PORT OF LE HAVRE - CONGESTION: UPDATE INFO

For several months now, the terminals of the port of Le Havre have been congested with no prospect of improvement to date. If the situation is improving somewhat at the TNMSC terminal, it is tending to worsen at TDF.

The occupancy rate of the latter would be saturated up to 98% and the port managers have no other choice than to take measures that make the management of carriers on site more difficult but, which should allow a better fluidity in the port logistics in the long term. In the emergency, the measures taken by the GMP came into force as soon as they were given, namely:

• No more returns of empty containers on TDF accepted until a return to an acceptable stock of empties. This measure, in force since Thursday, September 15, concerns the road (and therefore port tractions), as well as the rail and barge modes. This will help to relieve congestion in the fleet and in the interchange areas.
• Refusal of carriers who show up outside the reserved slots (tolerance between 1 hour before and 1 hour after the appointment)

The reasons for this congestion are numerous:

• Generalized disruption of ship rotations due in particular to congestion in the ports in the USA and to Covid management in China, resulting in increased disorganization of the ports
• Significant increase in import and export cargo volumes
• Difficulties in evacuating empty containers at the terminal
• Full storage areas and private depots
• Lack of manpower during the summer period

Faced with the saturation of the terminals, the time needed for carriers to make appointments to load or unload a container has increased, as has the time needed for a truck to pass through the terminal due to the increase in port operations on a full terminal.

TDF now seems much more saturated than TNMSC, which is nevertheless under surveillance because saturation may again spread to this terminal.

Faced with this complex situation, carriers are forced to apply an exceptional congestion surcharge.

Do not hesitate to contact our teams who remain at your disposal for any further information.