(Yicai) Oct. 28 -- Port of Dunkirk, the third-largest port in France, is preparing to double its container handling capacity by 2030 to cater to an increasing number of Chinese auto companies as northern France advances its ambition of becoming a major European battery manufacturing hub.

With new equipment, the port's handling capacity is expected to exceed two million twenty-foot equivalent units, the head of the local authority announced at a recent conference in Shanghai aimed at attracting more Chinese electric vehicle suppliers to the port.

This year, several mega battery factories, including those funded by Chinese enterprises, have been established in the Hauts-de-France region, a northern car manufacturing hub often promoted as Europe's emerging "battery valley." Dunkirk, one of the key cities in the region, hosts five electric vehicle production sites with a total investment of EUR8.5 billion (USD9.2 billion) and more projects involving offshore wind farms, solar power, green hydrogen, and synthetic fuels are in progress.

Container traffic at the port has tripled over the past decade, Emmanuelle Verger, chairwoman of the port's supervisory board, said at the conference.

The port has received support from both public and private sectors, according to Maurice Georges, chairman of the executive board.

Looking ahead, the port will continue developing its decarbonization strategy and expanding service support to more Chinese enterprises, Georges said, citing examples of Chinese-funded projects. Wuxi-based battery maker AESC Technology announced in June 2021 that it would build a battery factory in Hauts-de-France. ProLogium Technology shared plans last year to set up a lithium battery factory in the region, and XTC New Energy Materials and France's Orano announced a collaboration to produce cathode materials locally, Georges concluded.

Editor: Emmi Laine