The Port of Calais has posted its best-ever quarter for cross-Channel freight with a total of 507,850 HGVs transiting the French port during the first three months of the year, an increase of 11.2% on the same period in 2016.

New Record

In March, a new record was also set for monthly truck throughout, with a total of 181,005 vehicles reached. Unaccompanied cross-channel freight traffic increased by 13%, with more than 1,000 additional trailers handled by the port compared with the previous year’s levels.

"We are pleased with these very encouraging freight results, which were obtained thanks to the efforts taken to ensure the security of all users and the fluidity of traffic," said Jean-Marc Puissesseau, chairman and CEO of operating company Port of Boulogne-Calais.

"This increase further reinforces the need to adapt our infrastructure to these new volumes of traffic through ‘Calais Port 2015’, a major expansion project which entails the construction of a new 130ha dock to accommodate new-generation ferries.

The upturn in Calais’ freight traffic dates back to autumn 2016 and followed the dismantling of the ‘Jungle’ migrant camp, which had housed at least 7,000 people in squalid conditions. Bordering the ring road leading to the port, it had been the source of considerable disruption for cross-Channel road freight operators over a prolonged period.