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FOOD INDUSTRY GIANT DEL MONTE CHOOSES DUNKIRK
13rd january 2014

From January 2014 Del Monte France will import its cargos of bananas from Cameroon via the Port of Dunkirk, using CMA CGM’s PC Hebdo line which serves Europe from the West Coast of Africa.

The containerisation of these banana imports, which has replaced conventional transport, influenced Del Monte’s choice in favour of Dunkirk.

Del Monte has signed an agreement with CMA CGM, who recently announced the reorganisation of its PC Hebdo service (7 ships with 3,500 TEU capacity), positioning the Port of Dunkirk as the foremost European port for goods imported from the West Coast of Africa, and the obvious logistical choice for forwarding to Rungis.

Del Monte’s decision to transfer its traffic from Cameroon via Dunkirk coincides with the announcement of its first ripening shed opened at Rungis international market. This means that, as of 2 January, Del Monte will be able to distribute its bananas in the yellow stage thanks to a new distribution centre of 3,000 m². The total capacity of the ripening shed will be 27,000 tonnes of bananas a year.

Said Christine Cabau Woehrel Executive Committee Chair at Grand Port Maritime de Dunkerque: « This decision by the Del Monte group comes as a timely justification of our discourse on the strategic relevance of the port of Dunkirk in France’s fresh produce sector. Dunkirk deserves its sound reputation in the handling and distribution of bananas and other produce carried at controlled temperature to the French market. To be chosen by a group as large and influential in its sector as Del Monte is a mark of recognition for our expertise and consistent service as a first-class gateway, and heralds other developments in the global food industry sector. »

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