Completion of EES pre-registration zone on Eurotunnel’s terminal in Coquelles, France
Getlink is on track with its Entry/Exit System (EES) preparation plan and announces the completion of its pre-registration building on Eurotunnel’s French terminal in Coquelles.
To implement a successful EU EES border system, Getlink has deployed a major investment plan worth €80 million over the last three years (2022-2024) on its Coquelles and Folkestone terminals. With civil works now complete, the installation of the first biometric kiosks has begun and is expected to last until early May. This milestone represents a major step in meeting the 6 October deadline for the Entry/Exit System to come into force.
The investment programme includes the creation of dedicated EES control bays, the modification of existing infrastructure, installation of biometric kiosks and dynamic site signage.
The now complete pre-registration area features a drive-through zone equipped with CCTV and covered by a roof to protect passengers and equipment from seasonal weather. At 7,000 m², it can accommodate up to 60 passenger vehicles simultaneously. Each individual vehicle bay will be equipped with two static kiosks to complete the necessary biometric checks (facial and fingerprint) which will be required for non-EU nationals entering the European Union. To facilitate the controls conducted by the French Border Police (PAF), a specific facility has been built to give them a panoramic view of the pre-registration zone and parking bays.
Yann Leriche, CEO Getlink “We are very pleased with progress on this project. As operator of the Channel Tunnel – the main land border of France – and with over 70% of LeShuttle passengers being British, our objective is to comply with the new EES requirements whilst maintaining the high level of fluidity, speed, and simplicity at the border crossing that our customers value. Following detailed analysis of passenger flows, and using AI simulations, we know that we will continue to deliver the most competitive crossing time.”
Supplied by the French manufacturer IN Groupe the biometric kiosks have been specifically designed for car passengers and exterior use to withstand high temperature, sunlight, or heavy rain. In total, 224 kiosks will be installed on the two terminals in France and the UK. Eurotunnel carried out two test sessions on four units with over 180 voluntary passengers, the response was that the biometric equipment was easy to use, rapid and state of the art.
Based on 2000 passengers, or 700 vehicles per hour, Eurotunnel‘s operational model was designed using a digital twin to simulate passenger flows on busy days. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), the company was able to reproduce peak day conditions, develop different options, and decide on the number of necessary lanes to maintain traffic flow on its terminals and further on the motorways.
In the United Kingdom, the civil works carried out to adapt the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone are due for delivery before the summer with the subsequent installation of biometric kiosks and testing period in July.
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About Getlink
Getlink SE (Euronext Paris: GET), through its subsidiary Eurotunnel, is the concession holder for the Channel Tunnel infrastructure until 2086 and operates Truck and Passenger Shuttle services (cars and coaches) between Folkestone (UK) and Calais (France). Since 31 December 2020 Eurotunnel has been developing the smart border to ensure that the Tunnel remains the fastest, most reliable, easiest, and most environmentally friendly way to cross the Channel. Since it opened in 1994, almost 500 million people and more than 102 million vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel. This unique land link, which carries 25% of trade between the Continent and the UK, has become a vital link, reinforced by the ElecLink electricity interconnector installed in the Tunnel, which helps to balance the energy needs between France and the UK. Getlink completes its sustainable mobility services with its rail freight subsidiary Europorte. Committed to "low carbon" services that control their impact on the environment (through its activities, the Group avoids the equivalent of 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 per year), Getlink has made the place of people, nature and territories a central concern.
