The Port of Dunkirk and CEVA Logistics announced  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.

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.

“The launch of the new automotive logistics center at the Port of Dunkirk is a strategic development that will enable us to increase the efficiency and resilience of the supply chains of our customers, exporters and importers. The new location will enhance the region’s logistics potential, while supporting our customers’ expansion into new markets. We are proud of this development, which illustrates CEVA Logistics’ commitment to the entire automotive industry, and testifies to our dedication and expertise,” says Mathieu FRIEDBERG, CEO of CEVA Logistics.

“Dunkerque-Port is delighted and proud to welcome CEVA Logistics to the site of the former SRD refinery. With this move, the port will enter a new era, that of electric mobility. Its arrival will enable us to offer a complete range of services to automakers. This is Dunkirk’s new industrial model, based on the principles of a circular, low-carbon economy. Together, we’re going to accelerate the energy transition and achieve carbon neutrality, while generating additional maritime traffic,” says Maurice GEORGES, Chairman of the Board of Dunkerque-Port.