On January 26, the CCI Caen-Normandie drew up the balance sheet for the year for the port equipment it manages. For cross-Channel passenger traffic, it was “The worst year in its history”, commented Antoine de Gouville, director of port equipment. With 256,523 passengers on board, traffic fell by 14% compared to 2020 and by 70% compared to 2019. “The Ouistreham ferry terminal saw fewer passengers than in the six months of 1986, the year the the cross-Channel line.

And, “even if we must salute the maintenance of the line by Brittany Ferries, with three daily stops”, the cross-Channel freight shows a decline of 14.7% in tonnage to 2 million tonnes and 9.3% in number trucks, to 87,634 trucks and 5.6% for vehicles, to 85,560. In question, “the slowdown in the British economy” and a decline in imports of 30.9%, “due to the new sanitary, phytosanitary and customs measures linked to Brexit”.

The upstream port in default

As for conventional traffic, in the inner basins of the upstream port, activity lost 20% in 2021, to 478,885 tonnes handled, after an increase of more than 20% in 2020. The CCI explains this result by “the contraction of 46% of agri-food traffic”. Cereals, which represent 42% of traffic, fell by 45.8% to 200,248 tonnes and fertilizers (17% of goods) by 15.3%, to 79,949 tonnes. “The 2020 harvest has was low in volume and that of the summer of 2021 essentially fodder, which is less favorable for export”, explains the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Food, animal and scrap biomass were also in response.

The good news is the places of industrial traffics. They show a growth of 65%, to 187,407 tonnes, “which confirms the economic recovery of the territory”, recalled Manuel Le Roux, president of the CCI. This growth is mainly driven by the cement industry with the import of clinker for the Rainville cement plant, up 184%, at 54,509 tonnes, milk, at 25,297 tonnes, up 34% and the continuation of bentonite for cat litter at 19,768 tonnes.

Exotic wood, historic traffic, has increased by 47% and wood from the North by 458%, to 19,293 tonnes, “the ISB group now favors Caen for its Moult factory”. The upstream port of Caen benefits from “the diversity of niche traffic” with new flows such as earth, shredded tires, silica and the return of salt and molasses.

Sustainable investments

The CCI did not fail to recall the investments made in spite of everything during the year 2021. Thus, 500,000 euros were devoted to the preparation of Brexit, with in particular the installation of a Border checkpoint welcoming the Service of veterinary and phytosanitary inspection (Sivep). More than 5 million euros have also been invested in the modernization of the sanitation networks at the Blainville terminal, for the management of rainwater and the collection of waste water from the terminal.

Finally, everyone wants to be optimistic. Endowed with “good reception capacities”, the port of Caen-Ouistreham will see the upcoming establishment by Ayro of the Oceanwings articulated sail wing manufacturing plant. And the Caen-Normandy CCI has signed a new 15-year occupancy agreement with ITP-InterPipe which provides for 10 million euros of investment on the land and submarine pipe assembly site.