As Calais Port is to be reclaimed from the sea, materials
will have to be found to create platforms for the future port activities.
The sand from dredging the basin and earthwork for the breakwater over 3 kilometers, will be implemented behind the temporary breakwaters to create platforms.
According to quality to be confirmed by the geotechnical surveys carried out during the preparatory phase, the sand will either be used for backfilling or put back into the sea in a dedicated piling area. The sand must then be sorted out before being implemented to have high quality platforms as the sandy bottom is not uniform due to a difference in the material size, the presence of clay, …
There will be different dedicated activities on platforms : pre-boarding parking areas for vehicles for ferries representing a 24 km linear distance, control areas and buildings. Calais Port plans to develop areas for unaccompanied trailers and of course for rail freight activities.
A rail motorway terminal was opened in the Port of Calais in 2016. This is a railway from Perpignan in the South of France to Calais with daily round trips. Calais Port has already reserved land in the new port to increase the existing rail motorway terminal capacity.
The project also takes into account future opportunities for long-term operations. The construction of new platforms and berths is possible in the context of future development steps.