Freight News, Rail, Sea


Boulogne Calais maintains momentum

[ January 27, 2025   //   ]

Port of Boulogne Calais reported a profitable year in 2024, despite the unstable economic climate, with cross-Channel, rail motorways and new cars all showing growth.

The Port of Calais maintained its freight traffic at the same level as in 2023, with 1.8 million units and f almost 40 million tons. The port has an over 50% share of the Dover Straits market.

Rail motorway operator VIAA also enjoyed a record year with 46,000 units carried to or from Calais, a 10% increase in business, driven in particular by the Calais – Le Boulou route.

The Calais / Sète service should also see significant growth from the second half of 2025 with the planned commissioning in September of a new rail terminal equipped with Modalhor technology at the port of Sète and with the current three rotations set to increase to five a week.

New vehicle traffic saw its first full year in 2024 with 42 calls carrying just over 25,000 units, with 90% import traffic from England and Turkey. This traffic is carried on car carriers less than 165 meters long using the T1 linkspan, or on larger vessels dock at the Deep Water Quay.

Exports to the Algerian market, which began at the start of the year, were suspended in the first quarter due to geopolitical issues.

However, Groupe Charles André (GCA) says it will start exporting Stellantis vehicles to Turkey in the first  quarter of 2025.

Bulk traffic at the Boulogne terminal rose by 3% to 665,000 tonnes with limestone and quicklime for Sweden accounting for 70% of volume.

As part of the Clydebank Declaration, the ports of Calais, Dover and Dunkirk made a commitment to work with shipping operators to make the cross-Channel market carbon neutral by 2035.

P&O Ferries has introduced two hybrid diesel-electric vessels while DFDS  confirmed its intention to introduce six electrically-powered ships, including three for the Calais-Dover route and which will go into operation as early as 2030. The Port of Boulogne-Calais is investing around €45m in recharging infrastructure.

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