SIIM and CMA CGM have signed a major 2026 agreement to boost the import of tropical fruit into France through the Port of Dunkirk, further strengthening the port’s position as a leading European gateway for temperature-controlled food logistics.
Beginning in January 2026, more than 70 refrigerated containers of bananas and pineapples will be transported every week from Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador on the upgraded NEWFI (PCRF XL) service, operated by CMA CGM. Dunkirk will serve as the exclusive discharge port and first European call, allowing SIIM to consolidate over 5,000 containers from Africa and Latin America next year — equivalent to more than 80,000 tonnes of fruit annually.
The new flows previously transited through Rotterdam and Antwerp, but will now be routed directly to Dunkirk, supporting a more efficient, competitive and sustainable supply chain for French and European importers.
“By choosing CMA CGM and the Port of Dunkirk for the transport of its fruit, SIIM confirms the reliability and performance of our offer connecting Latin America, the Caribbean and Northern Europe,” said Pascal Hirn, Senior Vice President, CMA CGM Group, in charge of Shipping Lines. He added that the service benefits from next-generation vessels and strong terminal capabilities in Dunkirk, ensuring consistent and sustainable performance.
The agreement also aligns with SIIM’s long-term logistics development plan. “With this bilateral agreement, 50% of our pineapple and banana volumes will now transit via Dunkirk, in addition to the 20,000 tonnes we were already routing from the African continent,” stated Vincent Omer-Decugis, Chairman and CEO of Omer-Decugis & Cie.
He confirmed SIIM’s commitment to a decarbonised logistics model supported by a new state-of-the-art ripening and logistics facility planned adjacent to the container terminal. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026, with commissioning expected in summer 2027.
Daniel Deschodt, Deputy Managing Director of Dunkirk-Port, welcomed the agreement: “Through this major agreement between CMA CGM and SIIM, the excellence of Dunkirk’s temperature-controlled logistics ecosystem is being showcased.
The strengthening of CMA CGM’s NEFWI service expands import opportunities from Latin America, while SIIM continues to grow its flows through the port. The upcoming logistics and ripening platform will bring added value and job creation for the entire port community.”
The partnership reinforces Dunkirk’s role as a high-performance European gateway for tropical fruit, combining integrated cold-chain logistics, sustainability initiatives and strategic infrastructure development.
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