Le Havre-Paris (France)

Le Havre (cruise port to Paris City) is a major port city located approx 200 km (130 mi) from France's capital. The port is on Europe's Atlantic coast and on the English Channel. The city has total area approx 47 km2 (18 mi2) and population around 240,000 (metro around 33,000).

Port Le Havre is France's second-largest commercial seaport (after Marseille/on the Mediterranean Sea) in terms of overall cargo tonnage but is ranked the country's largest containership port. It is popular as cruise port of call, especially on Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com).

Statistical data shows a constantly increasing number of cruise ship calls - 70 (in 2010), 97 (2011), 107 (2012), 124 (2013), 129 (2016, handled 332,515 passengers), 129 (2017, handled 397,552 pax), 145 (2018, handled 145 ship calls/including 40 roundtrips, ~418,000 pax).

For 2019 were scheduled 135 cruise ship calls (including 31 turnarounds/homeport calls on roundtrips) by 49 different vessels (from 20 cruise brands) and were handled 350,439 cruisers. Season 2019 featured 4x 3-ship days and 18x 2-ship days. Season's river cruise traffic increased from 112 riverboat calls with 14,000 tourists (2018) to 133 riverboat calls with 17,000 tourists (2019).

For season 2020 were booked 139 ocean cruise ship berthings. The Port plans to increase its cruise shipping traffic from the current 0,35-0,4 million passengers to 0,5M (by the year 2025) and to 0,6M (by 2030).

Next are listed several popular cities located in close proximity to Le Havre, with the travel distances and driving times (by car or taxi).

• Honfleur - 20 km / 13 mi (30 min)
• Rouen - 90 km / 55 mi (70 min)
• Bayeux - 125 km / 80 mi (90 min)
• Omaha Beach/Normandy landings' War Memorial - 145 km / 90 mi (100 min)
• Paris - 205 km / 125 mi (130 min)

Port Le Havre

Port Le Havre (officially "Grand Port Maritime du Havre", locode FRLEH) consists of a series of canal-like docks. Canal de Tancarville and Grand Canal du Havre connect Le Havre to Seine River.

The port operator is a state-owned agency created in October 2008 (replacing "Port Autonome du Havre"). The company manages all port facilities and developments. Le Havre's Harbour Office manages the shipping traffic providing forecasts, control, navigation and berthing assistance, radio connections, radar coverage, data, information. The Harbor Office also manages all vessel arrivals and departures.

Cargo ships transporting dangerous goods or marine vessels with LOA length over 70 m (230 ft) must be assisted by local pilots. As a gateway to the congested Northern European waterways (English Channel and North Sea), Port Le Havre provides pilotage assistance in these waters too.

Port Le Havre is also important for ship repairs and ferry services (between France and England and Ireland). Regularly scheduled cruiseferries link to Portsmouth (England UK) - by DFDS Seaways, and to Rosslare Europort (Ireland) - by IRISH FERRIES.

Main cargoes shipped through the port via tankers, bulk cargo carriers and container carriers (boxships) include crude oil, refined oil, gasoil, cereals, animal feed, coal, cement, general cargo, TEU-containers.

Le Havre Marina provides berthing for luxury yachts and pleasure boats without any tidal restrictions. Its current capacity is 1160 (mooring rings). The Marina's docking facility provides electricity and water supplies. In 2012 was inaugurated a second boat marina (Port Vauban) with capacity 500 (moorings rings). In addition to the new Marina was built Docks Vauban (commercial center) and Les Bains Des Docks (recreational complex with swimming pools). The new yacht marina is in downtown and close to the railway station, as well as to A29 highway (part of European Route E44). A29 connects the Port with A26 highway (at St Quentin) and also has junctions with autoroutes A13, A131, A16, A28, A1.

Le Havre was France's first containership port. Its infrastructure includes 3 sets of containerized cargo terminals and around 6,5 km (5 mi) long quays (docks).

• European Container Terminal has wharf length of 887 m (2910 ft) and is equipped with two post-Panamax gantry cranes, 18 carriers and one LHM 550 - Liebherr (mobile crane (max load 100 tons). The wharf's max draft is 14,3 m (47 ft) - constant level. The terminal's ground slots can serve up to 7800 TEUs (containers), while the blockstow can stock 2400 TEUs.
• Americas Container Terminal has wharf length of 484 m (1588 ft) length and is equipped with four post-Panamax gantry cranes (3 with 18 carriers and 1 with 20 carriers). The wharf's draft is 14,5 m (low tide). Each crane returns a productivity of 22 TEU-containers per hour. Terminal's ground slots can serve up to 3400 TEUs.
• Atlantic Container Terminal has wharf length of 800 m (2625 ft) and is equipped with four Post-Panamax gantry cranes (max load 60 tons), 18 carriers.
• The privately-owned Normandy Container Terminal covers an area approx 80 hectares and consists of two quays (named Asia, and Osaka). The terminal is served by five Post-Panamax gantry cranes.
• Ocean Terminal (Bougainville Quay) is a public facility covering a total area of 40 hectares. Quay's length is 1666 m (5466 ft) with max draft 13 m (43 ft) - constant level. It has seven gantry cranes plus one with max load 100 tons.
• "Port 2000" consists of two terminals (named France, and Oceana) and the Le Havre Wharf.

