| Written by Mark Buzinkay
The River Seine
The River Seine is one of France's most important waterways, extending about 775 kilometres from its source near Dijon to its mouth at the English Channel between Le Havre and Honfleur. It flows through key urban centers including Paris and Rouen, playing a significant role in both commercial and recreational navigation.
Approximately 560 kilometres of the Seine are navigable, mainly between Paris and the river's estuary. This stretch supports a wide range of vessels, from large commercial barges to smaller passenger boats. To facilitate consistent navigation, the river is equipped with over 30 locks that regulate water levels, as well as canals that connect it to other major French rivers and canal systems, such as the Marne and the Oise.
In terms of commercial transport, the Seine is a major route for moving goods such as construction materials, agricultural products, and containers. The Port of Paris is one of Europe's largest inland ports, handling millions of tons of cargo annually. Downstream, the Port of Rouen and the large seaport of Le Havre form a key logistics axis known as HAROPA (Le Havre-Rouen-Paris), which integrates river, rail, and road transport.
Passenger transport is also prominent, particularly in Paris, where sightseeing boats known as "bateaux-mouches" are popular with tourists. There are also river cruises operating between Paris and Normandy, contributing to the regional tourism economy.
Efforts have been made to further develop and modernise the Seine's transport infrastructure. Projects like the "Seine-Nord Europe Canal" aim to enhance connections between the Seine and northern Europe, promoting sustainable freight transport by shifting cargo from road to river.
The shift towards river transport
HAROPA Port, the integrated port complex linking Le Havre, Rouen, and the Paris region, has developed a comprehensive strategy to shift cargo transport from road to river as part of France's broader environmental and logistics modernisation efforts. This strategy, often referred to as "modal shift" or "report modal," aims to reduce road congestion, lower carbon emissions, and improve the efficiency of goods movement through the Seine corridor. (1)
The core idea is to use the River Seine as a sustainable logistics backbone, enabling more cargo—especially bulk materials, containers, and building supplies—to move via barge instead of trucks. This is part of a long-term plan backed by national and European environmental goals, especially in the context of the EU Green Deal and France's climate targets.
One of the key components of HAROPA Port's program involves investing in infrastructure and services that make river transport more attractive and competitive. This includes upgrading port terminals in the Paris region, such as Gennevilliers and Bonneuil-sur-Marne, to handle more multimodal traffic, increasing container-handling capacity, and improving access to last-mile logistics networks. Another focus area is digitalisation, with smart port systems and cargo tracking technologies being deployed to streamline operations and scheduling across river and sea modes.
The shift is supported by several public and private stakeholders. HAROPA Port itself is a public institution under the French Ministry for Ecological Transition, and funding comes from a combination of national government investment, EU grants (such as from the Connecting Europe Facility), and regional development programs. Some initiatives also receive co-financing from private logistics companies or through public-private partnerships.
In terms of timeline, the modal shift strategy has been in place for over a decade but has accelerated significantly in recent years. Milestones include the consolidation of the HAROPA ports in 2021, a move that created a unified governance structure and allowed more coordinated planning and investment. Looking forward, the opening of the Seine–Nord Europe Canal in the coming years is expected to further amplify the use of river transport by creating a direct high-capacity link between the Seine basin and northern European inland waterways.
HAROPA's strategy is guided by a master plan that outlines key projects through 2030, focusing on ecological transition, logistics performance, and territorial development. A specific objective is to double the share of river transport in the region's logistics flows. The ports collaborate closely with urban authorities, logistics operators, and transport companies to develop urban river logistics, such as last-mile deliveries by barge in central Paris.
Seine Ports
The container terminals along the River Seine form a key part of the inland waterway logistics chain connecting the Paris metropolitan region to the deep-sea port of Le Havre. These terminals are strategically located to enable multimodal transport, combining river, rail, and road access, and are designed to support France's efforts to reduce road freight by shifting more cargo onto the river.
At the seaward end of the Seine corridor is the Port of Le Havre, one of Europe's major deep-sea ports and the main gateway for containerised imports and exports to and from France. Le Havre has extensive container terminal facilities with direct access to the Seine, including terminals operated by major players like Terminal de France and Terminal Porte Océane. These facilities handle large ocean-going vessels and serve as the starting point for river container services heading inland.
Further upstream, the Port of Rouen acts as an intermediate logistics hub. While traditionally focused more on bulk and agro-industrial goods, Rouen has also developed container handling capabilities, especially for feeder services connecting with both Le Havre and the Paris region. The port supports container river services and provides a key link in the multimodal chain.
In the Greater Paris area, the main container terminal is located at Gennevilliers, just northwest of central Paris. This terminal is the largest inland port facility in France and plays a central role in the distribution of goods throughout the Île-de-France region. It is equipped with gantry cranes, rail connections, and highway access, allowing for efficient transfer of containers between barge, train, and truck. Gennevilliers has seen consistent investment and expansion as HAROPA Port seeks to promote urban logistics and environmentally sustainable freight transport.
Bonneuil-sur-Marne, located southeast of Paris, is another important inland terminal within the Ports de Paris network. While smaller than Gennevilliers, it supports a variety of logistics operations and container traffic, especially for the eastern and southern suburbs of Paris. This terminal is increasingly integrated into urban delivery schemes, using smaller barges and multimodal hubs.
Additional container facilities exist in Limay-Porcheville and in the port zone of Bruyères-sur-Oise. These terminals are focused on serving suburban industrial zones and are positioned to support river transport growth as part of HAROPA's long-term strategy to decentralise logistics and ease urban road traffic.
Together, these terminals form a continuous chain of container-handling sites along the Seine, creating a corridor that supports both long-haul inland shipping and last-mile logistics within the densely populated Paris region. This network is a cornerstone of HAROPA Port's modal shift strategy and a key contributor to sustainable logistics in northern France.
