THE alliance of the three ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris, grouped together under the name of HAROPA, have exhibited at Shanghai's Transport Logistics China 2012 held June 4-7.

The business event has provided round tables and meetings with professionals on the logistics solutions offered by the union of the three French ports, a major logistics hub between China and Europe.

HAROPA is a major port complex in Europe. It is top port for the external trade of France and fifth biggest in Europe for containers with 130 million tons of maritime and waterway freight traffic. It is also top world port for the export of wine and spirits, top European port for the export of cereals, the biggest French platform for the transit of new vehicles and the largest French centre for the import of reefer products with a close hinterland of 25 million inhabitants from the Paris area.

According to HAROPA's press release, the port complex operates 24/seven with maximum piloting time of one hour and 30 minutes. It operates services with two calls per day at Chinese ports. Its customs clearance time is under six minutes and 98 per cent of the clearance needs no physical inspection.

"Sixty-six per cent of our container trade is made with Asia including 34 per cent with Greater China, said Grand Port Maritime du Havre marketing director Herve Cornede in a statement, adding "That is why it is essential to go and meet our Asian partners directly and exchange with them about the solutions offered in terms of cargo flow facilitation, connections, rapidity and flexibility of services.