As of the end of June 2024, HAROPA PORT’s maritime traffic stood at a total of 41.95 million tonnes (Mt), a figure up by 8.8%. The container segment rose by 16% with a throughput of 1.46 million TEU. Standing at 4.89Mt, grain exports turned in an increase of 38% for the first six months of the year.
HAROPA PORT completed a positive first half of 2024 with a total throughput of 41.95Mt of product. An increase of 8.8% in maritime traffic which translates into an additional 3.4Mt, compared with the figure in June 2023. France’s leading port has been benefited by favourable economic headwinds stimulating the French and European markets.
Containers: an upturn with an encouraging outlook for the future
Containerised traffic accounted for tonnage of 14.51Mt (+24%). In terms of TEU, the first half of 2024 registered 1.46m TEU, an increase of 16%. This positive dynamic was also reflected in hinterland traffic of 1.07m TEU (+6%). Specifically, full container traffic to and from the hinterland rose by
10.7%. Container transhipment, outperforming the 2019 figure at 0.39m TEU, reflected the confidence of shipping lines in the regularity of port calls and good maritime hub performance.
These maritime container flows mark the beginning of a recovery that follows two downward-trending years. Against the energised backdrop generated by this progressive upturn, HAROPA PORT is registering a particularly striking rebound. The economic context worldwide is also marked by maritime freight levels trending significantly upward.
The rerouting of ships around the Cape of Good Hope is calling on high levels of capacity at a time when demand has been accelerating since May.
Liquid bulk fell back slightly to 19.56Mt, 1% down. Crude oil stood at 8.83Mt, amounting to a 2.4% decline. Refined products totalled 7.85Mt, down marginally by 1.2%. Chemicals accounted for 1.79Mt, lower by 3.6%. Lastly, gaseous hydrocarbons rose to 0.75Mt, up by 45.1%. This relates to gas flows via the floating methane terminal, FSRU Cape Ann, which came on stream in September 2023.
A highly satisfactory grain campaign in 2023-2024
The dry bulk segment was showing a total of 7.11Mt as of the end of June. This represents an increase of 14.2%, thanks mainly to agroindustry. HAROPA PORT handled a total of 4.89Mt of grain, amounting to a rise of 38%. June was a particularly active month during which 738,000 tonnes of grain were exported.
At 8.72Mt, the 2023/2024 export campaign ranks 5th among HAROPA PORT’s best grain campaigns. The final tonnage figure was up by 1.8% against 2022/2023. The market share enjoyed by HAROPA PORT in maritime exports of French grain remains stable at around 52%. This good result took the five-year average figure to 8.2Mt. Milling wheat accounted for 5.92Mt and barley for 2.66Mt (of which 1.84Mt related to feed barley and 0.82Mt to brewing barley). The other exports (durum wheat and feed wheat) totalled 0.14Mt.
Where export destinations are concerned, the top three were identical to the preceding year, these being China (2.48Mt), followed by Morocco (2.07Mt) and Algeria (1.15Mt). In terms of broad global regions, the Maghreb remained the leading destination with a total of 3.25Mt, ahead of Asia (2.55Mt) and West Africa (1.42Mt). Grain exports to West Africa turned in a record loading total, the previous figure being 1.1Mt. Also worthy of note were some less familiar destinations, such as Mauritania, Mexico, Thailand, India, Colombia, Madagascar, the USA and South Africa.
As of the end of June 2024, the transport modes used to bring the grain to port were split between 65% road, 25% river and 10% rail.
Also in the dry bulk segment, imports of aggregate registered a sharp 48.6% decline at 555,474 tonnes, and cement/clinker imports were down by 3.5% at 183,616 tonnes.
Dry fertilisers registered a flow of 452,165 tonnes – up by 36.3%. Other dry bulk stood at 1.02Mt, down 5%.
An 18% increase for vehicles
Maritime flows of vehicles via the ro-ro terminal continued their positive progression as of the end of June 2024 with a total of 155,237 vehicles (+18%), 23,200 vehicles more than June 2023.
A good beginning to the season for sea cruises
Cruise activity maintained its strong dynamic with a very satisfactory current season registering an increase of 30.3% in passenger numbers, or 55,000 more, and +21.5% in port calls, or 17 more calls than for end June 2023. The cruise terminals in Rouen, Honfleur and Le Havre registered 237,473 passengers (+30.3%) on 96 cruise ships calling at the ports (+21.5%).
Source: HAROPA PORT
