Le Havre box volumes up in 2010 despite strikes

CONTAINER throughput at France's Le Havre port rose five per cent in 2010 over 2009 to 2.4 million TEU despite much industrial unrest throughout the year.

Despite the French government having imposed its increase in retirement age from 60 years to 62 years into legislation, the CGT union is still fighting for concessions, particularly for those forced to retire early due to hardship.

This resulted in the 24th strike recently at Le Havre, Rouen and Marseilles, which was aimed at forcing new transport minister Thierry Mariani, who replaced Dominique Bussereau in December, to think again, according to London's Containerisation International.

Otherwise, Le Havre's Port Authority is still finalising an agreement with its state-employed crane drivers aimed at getting them into the private sector by April 2011.

Negotiations are understood to be proceeding satisfactorily, although they are far from being a "done deal" yet. The April deadline cannot be avoided as this is when the relevant legislation already agreed by Parliament comes into effect.

Final figures from Marseilles-Fos are still awaited, but in the first 11 months of last year, its deep-sea traffic at Fos only rose by two per cent to 650,375 TEU, compared to the same period in 2009, whilst its short-sea business in Marseilles increased a more impressive 35 per cent to 229,374 TEU.

All together, the port's total throughput rose nine per cent to 879,749 TEU.
(Source:www.schednet.com)