DUNKERQUE: September 25, 2018. ArcelorMittal is switching export traffic from production sites in northern and eastern France from the Port of Antwerp to the Port of Dunkerque.

Every year the company ships some 5,300 TEU to Asia, America and Africa. Since June 50 percent of the volume, destined for India and China, is now being handled by the Scheldt Terminal Company at Dunkerque’s Flanders Container Terminal for uplift by COSCO, OOCL and CMA CGM.

"Beyond the positive impact for the environment, we wanted to use a French port for the export of our reels in containers," said Dominique Pair, head of Establishment ArcelorMittal Dunkerque. "We have managed to ensure that this choice is economically viable, thanks to the work done with all the actors of the port of Dunkerque. The first phase is launched with 50 percent of the volumes, and will be continued for other destinations in 2019."

Stéphane Raison, Dunkerque Port Authority CEO added: "ArcelorMittal is a key partner of the port of Dunkerque and we are very honored that the group has decided to effectively integrate our port into the downstream logistics of these containerized flows. This operation perfectly illustrates the collaborative partnership between the customer and the various terminal operators of Dunkerque. "

In a related announcement, the port is to establish a Port Centre in order to promote its skills, assets and trade relations.

The initiative is backed by the Dunkerque Port Authority, the Dunkerque Urban Community, and the ACMAPOR-Port Museum Association in order to assert the maritime and port identity of Dunkerque and reinforce the attractiveness of the Flanders-Côte d'Opale coastline, together with all the sea and inland ports of the Hauts-de-France Region within the framework of the Norlink Ports Association.

Board of directors (pictured) include chair of the Board of Trustees at Dunkerque-Port, François Soulet de Brugière as chairman; Jean-Yves Frémont, deputy mayor of Dunkerque and community councillor, as vice-president; Franck Gonsse, secretary general of the dockers' union (CNTPA) as secretary and  Philippe Bertonèche, president of ACMAPOR as treasurer. Franck Dhersin, vice president of the Urban Community and Regional Council of Hauts-de-France and Stéphane Raison are also Board members.