As Port 2000 will have the capacity of accommodating the biggest containerships, it will also provide easy transfer of the containers towards all inland transport modes: rail, road, waterway. Consequently, designing inland connections should take several functions into account :
- Intermodalism
- Security and safety
- Operation
- Integration into the environment
The keyword here is, intermodalism. This means that the maritime terminals will not only be connected with highways but also, on the contrary, they will make it possible to use more environment-friendly consolidated means of transport.
A - TARGET : 4 BERTHS
In a first stage, the maritime terminals will be directly connected ; they will have their own railway yard and network. The rail access of Port 2000 requires that, as early as 2004, 10,000 m of railways will be built, along with a structure in order to lower the crossroads with the Estuary highway. The railways develop in the southern boundary of the Port 2000 zone up to the main rail network, before joining the new terminals and the Normandy Terminal.
The river traffic generated by Port 2000 will be handled in a first stage in a dedicated terminal, located south of the Ocean Dock. Two hundred metres of the Bougainville quay will be reserved for this traffic. The Port of Le Havre Authority also set aside room for the future river lock giving direct access to Port 2000 berths.
As for road connections, although its relative share is due to decrease for the benefit of rail and waterway transport, it will however remain the prevailing means for container transport to and from the port.
From the Estuary Highway, part of which will be diverted from its present route, trucks after taking a new roundabout will drive towards the western entrance to Port 2000. The lorry drivers who will have input of the procedures by data-processing from their offices, will only spend a few seconds at the checkpoints before driving to the terminals. A very low percentage of drivers will find it necessary to stop at the parking area, just before the checkpoints. They will have a reception building where they will be able to hand in the documents they have with them and contact if necessary their freight forwarder to be administratively in order.
As for security, the Port 2000 area will be fenced in every place likely to present a risk of intrusion of non authorised cargo or persons.
The studies for civil engineering structures, diversion of the estuary highway as well as access railways to Port 2000, are underway.
For the record, the main roundabout giving access to the construction sites for breakwaters and quays was completed and put into service in early 2002.
B - TARGET : 6 BERTHS AND MORE
After the coming-on-stream of the first six quay berths, the traffic generated by all South terminals and neighbouring activities (ro-ro, multibulks) should lead to doubling the Estuary Highway.
The railway connections will get a rail stevedoring yard, being a place of unloading or making-up of freight trains.
In order to guarantee the best operating conditions, it will be possible ultimately to transfer containers between the maritime terminals, the berth for river barges and the rail stevedoring yard by means of small road trains called Multi-Trailer Systems (MTS). Composed of a tractor and five x 40’ trailers, they will circulate on ‘specific roadways’ independent of the city traffic. The MTS will then carry up to 10 x 20’ containers in a single trip.
The integration of the Ocean Terminal in the controlled Port 2000 area will lead to build an engineering structure near the entrance crossroads to this terminal. The Estuary Highway will run above, while on-site roadways, railways and MTS roadways will connect the terminals between one another.
Servicing the Port 2000 logistics park with accessways will require the construction of a roundabout near the shed 131 and a primary service road along the main network.
Whatever the transport mode, the highest changing nature of the investments and a free traffic flow are sought. The development plan is designed in such a way that the civil engineering structures and the new service roads will be constructed nearly without interfering with the existing traffic, as the new quay berths are being constructed and Port 2000 traffic grows.
Finally, as the Port of Le Havre is concerned with the integration of the environment and the surrounding areas, steps are being taken to emphasise green areas, thus preserving landscape within the zone. The organisation of the future logistics zone, supported by lines of trees, will make it possible to ensure clear views of the sea.