Paris Terminal Deploys Reefer Runner 5G
Paris Terminal has partnered with Identec Solutions to implement the Reefer Runner 5G monitoring system at its Gennevilliers terminal. This strategic move aims to enhance the efficiency and reliability of refrigerated container (reefer) logistics, particularly along the Seine River, aligning with broader goals of promoting sustainable multimodal transport.
The implementation of Reefer Runner 5G marks a major milestone in digitising reefer operations in inland ports. With the growing demand for temperature-controlled cargo—such as food products, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive goods—Paris Terminal is positioning itself as a key player in the cold chain logistics sector. Juan Manuel Suarez, CEO of Paris Terminal, stated: "Implementing the Reefer Runner 5G solution at our Gennevilliers terminal marks a significant step forward in our digital transformation and sustainability journey. This partnership with Identec Solutions enables us to guarantee 24/7 visibility and safety for our reefer cargo, which is essential for our customers and for the growth of river logistics. By making inland waterway transport more efficient and reliable, we're strengthening our commitment to the Seine Axis and contributing to a greener, smarter future for freight in the Paris region."
Importantly, Reefer Runner 5G deployment at Gennevilliers will follow a phased and scalable approach. As demand for reefer logistics grows—both in terminal operations and river-based transport along the Seine—the system will be expanded to cover additional units, routes, and monitoring points. This ensures the technology evolves in parallel with Paris Terminal's cold chain ambitions, offering tailored digital oversight whether for a single container or hundreds across different transit modes.
By combining cutting-edge monitoring with flexible scalability, Paris Terminal is able to enhance both the quality and the reliability of its reefer services. This strategic capability not only strengthens the appeal of river transport but also positions Gennevilliers as a smart logistics hub capable of supporting diverse customer needs.
Paris Terminal's adoption of advanced monitoring solutions aligns with HAROPA PORT's initiatives to revitalise river transport along the Seine. By improving the reliability and transparency of inland waterway logistics, the partnership contributes to reducing road congestion and lowering carbon emissions, supporting France's environmental objectives.
Mark Buzinkay, Head of Marketing at Identec Solutions, commented:
"Partnering with Paris Terminal is a strategic milestone for us at Identec Solutions. We're proud to demonstrate the full capabilities of our Reefer Runner 5G solution in such a forward-thinking and multimodal environment. This deployment not only ensures reliable, real-time reefer monitoring for Gennevilliers but also highlights how smart technology can support the growth of sustainable inland transport. We're excited about this collaboration and look forward to engaging with other container terminal operators and shipping companies across France to explore how we can help them achieve similar efficiencies and transparency in their cold chain operations."
See also: Cold Cahin Operations and Reefer Runner 5G on the River Rhine
FAQ
What is fluvial cold chain transport, and how does it work?
Fluvial cold chain transport refers to the movement of temperature-sensitive goods, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals, via inland waterways like rivers and canals, using vessels equipped with refrigeration or insulation systems. The goods are stored in refrigerated containers or cargo holds, and temperature is maintained throughout the journey using power supplies on the barge or through pre-cooled containers. This method allows for efficient, low-emission transport over medium to long distances, especially in regions with developed river networks like the Seine.
What are the main advantages of using river transport for cold chain logistics?
The primary benefits include reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to road freight, lower energy consumption per ton-kilometer, and decreased urban congestion. River transport also offers high reliability and stable transit times, as it avoids road traffic delays. Additionally, cold chain barges can carry large volumes of goods in a single trip, making them particularly suitable for consolidated deliveries to urban distribution centres or for connecting coastal ports with inland terminals.
What are the challenges of fluvial cold chain transport, and how are they addressed?
Key challenges include maintaining consistent power for refrigeration, limited infrastructure for plug-in reefer containers at some river terminals, and the need for precise scheduling to preserve product integrity. These issues are being addressed through investments in port electrification, the development of reefer-compatible barges, and the integration of cold chain monitoring technologies. Public and private stakeholders are also working to align cold chain river transport with multimodal logistics systems to ensure seamless handovers between water, rail, and road transport.
Takeaway
The ports along the River Seine—Le Havre, Rouen, and those in the Greater Paris region—form a highly integrated and strategically positioned logistics corridor. As part of the HAROPA Port complex, they play a crucial role in France's modal shift strategy by facilitating the movement of goods via inland waterways rather than congested road networks. With growing investment in multimodal terminals, digital infrastructure, and environmental performance, the Seine ports are reducing carbon emissions and enhancing supply chain resilience and efficiency.
One of the most forward-looking developments in this context is the adoption of next-generation technologies like Reefer Runner 5G. This system, now being implemented at the Gennevilliers terminal near Paris, enables real-time monitoring and remote control of refrigerated containers, making fluvial cold chain transport more reliable and scalable. To understand how this innovation is helping transform inland ports into smart, sustainable logistics hubs, we invite you to explore more about the Reefer Runner 5G solution and its role in supporting the future of river-based supply chains.
Delve deeper into one of our core topics: Cold chain monitoring
Glossary
A logistics hub is a central location where goods are received, stored, sorted, and redistributed to their final destinations. It integrates various transport modes—such as road, rail, air, or inland waterways—to optimise supply chains, reduce transit times, and lower costs. Logistics hubs often include warehouses, freight terminals, and value-added services like packaging or customs clearance, making them critical nodes in national and international trade. (2)
References:
(1) https://www.haropaport.com/en/actualites/2024-new-model-growth-increase-traffic-and-industrial-projects
(2) Rodrigue, J.-P. (2020). The Geography of Transport Systems (5th ed.). Routledge.
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