The Autonomous Port of Strasbourg (PAS), the second largest French river port after that of Paris, announced on Wednesday September 4 the launch of a project to create a new rail terminal, with the aim of doubling the quantity of goods transported by rail. “Today, we have completed the preliminary studies, we are launching the project”announced the port’s general manager, Claire Merlin, at a press conference.
This investment, amounting to 70 million euros, should allow the development of rail activity on the southern terminal of the port of Strasbourg, which has three river gantries, including one for heavy packages (up to 460 tonnes). “first phase of operation” is expected in 2026-2027, before a “gradual ramp-up”said Claire Merlin.
Doubling of rail traffic
This project is part of the port’s objective “contribute to the ecological transition” and become a “reindustrialization and decarbonization tool” of the economy, detailed Claire Merlin. It should also make it possible to strengthen the complementarity between modes of transport, after the episodes of low water on the Rhine in 2018 and 2022, which had penalized river activity.
The PAS general director is counting on a “doubling of rail traffic by 2030-2035”In 2023, 6.2 million tonnes of goods transited by waterway through the port of Strasbourg (mainly construction materials and cereals), compared to 900,000 tonnes by rail (mainly containers).
This project is part of a 200 million euro investment plan over 10 years. Nearly 25 million euros will be devoted to developing the infrastructure of the Lauterbourg terminal, in the far north-east of France, and 5 million euros will be invested in the river station. The port already has two other multimodal terminals (river, rail and road transport) in Strasbourg-nord and Lauterbourg. It achieved a turnover of 31 million euros in 2023.
