Decrease in the volume of wheat transshipment in the port of Rouen: causes and consequences

In the period from March 7 to 14, 2024, the volume of wheat transshipment in the French port of Rouen decreased by almost 50%. Only 63,000 tons of this crop were handled this week, which is marked as an extremely low figure compared to previous periods. The main reasons for such a sharp decrease in volumes are several factors that affected the operation of the port.

One of the main reasons is the increase in competition in the field of wheat trade. In particular, other ports began to actively attract wheat shipments with the help of favorable offers and reduced tariffs for transshipment. This forced some companies to divert their cargo to other terminals, which led to a decrease in transshipment volumes at the port of Rouen.

An additional reason was the global situation on the wheat market. Rising prices for this crop prompted companies to store it in warehouses rather than export it. This led to a reduction in the need to transport wheat through the port of Rouen, as cargoes were stored in warehouses for later sale.

Another reason was the bad climate during this period. Bad weather and difficult weather conditions complicated the process of transshipment and transportation of wheat, which led to delays in the operation of the port. Factors such as strong winds and rain made it difficult for the marinas to operate and led to delays in the arrival and departure of vessels.

The consequence of this decrease in transshipment volumes was a significant deterioration in the financial performance of the Port of Rouen. The decrease in transshipment volumes led to a loss of profit for the port and a decrease in its competitiveness in the market. To increase transshipment volumes in the future, the port of Rouen should consider improving its infrastructure and offering more attractive conditions to companies planning to transport wheat through its terminals.