News: Le Havre wants Indian ships to make it transit point

(PTI 19/10/2006) Pune - Le Havre, France's largest shipping port in terms of tonnage, looks to attract Indian merchant ships to make it an important transit point in their increasing cargo transport voyages to Europe.

"Europe is going to be a major market for the Indian goods, which will be moved in containers. A multi-purpose and the biggest French port for containerised trades," Christian Leroux, vice-chairman, Port of Le Havre, said here on Wednesday.

"We want Indian exporters and shippers, while moving their goods to Europe, to make Le Harve, the transit point for the cargo," Leroux told reporters.

Located at an ideal geographic location, the port of Le Harve, the fifth biggest in Europe handled 2.1 million containers in 2005 and is equipped with hi-tech systems allowing access to multi-professional data bases, covering all transactions related to cargo transit.

"Port Autonome Du Havre (Port of Le Havre) aims to create an awareness about it among the exporters and shippers of India," Leroux said.