En 2017, le trafic maritime français s’établit à 352,5 Mt de marchandises traitées dans les ports métropolitains, ce qui représente une progression de + 6 % par rapport à 2016. Elle intervient après plusieurs années de stagnation consécutives à la crise économique de 2008 : entre 2011 et 2016, le tonnage traité dans les ports maritimes français a diminué en moyenne de 0,8 % chaque année. Cette reprise est essentiellement portée par le trafic de rouliers et de conteneurs. En 2017, Marseille demeure le premier port français (80,4 Mt), devant Le Havre (72 Mt), Calais (50,6 Mt) et Dunkerque (50,2 Mt). Marseille et Le Havre maintiennent depuis plusieurs dizaines d’années leur position à la tête du système portuaire français. Ils subissent néanmoins la concurrence des autres ports européens (Rotterdam, Anvers, Hambourg). Les ports français échangent avec tous les continents, même si le marché européen représente naturellement une part importante du trafic (36 %).
Activity in French ports kick-started again in 2017
Metropolitan French ports handled some 352.5 million tons of goods in 2017, representing a +6% growth compared with 2016. This increase in activity comes after several years of stagnation following the 2008 economic crisis - between 2011 and 2016, the tonnage handled in French ports fell on average by 0.8% each year. This resurgence was principally driven by container traffic and roll-on roll-off services. In 2017, Marseille was the leading French port (80.4 million tons), followed by Le Havre (72 MT), Calais (50.6 MT) and Dunkerque (50.2 MT). Marseille and Le Havre maintain their leading positions in the French port hierarchy which they have held for several decades. However, these two, especially Le Havre, face competition from the European ports on the North Sea - Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg. French ports trade with all the continents, but the European market represents the largest part of the traffic (36%).
Metropolitan French ports handled some 352.5 million tons of goods in 2017, representing a +6% growth compared with 2016. This increase in activity comes after several years of stagnation following the 2008 economic crisis - between 2011 and 2016, the tonnage handled in French ports fell on average by 0.8% each year. This resurgence was principally driven by container traffic and roll-on roll-off services. In 2017, Marseille was the leading French port (80.4 million tons), followed by Le Havre (72 MT), Calais (50.6 MT) and Dunkerque (50.2 MT). Marseille and Le Havre maintain their leading positions in the French port hierarchy which they have held for several decades. However, these two, especially Le Havre, face competition from the European ports on the North Sea - Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg. French ports trade with all the continents, but the European market represents the largest part of the traffic (36%).
