port of Dunkirk's strategic position as France's leading importer of containerized fruit and vegetables. In the first half of 2024, Omer Decugis & CIE had already selected the Port of Dunkirk as the gateway for the import of 10,000 tones of mangoes from the Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso.

For more information about Dunkerque Port developments and opportunities with fresh fruit and vegetables, you can write here