The Port of Dover confirmed that, from mid-November, foot and vehicle passengers bound for Calais will be directed to a new zone equipped with 30 self-service kiosks to capture fingerprints and facial images for the Entry/Exit System. P&O, DFDS and Irish Ferries have re-configured check-in lanes to prevent traffic tailbacks, while French border police will increase staffing on the Calais side to process the higher data load.
Although the kiosks will slightly prolong check-in for first-time users (estimated at five minutes per vehicle), officials say the system will streamline the return leg and future trips. Crucially for corporate shippers, freight drivers who hold French residence permits will be able to enrol once and then use a fast-track lane.
The ferry rollout is viewed as a test case for other juxtaposed controls such as Eurostar’s London terminal, which is installing similar equipment but has not yet announced a date. Dover’s CEO Doug Bannister said the port has invested £9 million in new infrastructure and will operate a live dashboard so logistics firms can anticipate wait times in real time.
Although the kiosks will slightly prolong check-in for first-time users (estimated at five minutes per vehicle), officials say the system will streamline the return leg and future trips. Crucially for corporate shippers, freight drivers who hold French residence permits will be able to enrol once and then use a fast-track lane.
The ferry rollout is viewed as a test case for other juxtaposed controls such as Eurostar’s London terminal, which is installing similar equipment but has not yet announced a date. Dover’s CEO Doug Bannister said the port has invested £9 million in new infrastructure and will operate a live dashboard so logistics firms can anticipate wait times in real time.
