Trafic de marchandises dans les ports français en 2014 et évolution depuis 1997

• Cargo traffic in French maritime ports was nearly 350 million tons in 2014. After growing from 1997 to 2008, traffic declined from 2009 due to the economic crisis, then stabilized. Over the entire period, no clear trend toward increase or decrease in trade can be distinguished. • In 2013, traffic in French ports represented 3.6% of all global maritime trade (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). This share was 5.9% in 2000, even though traffic in French ports was comparable to 2013 levels and has declined steadily since, as emerging countries have grown in importance and competition from major European ports has intensified. • Loaded quantities account for just over 31% of traffic from 1997 to 2014. This share has been increasing since the start of the studied period. It reaches more than 35% in 2014. • Two-thirds of goods transiting through French ports correspond to short-distance transport (EUROSTAT definition). As maritime transport emits little greenhouse gas per ton transported, it is increasingly promoted by various transport policies. • Nearly two-thirds of cargo traffic in metropolitan ports corresponds to short-distance trade (trade with EU countries or their direct neighbors in the Baltic Sea, Mediterranean, and Black Sea – Eurostat). This is explained by the trend toward saturation of road networks and the moderate costs of maritime transport despite cargo handling operations. Moreover, maritime transport has high energy efficiency, being the transport mode with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per ton transported. It is encouraged by national and European transport policies. Significant ongoing discussions aim to improve the share of rail and inland waterway freight in port pre- and post-carriage services. • From 1997 to 2014, liquid bulk, mainly petroleum products, accounts for nearly half of traffic. Next come dry bulk, roll-on/roll-off traffic, and containers, the latter two types of transport increasing over the studied period. The 7 'major metropolitan maritime ports' concentrate three-quarters of traffic, with the Channel East – North Sea corridor alone accounting for nearly half. • The ports of Marseille and Le Havre exceed 50 million tons. They are among Europe's 20 largest ports. However, they fall significantly behind Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg. French ports' market share declined relative to major European ports from 2008 to 2014. The latter adapted to containerization and maritime transport massification earlier and more comprehensively.

• Cargo traffic in the Channel East – North Sea corridor ports (Dunkerque, Calais, Le Havre, Rouen...) represents approximately half of all French port traffic, well ahead of Mediterranean ports, which concentrate roughly 30% of traffic from 1997 to 2014, mainly via the major port of Marseille. Other corridors are significantly lower. The North Atlantic – Channel West corridor handles 10% of traffic (Nantes, Brest, Lorient...), the South Atlantic corridor slightly over 5%, and overseas ports 3%. • Over the studied period, traffic increased for the South Atlantic corridor and overseas regions (Mann-Kendall test). Traffic is slightly higher in 2014 than in 1997 in the Channel East – North Sea, while weaker in the Mediterranean. • Overseas regions are characterized by a high share of unloaded cargo. This reflects the strong dependence on imports of island departments.

• Liquid bulk traffic, comprising mainly petroleum products (crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied or compressed gaseous hydrocarbons), represents nearly half of port trade over the studied period, 46%. Most corresponds to unloading. Liquid bulk traffic increased initially until 2006–2007. It has declined since then. • Dry bulk represents nearly a quarter of traffic over the studied period, with transported quantities remaining fairly stable year-to-year. These are mainly cereals, coal, and minerals. Most are unloaded, except for cereals, most of whose tonnage is loaded in French ports. • Roll-on/roll-off traffic (a ro-ro vessel is used to transport loaded vehicles via one or more ramps) represented 22% of trade in 2014 compared to 14% in 1997. It has increased over the studied period, matching dry bulk tonnage by 2014. Traffic is fairly balanced between loaded and unloaded cargo. • Container traffic over 20 feet also increased over the studied period. It reaches over 14% of total in 2014. This is nearly double its 1997 share. Like roll-on/roll-off traffic, it is nearly balanced between loading and unloading. • Finally, miscellaneous cargo represents fairly small quantities. It declined significantly over the studied period.

• Cargo traffic varies considerably by port, in quantity and type of cargo. In 2014, the 7 'major metropolitan maritime ports' alone represent three-quarters of traffic (74.9%), with 258 million tons. Two exceed 50 million tons: Marseille in the Mediterranean and Le Havre in the Channel. The 20 major ports shown in Figure 5 concentrate 97.5% of traffic. • Crude oil traffic is highly concentrated. Marseille and Le Havre ports combine over 80% of tonnage, followed by Nantes–Saint-Nazaire with nearly 15%. Refined petroleum product traffic is more dispersed, with the 7 major maritime ports nonetheless concentrating nearly 90% of traffic. Marseille port represents 81% of natural gas traffic, followed by Nantes with 15%. • Grain ports are located closest to major production basins. Rouen, La Rochelle, and Dunkerque account for 71% of trade, with grain traffic representing 33% of tonnage through Rouen and 46% through La Rochelle. Nantes and Bordeaux ports are significant with over 5% of grain trade each. • Animal feed port traffic concentrates in western France ports (Nantes, Brest, and Lorient), near intensive livestock territories (Brittany and Pays de la Loire). At Brest and Lorient, this represents just over a third of traffic. Minerals and coal transit mainly through Marseille and Dunkerque ports and their significant industrial-port zones. Fertilizers transit through numerous ports, closest to their use. No port exceeds 20% of total. The main ones are Rouen (19%), Bayonne (13%), La Rochelle and Saint-Malo (12%), and Sète (9%). • Outside major maritime ports, some ports specialize in roll-on/roll-off traffic. They are positioned across from the British Isles or in the Mediterranean (France–Maghreb and Continent–Corsica transport). For eight ports, roll-on/roll-off traffic represents over 70% of their tonnage in 2014: Calais (99%), Toulon (96%), Bastia (91%), Cherbourg (90%), Ajaccio (83%), Caen (82%), Roscoff (81%), and Nice (70%). • Finally, container traffic plays an important role at Le Havre port (Port 2000), which handles over 50% of container traffic, as well as overseas, where island departments depend on imports of manufactured goods.

• In 2014, two major metropolitan maritime ports ranked among Europe's 20 largest: Marseille and Le Havre. However, their traffic is significantly lower than the three leading European ports, all located in the North Sea: Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg. • As Figure 6 shows, French ports' market share declined relative to competing North Sea ports (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, and Bremerhaven) and Mediterranean ports (Algeciras, Valencia, and Trieste) from 2008 to 2014. • This is mainly explained by strong containerization growth at other European ports (vast dedicated terminals, deep channels for large-draft vessels, logistics hub for pre- and post-carriage, storage facilities...) whose adaptation to maritime transport massification occurred earlier and more substantially.

• Methodology • France has seven 'major maritime ports' in metropolitan territory (Dunkerque, Le Havre, Rouen, Nantes–Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, and Marseille) and four overseas since early 2013, all public state establishments. It also has numerous ports managed by regional authorities and their groupings, often under concession to Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI). • Various cargo types are included: • Petroleum products; • Liquid bulk (tanker vessels): chemicals, vegetable-origin products (fruit juice, wine...); • Solid bulk (bulk carriers): coal, minerals, fertilizers, sand, food products (cereals, raw sugar), animal feed (oilcakes)...; • Containers, mostly manufactured products; • Roll-on/roll-off or 'Ro-Ro': cargo vessels transporting loaded vehicles via access ramps. • Author: Data and Statistical Studies Service (SDES).