The Port also serves RoRo vessels of all types and sizes. Port's railway network facilitates freight cargo transportation connecting Le Havre to all parts of Europe. Port's river waterway network connects with the Paris metro region.

In November 2019, the joint venture company GMP-PortSynergy Group (DP World Dubai and CMA-CGM's Terminal Link / port-operator companies) was awarded a 34-year concession to build and operate Le Havre Port 2000's new container terminal berths 11 and 12 (total quayside length 700 m / 23000 ft, land area 42 hectares). The new GMP container terminal added ~1 million TEUs to the Port's annual cargo capacity. The concession included a 2-year pre-construction period, 2-year period for engineering works and a 30-year operational period (thru 2053).

In December 2020, HLH (Haropa Ports Le Havre) launched the company's shore power program prioritizing cruise ships docking at terminals located close to the city. The project (scheduled for completion in 2023) also targets river cruises and consists of deploying (along Seine River) a network of 78 new riverboat terminals (to total 91 terminals) to allow distribution of water and shoreside electricity to the boats. Among the alternative marine fuels targeted by Haropa Ports are LNG (liquified natural gas/supplied via barges and trucks), CNG (compressed natural gas/by trucks) and HS (hydrogen/by trucks). HAROPA (Ports de Paris Seine-Normandie) announced the following main objectives set for 2020-2025:

• 50 MW photovoltaic electricity generation (by 2025)
• reducing fuel consumption - 15% (by 2025), 40% (by 2040)
• all port equipment to use eco fuels or electricity (by 2040)
• increased supply of alternative fuels to passenger ships and riverboats

In September 2025 are scheduled for inauguration two new cruise terminals at Pointe de Floride (three buildings with 3x berths and a shared wharf/quayside). The new cruise facility has a park area (with a vegetated walkway, sports facilities, restaurants, an Amphitheater) and is designed to be multi-purpose, also hosting cultural and social events during no-ship days. Marine works on the ~EUR 100 million project started in 2022 (when also "GIP Le Havre Croisieres" was created), with construction works starting in 2024-Q2. Combined, the new terminals have usable area 15000 m2 (161,460 ft2) and max daily capacity 13500 tourists. The new terminals have roofs covered with solar power installations and are also fitted with shore power capabilities.

By 2030, Le Havre expects to reach annual cruise passenger capacity ~600,000 (+45%).

In February 2024, HAROPA PORT initiated an infrastructure development for high-voltage power supply system at Le Havre cruise terminal. The project (Florida Point) includes installations at the Port's all three quays, with each outlet having a max capacity of 13 MW (30 MW total/combined). The contract was signed with a consortium comprising two subsidiaries of Vinci SA (1899-founded as Societe Generale d'Enterprises) - VINCI Energies (1984-founded) and VINCI Construction (2000-founded).

• Before the construction works, Enedis SA (2002-founded) was contracted (for EUR 5,6 million) to facilitate the Port's connection to the city's power grid (a 3-km/2-mi long underground network), including 3x 20 kV cables, and an additional transformer (40MVA EHV/HV) at the distribution substation, representing an investment of EUR 5.6 million.
• Hangar 13 (at Florida Point) was adapted to accommodate high-voltage electricity distribution and conversion systems (to serve the moored vessels), covering an area of ~1200 m2 (12917 ft2).
• An underground cable network was installed to connect a total of 5 power outlets to ships.
• Currently, Pierre Callet Quay's electrification is scheduled for completion in 2025. The shore-power systems of the other two cruise docks (Roger Meunier Quay and Joannes Couvert Quay) will be operational in 2025-Q4 and 2026-Q6, respectively.

The Florida Point project (budgeted EUR 32 million) was partially financed by the French government (EUR 13,6M) and by RFCS/Research Fund for Coal and Steel (EUR 0,9M).

Le Havre-Paris cruise terminal

Le Havre-Paris tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Le Havre:

• St Joseph: located on the south side of Avenue Foch. The church is modern made of steel and concrete. Its tower is 106-meter tall and offers breathtaking views.
• Museums: one of the most popular museums is the Musée des Beaux-Arts. It houses rich paintings collections from the 16th century to the present. The other populat museum is the Musée de l’Ancien Havre. There you can find historical materials for the town and the seafaring. Both are located on Boulevard J.F. Kennedy.
• Ste Honorine de Graville: the church houses the Black Madonna and sculpture museum. The works are from the period 12th-16th century.

Paris:

• The Louvre: the world’s largest and most diverse collection of paintings, decorative objects and paintings. Probably you will need a lifetime to discover all. The most popular attraction of Paris.
• Notre Dame Cathedral: no trip is complete without visiting this architectural gothic marvel. The cathedral is one of the most beautiful in Europe. It was built more than a century.
• Eiffel Tower: the iron towel dates from 1889. It was constructed by Gustave Eiffel for the World Exposition.