MUMBAI : Back in India for the first time since the Covid pandemic, in Mumbai HAROPA PORT completes its visit to the country that started at the beginning of the last week in Delhi. In the presence of former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, France’s leading river and seaport provided a presentation of the latest developments in the port since the merger of 2021, in addition to its goals likely to be of interest to Indian organisations in the industrial, logistics and shipping sectors. The aim is to strengthen the already close ties between the two countries.
A GREEN CORRIDOR BETWEEN FRANCE & INDIA
France and India share a determination to accelerate the ecological transition, and HAROPA PORT’s Green Corridor, a pillar of the leading French port’s strategic project, is in tune with Indian goals.
Its capacity to carry goods from around the whole world into the heart of the biggest French consumer catchment area makes it a partner of especial interest for Indian actors looking to build a more virtuous logistics chain. Indeed, in 2022 the modal shares of rail and river transport rose from 12%to 13.3% for containers leaving Le Havre.
TURNKEY PLOTS LOCATED NEAR THE BIGGEST EUROPEAN CENTRES FOR INDUSTRY AND CONSUMPTION
For the past several years Europe’s Northern Range ports have been experiencing a high level of pressure on real estate supply: plots available for new logistics and industrial facilities in port ecosystems are increasingly scarce, and applicable legislation increasingly strict. HAROPA PORT is one of the very few managers of property assets in a position to offer real estate to private companies. The port has 3m sq. m. of built property and 6,000 hectares of land for building along the Seine Axis, which includes nearly 1 million sq. m. of warehousing space currently at the planning stage.
HAROPA PORT will be placing on the market this year an average of one hundred hectares for industrial and logistics use. Such opportunities are all the more valuable for the fact that the regions concerned serve France’s largest consumer catchment area.
H.E. Edouard Philippe, Former Prime Minister of France & Mayor of Le Havre commented : The Port of Havre, Port of Rouen and Ports of Paris merged into one single entity i.e. HAROPA Port two years ago to develop and enhance a single strategy to turn itself into a most efficient port worldover and serve the interest of France and entire region. In fact, until a few decades ago they were working as three entities and were not on same page either. However it was a doable task and lots of initiatives were taken to merge them into single one. So now, it is a two year old baby and is doing very well. In fact they have now created a unique concept of Green corridor (covering almost 200 kms) into the hinterlands wherein multiples investing opportunities exists into various domains. Therefore, we invite Indian business houses who are looking at serving the European region to consider these investing opportunities into an ecosystem which is unmatched globally.
Mr. Stéphane Raison, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board Haropa Port gave detailed presentation coupled with incentives attached for investing into various port projects cum green and digital smart corridors of France. He invited Indian business houses to take the advantage of investing in and around Haropa Port which happens to be one of the largest consumption centre (Paris) in entire European region. Haropa Port – The Gateway to Europe - is the 1st French Port for Container Traffic, 1st French Port for Foreign Trade, 1st Logistics Hub in France, 1st Port of Call for import and last for export etc.
Capt. Avinash Batra, Representative for India & Chairman Seahorse Group of Companies commented – Paris region is one of the largest consumption centre not only in France but in entire Europe and Haropa Port is well located to serve this requirement. It contributes one third of the GDP of France. The management has quite successfully taken all the initiatives to convert itself into a Green port. In fact it was the vision of H.E. Edouard Philippe that made it possible to merge the three ports via Port of Havre, Port of Rouen and Ports of Paris into HAROPA Port in order to take the combined advantages. I hope the world will take a cue from this and will try to emulate such examples elsewhere globally. We have received great response from Indian business houses looking to invest in France in order to serve the European Markets and we are very optimistic.
Capt. Ram Iyer, Representative for India commented - Haropa Port is well connected to Indian Ports both on West Coast of India as well as East Coast of India with direct connectivity ex JNP, Mundra & East Coast of India. It has 3 Direct Services ex West Coast of India connecting India & France. 1 operated by CMA CGM + COSCO + OOCL, while One each by MSC & Zim.
A DIGITAL CORRIDOR FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY, GREATER FACILITATION AND ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION
Lastly, the port described its latest innovations in the technology domain: it is the first French port to switch to 5G, making changes in the Port Community System aimed at harmonising the digital tools for port call management along the Seine Axis and preparing for the port one-stop-shop S-WiNG, and S-ONE 100% digital & paperless procedures and solutions, the creation of the Easy port software program for facilitation of port goods throughput, a plan for digital twinning with the port of Rotterdam as part of the MAGPIE project in order to consolidate the port’s environmental competence, AI placed at the service of port call predictions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, among others.
By means of these many innovations, HAROPA PORT is setting out to make gains in efficiency, rapidity and flexibility, to provide its customers with greater transparency and to foster the ecological transition.
HAROPA PORT AND INDIA: EXPANDING TRADE
As a reminder of the context, in 2022, against the backdrop of an international marked by numerous crises, total traffic through HAROPA PORT expanded despite a European market in downturn. Specifically where container traffic is concerned, HAROPA PORT has demonstrated striking resilience by winning market share in the Northern Range and improving its modal shares on the Seine Axis.
In recent years, maritime commerce (containerised) with India has also continued to expand, by around10-12 % each year on average.
As part of this tour, HAROPA PORT notably met with actors in the automotive, pharmaceuticals and fresh product sectors likely to have a particular interest in the key advantages offered by the fourth-ranking Northern European port.
Cédric Virciglio, HAROPA PORT Strategic Planning Director, and Kris Danaradjou, HAROPA PORT Deputy General Manager : “The dynamism and diversity of trade between Indian ports and HAROPA PORT position India as a strategic market particularly well connected with shipping lines. Our commercial approach is directed at strengthening flows in growth sectors such as textiles, automotive components and chemicals and positioning HAROPA PORT as the best gateway to the northern French market and exploring new sectors for trade such as fresh products and grain.”
The Event was graced by Ambassador of France, Consul General of France in Mumbai, Mr. Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman JNPA, Mr. Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Deputy Chairman JNPA among many others industry stalwarts presence making it a grand success.
Haropa Port is represented in India by Seahorse Ship Agencies Pvt. Ltd.
