Background

From GIE Nord France Terminal to ... Terminal des Flandres

With its 1,600-meters of wharfs, ultra-modern gantries, 8 gantries, including 3 latest ones and 700 reefer sockets, the Terminal des Flandres Container Terminal provides customers with direct access to the consumer hub and the Northern markets. France, Ile de France and Central Europe by road, rail and inland waterways.
Over the past 40 years of its history, the company has been optimizing its organization to offer an ever more efficient tool and a complete range of port handling services, taking into account market and operators requirements

the Terminal des Flandres Container Terminal provides customers with direct access to the consumer hub and the Northern markets
  • February 1981 the Port Autonome de Dunkerque entrusts the management of the container terminal to the Groupement d’Intérêt Economique Nord France Terminal. This GIE is composed of 2 shipping groups: CGM (50%) and DELMAS (50%).

  • 1997 taken over by IFB, a subsidiary of the Belgian National Railway Company (SNCB). The company specializes in the management of multimodal platforms. Its know-how, recognized in the field of port handling as well as its ability to put the container terminal of Dunkirk at the heart of the European rail network, were decisive elements in the choice of the PAD.
  • 1st April 1998 Container terminal, managed by IFB, becomes NFTI.
  • 1st May 2001 Nord France Terminal International becomes the first unified port operator in France: Gantry operators and handlers are now part of the same company. (NFTIou)

  • 2002 The new Noell 3 gantry, the tallest in Europe, is put into service.

  • 15th July 2002 increase and modification of the share capital of the company following a shareholder agreement: 70% PAD - 30% IFB.

  • June 2004 The new Flandres wharf (lengthened by 540m and deepened to 16.50m) becomes operational. This wharf enabled the berthing of several very large vessels. New port of call named AE7 (Maersk).

  • 2nd November 2006 APMT acquires shares in NFTI Opérateur Unifié. The share capital is then made up as follows:

                                  - PAD: 9% - APMT: 61% - Terminal Link (CMA-CGM): 30%

  • End of 2008 The NFTI terminal is equipped with two new Super Post Panamax (ZPMC) gantries.

  • Effective as from July 1st, 2010 the breakdown of the company is as follows:

                                   - Terminal Link (CMA-CGM): 91% - Port de Dunkerque (GPMD): 9%

    MARCH 2012 The Terminal is officially renamed TERMINAL DES FLANDRES

  May 2018: delivery of 500 m of deep water quay allowing the receipt of 2 ULCS simultaneously

  2018: reception of the N°6 gantry crane, allowing the operation of the largest vessels without any restrictions.

 January 2020: inauguration of the cold ironing

 2020: reception of gantry cranes N°7 and 8, allowing the operation of the largest vessels, allowing the densification and the improvement of the operations on the largest vessels

 July 2021: start of construction of the 14 hectares of new quayside

  October 2022: delivery of the last 3 hectares of quay

Dunkirk is one of the few natural deep water harbors in Europe. The port and its terminal have strategic advantages for both shippers and maritime operators with its idealic position on one of the busiest maritime routes in the world.