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NEW FELDSPAR TRAFFIC VIA THE PORT OF DUNKIRK
20th september 2013

After a complete programme of renovation and the creation of storage areas, the former Silonor quay was delivered by Dunkerque-Port in November 2012 and has been handling new types of traffic since the beginning of the year. Last Thursday a cargo of 7,500 tonnes of feldspar was delivered at the site, whose storage yards and facilities are operated by DMT (Dunkerque Multibulk Terminal).

The cargo, imported from Gulluk in Turkey by Esan Italia Minerals for Céramiques Desvres, arrived during the night of 18 to 19 September on board the ROMY TRADER (132m x 20m). Feldspar is a dense product (1.5) but not dusty; it will be discharged by the handling teams of Barra SNM, stored under cover in the DMT installations and used to supply the factory in Maubeuge (Nord département) at a rate of 600 tonnes a week. The ship also carried big bags of fine sand for testing in the region’s glassworks.

This activity was started up last June with a ship of 6,500 tonnes, which had to be discharged at the Freycinet 12 quay because DMT’s installations were being used for other traffic and were therefore unavailable. Other ships associated with this activity are expected shortly, including a cargo of 4,000 tonnes of bentonite and another ship carrying 12,000 tonnes of feldspar.

Benoît Masure, Director of DMT in Dunkirk, says: «The DMT quay has received this first shipload of feldspar which will supply the Desvres factory in Maubeuge, for the production of tiles and adhesives. The annual traffic volume is approximately 40,000 tonnes, including some cargoes of bentonite in the near future. So we are consolidating our weekly deliveries to Desvres, which began in June, at 600 tonnes a week. This product is imported from Turkey by
Esan Italia Minerals. This operator is demonstrating its confidence in DMT and is planning rapid developments to supply the region’s glass factories. We would like to point out that this traffic, initiated by DMT in Dunkirk, was previously imported via The Netherlands.»

Jean-Frédéric Laurent, Strategy and Development Director of Dunkerque-Port, adds: «With the creation of DMT and the additional 15,000 square meters of wharfside storage yards, we can offer new, competitive logistics solutions within the port. This recent extension will reinforce the position of Dunkerque-Port in the small solid bulks sector.»

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