The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Continued growth for HAROPA

(Posted on 21/06/19)

After two years of growth in 2017 and 2018, which brought HAROPA's sea traffic to 95 Mt, growth continues to be dynamic at the start of the year. At the end of May, HAROPA's maritime traffic recorded an overall increase of 5.1% to 40 Mt. This growth can be explained in particular by the dynamism of the container, solid bulk and liquid bulk sectors. Also noteworthy is the strong increase in river activity, up 55% overall (figure at the end of April).

HAROPA Ports de Paris Seine Normandy in France is a common commercial offer positioned at the level of the largest European port complexes.

The good figures for solid bulks (6 Mt) are particularly related to cereals, which rose from 9.3% to 3.8 Mt. As of April 30th, tonnages of cereals exported from Rouen reach 6.7 Mt (on the countryside in the same tonnage as for the whole of the last season (6.9 Mt). This exceptional increase is partly due to the competitiveness of French grain prices and the availability of good quality wheat in the Rouen hinterland.

Container traffic rose sharply in evp (+4%) to 1.2m TEU and in tonnage (+4%) to 12Mt. To note a record activity in April: the month of April 2019 was the best over the last five years, both in tons than in evp. This increase was mainly driven by the hinterland traffic in Le Havre (+ 3.2%), and in particular the traffic in solid hinterland containers (+ 2.4%). Transhipment traffic is also growing (+ 10%).

These good results can be explained by the development of maritime services offered by HAROPA (particularly in the framework of shipowning alliances), by the increase in the number of feeder services, as well as by the rise of multimodal modes. The logistics offer of the ports of the Seine axis thus confirms its attractiveness, as illustrated by the success of the tenders launched in Le Havre (PLPN 3) and Rouen (RVSL Amont).

Traffic rose to 20.5 Mt. Crude oil rose (+ 3.1%), despite the accident occurring on the pipe connecting the Grandpuits refinery, as well as refined products which increased by 11.1%, in connection with the resumption of imports of products by traders.

Driven by the development of container flows in Le Havre, by the volume of grain exports to Rouen and by the construction sector in Ile-de-France (*), river activity - observed compared to the reference period 2018 impacted by the flood - progresses very strongly with an overall increase of 55% (measured in tons handled in Ile-de-France).