Haropa grain traffic rises 33% as Rouen awaits faster new-crop loadings
Haropa Port handled 4.07 million tonnes of grain in the first half of 2026, up 33% year on year, according to La France Agricole. After Rouen loaded 8.4 million tonnes during the 2025/26 campaign, the port expects activity to accelerate despite Black Sea competition.
First-half grain volumes rise by one-third
Haropa Port handled 4.07 million tonnes of grain in the first half of 2026, an increase of 33% from the same period of 2025, La France Agricole reported. Terre-net gave a slightly different figure of 4.09 million tonnes shipped to non-EU countries during the period, also up 33%. May was particularly active, with more than 800,000 tonnes exported through Rouen.
The performance capped a strong 2025/26 marketing campaign. Rouen, described by Terre-net as Western Europe’s leading grain export port, loaded 8.4 million tonnes over the campaign, 61% more than in 2024/25. The previous season had been constrained by one of France’s weakest harvests on record. Rouen accounted for about 54% of French grain exports to non-EU destinations in 2025/26.
Barley and new Middle Eastern demand support the campaign
Barley was a major contributor, reaching 2.6 million tonnes, including 500,000 tonnes imported by Saudi Arabia. Morocco remained the leading destination for milling wheat, ahead of China and Côte d’Ivoire. Traditional markets in Morocco and West Africa were joined by stronger demand from the Middle East, which received nearly 900,000 tonnes of grain during the campaign.
Haropa nevertheless reported a more hesitant start to the 2026/27 campaign. Deputy chief executive Kris Danaradjou said on September 10 that the port expected loadings to return to full pace in the coming months. He cited a satisfactory French harvest, although heatwaves affected crops, and said Rouen’s broad hinterland allowed differences in grain quality between producing regions to be balanced.
Black Sea supply remains the central uncertainty
Competition from Russia and Ukraine will be decisive. Danaradjou said Russian and Ukrainian wheat was also reported to be of good quality, but actual competition would depend on both countries’ ability to move grain. He described that as both a logistical and organizational challenge and noted Russia’s shortage of refined products needed to support logistics.
French wheat currently has a favorable reputation among buyers examining all available origins, according to Terre-net. Grain quality could help Rouen continue diversifying destinations, but freight availability, Black Sea export capacity and disruptions on major shipping routes will influence purchasing decisions during the rest of 2026.
Port and silo investment expands export capacity
Haropa’s wider maritime traffic reached 42 million tonnes in the first half, up 5.7%. Container traffic rose 8% to 16 million tonnes, liquid bulk increased 2% to 18.7 million tonnes and dry bulk advanced 11% to 6.5 million tonnes. The Seine waterway remained operational during the summer heatwaves, unlike parts of the Rhine and Danube.
New capacity at Petit-Couronne is intended to reinforce Rouen’s position in large-scale grain exports. Terre-net reported that BZ Group invested €35 million in a 55,000-tonne silo, while La France Agricole put its capacity at 50,000 tonnes. Both publications reported a further €25 million investment by Haropa in the quay, berthing frontage and fenders to accommodate the largest bulk carriers. It is Rouen’s first new grain silo since the early 1990s.
