Haropa posts record year in container traffic for 2017

Haropa, which operates the French ports of Le Havre and Rouen, posted an over 15 percent increase in container traffic for 2017 and a 6 percent boost in overall seaborne trade for the year compared to 2016.    Haropa, which operates the French ports of Le Havre and Rouen, posted an over 15 percent increase in container traffic for 2017 and a 6 percent boost in overall seaborne trade for the year compared to 2016, the port operator announced on Wednesday. 
   For the first time in its history, Haropa handled 3 million TEUs over the year as the three major alliances in global shipping – the 2M Alliance, the Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance – all call Haropa ports.
   The hinterland container traffic exceeded the 2 million TEU-mark for the first time, growing by 7 percent year-over-year in 2017. Transshipments also reached a record, rising by 39 percent from 2016. 
   Other HAROPA trades strongly rose in competitive sectors. The multimodal terminal in Le Havre handled 145,000 TEUs in 2017.
   The liquid bulk trades, up 5 percent, also increased due to the Norman refineries, which ran at full capacity, thus resulting in a decrease in importation of refined products, Haropa said. Seaborne and river trades of building materials also rose 19 percent and 14 percent year-over-year, respectively. More globally, said Haropa, dry bulk traffic is recovering with the new grain season.
   Looking forward, the port operator plans to continue developing rail and river services in 2018 with the creation of a rail shuttle to Switzerland and a new inland river service from Le Havre to Bonneuil-sur-Marne, upstream Paris. The Port of Rouen will set up a tariff scheme to reduce rates by 25 percent for large vessels as the dredging of the channel continues.
   “After an exceptional year 2017 and six years’ experience, HAROPA, the leading French port system, will be the subject of changes in 2018 according to the strengthened integration trends expressed by the French Prime Minister,” Haropa said.
   Overall, within the past seven years, Haropa strengthened its importance within North-European ports from 5.86 percent in 2011 to 7 percent in 2017.