France’s Port of Calais, the country’s largest and Europe’s second-largest passenger port, serves millions of tourists and carriers every year.
To further bridge the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, the Port of Calais transformation is focused on enhancing connectivity and streamlining travel. The aim is to accommodate the increasing number of travelers without compromising efficiency and comfort. As a vital gateway, the port must keep passengers and ships moving. Arcadis and its partners—Bouygues Construction, Spie Batignolles, and Jan De Nul Group—are determined to keep their journeys as quick as possible.
Calais called for a port renovation to increase space, accommodate more ships, and shorten docking and boarding times.
Since the original seaport design left no more room for expansion on land, we had to find the 115 hectares elsewhere—at sea.
The project includes a new 3.3-kilometer seawall, forming a second docking area north of the current site. This dock will be the deepest in the port, allowing it to accommodate larger ships. A new 44-hectare terminal will be built with reused excavated land and equipped with road and rail facilities to optimize passenger and cargo transit.
The additional space to integrate rail, road, and sea allows ferries to dock and board within 45 minutes. The port modernization, including kiosks to automate ship-access controls, also helps reduce passenger wait times. Larger and modern ships can now be easily accommodated at the Port of Calais and operate safely. As a result, this expansion supports smoother trade flows and even opens new maritime job opportunities in the region.
The project was designed to strengthen the Port of Calais’ position as a hub for both passengers and goods. The goal is also to allow it to develop alongside the evolution of mobility and exchanges throughout the 21st century.
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