HAROPA PORT is developing the port of Bruyères-sur-Oise to create a new multimodal platform, 40 km from Paris in a bid to strengthen the green multimodal logistics corridor along the Seine — by significantly increasing rail and river traffic — and preparing the connection between the Seine and the Oise to the future Seine-North Europe Canal.

In 2022, a call for projects was made to allocate a site for the establishment of a logistics platform. MEDLOG, the logistics division of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, then emerged as the winner.

The plan is to create a trimodal logistics platform that will serve both a regional hinterland and France's leading consumer basin, as well as a national hinterland through the rail connection.

MEDLOG will take possession of the site on October 1 and start work immediately afterwards, with commissioning scheduled for the end of the 3rd quarter of 2024.

The trimodal logistics platform will fulfil several functions including handling several types of goods and flows: containers, bulk (cereals, aggregates, etc.), swap bodies, heavy parcels, etc.; and export-standard reconditioning of food-grade and refrigerated containers, with the possibility of maintaining the temperature of full refrigerated containers.

HAROPA said these containers can then be reused, either for local export positioning by lorry or to supply empty containers by train to a shortage export area.

It will also be used for the maintenance and repair of containers.

"Thanks to this site, MEDLOG will encourage intermodal transport and accelerate the decarbonisation of last-mile deliveries," the announcement said.