In a dramatic escalation of their protest, French farmers have effectively sealed off the Calais port on January 24, halting the movement of all industrial vehicles headed for embarkation to Great Britain. The blockade, extending into the morning of January 25, has spawned a massive traffic jam on the highway, with the queue of trucks stretching over thirty kilometers by 10:00 AM. The intermodal terminal is also at a standstill. A spokesperson from the national federation of agricultural holders' unions (FNSEA) announced the blockade will persist until 3:00 PM on January 31.
Truck drivers bound for Britain are being forced to reroute to the port of Dunkirk, which is now facing severe congestion. Moreover, Dunkirk operates fewer ferries compared to Calais. Trucks that arrived on January 24 are not expected to be embarked until around noon on January 25.
