Last week, councillors from the Ille-et-Villaine region, who are proposing the project, said that the current facilities were ageing and were no longer able to support future growth in passenger traffic.
They also said that work would be necessary to support the development of cruise ship tourism in the walled city.
And the council also notes that a number of cross-channel ferry companies are currently looking at renewing their fleet – with faster and bigger vessels not suitable for the current port.
According to French newspaper Le Télégramme, Brexit also forms a consideration for the region’s representatives, who claim that it could result in the construction of new customs facilities.
‘Built in 1978, the ferry terminal must undergo serious improvements to bring it in line with new regulations and comfort standards,’ it stated.
‘This problem will also force companies, whose vessels are becoming bigger and bigger to reduce their visits by 25 per cent, reducing the attractiveness of using the port.
‘This is not mentioning the consequences of Brexit with a probable re-establishment of customs controls.’
No exact details of what work could take place at the ferry terminal have been released, however, if approved, it is thought that construction could begin as early as 2021 with the project being complete by 2024.
