The new Border Inspection Post of the SIVEP (Animal and Plant Health Border Inspection Service), in the Western Port of Dunkirk, was officially opened on Friday 9 October 2015 in the presence of many public figures, including Henri Jean, Sub-Prefect of Dunkirk, Adeline Croyere, Director of the Central SIVEP, Patrice Vergriete, Mayor of Dunkirk and President of Dunkirk Urban Community, François Soulet de Brugière, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dunkerque-Port, Philippe Bertonèche, Chairman of the Development Board at Dunkerque-Port and Dunkerque-Port's CEO Stéphane Raison.
Dunkirk's BIP/SIVEP, an essential facility for all businesses wishing to import animal- or plant-based products, is the third one set up in France, after Roissy and Le Havre. It will have required an investment of 2 million Euros, jointly with the Dunkirk Urban Community.
Placed under the direct authority of the Central SIVEP of the Ministry of Agriculture, this structure brings together veterinary and phytosanitary experts and will optimise service to importers and harmonise the inspection process. It will allow the inspection of 5,000 batches a year, compared with 1,000 at present.
The Dunkirk BIP/SIVEP is approved to carry out inspections of:
• animal-based products for human consumption (frozen, chilled and ambient);
• animal-based products for animal feed;
• plant-based products for animal feed;
• plants and plant products, including wood.
Stéphane Raison, Chief Executive Office of Dunkerque-Port, is delighted with the opening of this new facility: "Dunkirk is France's foremost port for containerised fruit and vegetable imports and a platform for consolidation and break-bulk of dry and fresh products, and this new structure will confirm its leadership position in the fresh and frozen goods sector."
Patrice Vergriete, for his part, stresses the close cooperation between the Port and the Urban Community: "This new facility should give a new boost to incoming traffic for the Dunkirk area and the Côte d’Opale, as well as for France as a whole."