French Port Hinterlands in a Competitive Europe: The Case of the Port of Le Havre (Haropa)

¹ Université le Havre Normandie, UMR IDEES, 76600 Le Havre, France
² Université le Havre Normandie, 76600 Le Havre, France

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This paper examines the dynamics and typology of French port hinterlands in the context of intensified European port competition, with a particular focus on the hinterland of the Port of Le Havre as a case study. By analysing recent structural changes in the maritime and logistics sectors, it highlights the growing strategic role of hinterlands in the economic development and competitiveness of port regions. The originality of this contribution lies in the use of detailed and official customs data provided by the French customs administration. These data, which are difficult to access and rarely mobilised in academic research, offer a unique and highly precise representation of real import and export flows. They make it possible to move beyond conventional and often simplified definitions of port hinterlands by capturing actual trade relationships between ports and their inland markets. Applied to the case of Le Havre (HAROPA), this approach reveals the complexity and evolving nature of port-hinterland relations. The results show that, despite its central position within the French port system, Le Havre faces increasing difficulties in maintaining and extending its hinterland market share in the face of strong competition from major European ports such as Antwerp. By distinguishing import and export flows, the analyses provide a fine-grained characterisation of hinterland structures and dynamics, offering new insights into the challenges faced by French ports within the contemporary European port system.