The opening of Calais Premier logistics park in 2014 will enable a rail freight ‘motorway’ to operate, creating a network of rail freight centres that will eventually connect all European cities, from Glasgow in the west to Moscow and Istanbul in the east.
A system has been developed by CargoBeamer that uses parallel, as opposed to sequential, loading that is able to lift unmodified semi-trailers onto trains, with 98% of non-craneable trailers being able to be loaded within 15 minutes.
This will allow up to 10 times more trailers, compared to a crane terminal, to be shifted to trains.
The 160 hectare logistics park will be the largest logistics park north of Paris and will be connected, via a new £1.8 million junction, with the Calais to Dunkirk main line.
Mayor of Calais, Natacha Boucart said; “This territory has been asleep too long!”
