France - Modal shift breathes life into historic hubs Friday 18 May 2007

French ports are rolling up their sleeves and wading into intermodal territory in response to increasing calls for alternative connections to the hinterland.

Judging from Le Havre’s experience and other projects, ports are seeing private-public partnerships as the only way to get things on track.

The Mediterranean’s largest port, Marseille, is looking at introducing a new combined road-rail terminal to accommodate increasing flows between north Africa and France’s hinterland. Boulogne is pursuing a maritime alternative.

Boulogne is facing a personality crisis, with up to 80% of imported fish coming by road. Much of the traffic originates in Norway.

The port is now scaling up to become the first port of call in Europe for high-speed ferries.

"Historically Boulogne was France’s first fishing port, but gradually the fish processing industry grew more [becoming the most important in Europe], so we are faced with this strange situation, " explains Jean-Louis Romanini, from BGV, which designs high-speed commercial, freight and military vessels and is involved in the modal shift initiative.

Boulogne saw its last ro-ro traffic in 2003 when it handled 70,000 units, explains Alain Rousseau, port development director for the Boulogne Chamber of Commerce.

It is now shaping itself into a freight hub for conventional roro as well as high-speed ferries carrying non-accompanied traffic.

By the end of 2008, Bolougne will open its new terminal and 20ha logistics park to coincide with the operation of the first high-speed ferry in 2009, he adds.

A rail link is under investigation. Customers have enquired about a TGV rail connection for fruit and vegetables from northern Italy, so a market study into the competitiveness of rail for both accompanied and unaccompanied traffic is under way.

BGV has designed ships capable of 35 knots fully loaded and carrying 94 semi-trailers - in the smallest design. And Chikara Shipping in November signed for three of the highspeed cargo vessels.

The aim is to initially link Boulogne with Drammen in Norway, Sheerness in the UK, Santander in Spain and Vigo in Portugal; the four ports have signed an agreement to adapt their equipment to the needs of the BGV. Chikara is said to be interested in operating all these services.

A second operator interested in the Drammen-Boulogne route is in the wings, says Romanini, but it is keen to sign contracts with major clients before committing to a ship.

That route is different to the rest of the network in that it is dominated by a few major transport companies, explains Romanini. Chikara is not concerned about a particular agreement with a particular customer, rather the existence of a stable traffic flow, which is described as "huge." "Every day 15,000 trucks cross the Spanish border, if a BGV takes just 2% of that it would be full." Customers are interested, insists Romanini. A letter from Norcargo asking Boulogne’s chamber of commerce to initiate a fast ferry route was the trigger to the entire project.

Both Norcargo and Tradimar, the European specialist in fish and seafood that has a partnership with Schenker, have bases in the port.

Additionally, new forms of trade such as perishables are growing in importance, providing possible two-way traffic.

The port is already looking to link up with other ports.

Rousseau identifies Scotland as a possibility. If the UK ploughs ahead with road pricing, just 25 pence a mile would double the price and put Scotland out of reach of importers.