France seaport container traffic: all ports TEU
France seaport container traffic: all ports TEU stood at 6,460.15 thousand TEU in 2025, according to SDES – Service des données et études statistiques (Ministère de la Transition écologique). It is one of the indicators in the Freight transport (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2000 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Freight transport (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Container traffic, all ports8 | 6,460.15 | 6,268.58 | 5,671.82 | 6,491.57 | 6,283.82 | 5,255.92 | 5,831.22 | 5,933.67 | 5,834.14 | 5,356.95 | |
| HAROPA (Le Havre, Rouen, Paris) | 3,221.58 | 3,100.47 | 2,615.64 | 3,109.34 | 3,092.17 | 2,405.32 | 2,824.45 | 2,934.11 | 2,946.31 | 2,606.65 | |
| Marseille-Fos | 1,453.29 | 1,454.82 | 1,336.66 | 1,520.72 | 1,421.02 | 1,317.67 | 1,454.62 | 1,407.39 | 1,362.2 | 1,251.74 |
Understanding france seaport container traffic: all ports TEU
Counting containerized cargo units across all national maritime gateways in thousand TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units), this measure aggregates standard box volumes handled nationwide. The scope includes loaded and empty standard intermodal containers moving through both mainland and overseas ports, while excluding non-containerized bulk items like liquid fuels or loose aggregates. Unlike tonnage-based metrics that emphasize heavy raw materials, this indicator specifically targets manufactured and consumer goods transported within standardized boxes.
Interpreting national container counts requires awareness of transshipment shifts where boxes change vessels within domestic waters, which can double-count physical units if not normalized. Analysts should avoid treating TEU totals as direct proxies for cargo weight, because a twenty-foot box can vary widely in contents. Comparing annual figures reveals broader shifts in global supply chain integration and domestic retail import demand, neutralizing month-to-month logistical bottlenecks.
Frequently asked questions
- What does TEU stand for in this container traffic measure?
- TEU stands for Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, a standard measure used for intermodal container capacity and throughput.
- Are empty containers included in the thousand TEU tally?
- Yes, both loaded and empty standard containers are counted to reflect total handling activity across port terminals.
- How does this series differ from seaport tonnage statistics?
- TEU metrics count standardized box volumes regardless of weight, whereas tonnage measures the physical mass of all bulk and break-bulk goods.