Le Havre's container traffic rose 7.8 percent in the first eight months of the year compared with a year ago, bucking a decline in its overall cargo volume but trailing box growth at its main European rivals.
The northern French port handled 1.6 million 20-foot equivalent units in January-August, maintaining its position as the nation's top container hub ahead of Marseilles.
Overall cargo fell, however, 3.3 percent in the same period to 48.5 million metric tons, due mainly to crude oil shipments shrinking 9 percent, or 2 million tons.
Le Havre's container performance trailed its main rivals Antwerp, which grew 16.2 percent in the first half of the year to 4.2 million TEUs, and Rotterdam, which was up 17.7 percent at 4.6 million TEUs.
But the French port's box traffic grew nearly twice as fast Hamburg, which added just 4.3 percent in the first half to 3.7 million TEUs.
The Journal of Commerce Online
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