France seaport freight traffic: cereals cargo
France seaport freight traffic: cereals cargo stood at 15.55 million tonnes 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo by type, all ports | |||||||||||
| Cereals | 15.55 | 14.32 | 15.28 | 18.79 | 17.03 | 19.88 | 18.54 | 17.18 | 13.79 | 18.36 | |
| Containers (including tare) | 58.79 | 58.13 | 50.89 | 58.39 | 59.22 | 48.75 | 55.23 | 55.9 | 56.09 | 50.91 |
Understanding france seaport freight traffic: cereals cargo
Quantifying the physical mass of cereal grains and agricultural produce processed through domestic maritime facilities, this series isolates grain shipments from all other maritime cargo categories. The enumeration covers bulk agricultural commodities such as wheat, barley, maize, and related field crops loaded or unloaded at commercial docks, excluding manufactured food products, animal feeds, and non-grain agricultural inputs. By focusing exclusively on cereals, researchers can evaluate the maritime throughput of major harvest surpluses and international agricultural supply chains without interference from industrial minerals or manufactured goods.
Reading these harvest-linked volumes demands awareness of agricultural seasonality and weather-dependent crop fluctuations, which can introduce sharp annual volatility. Analysts must rely on multi-year comparisons rather than single-period evaluations to distinguish structural trade patterns from temporary crop failures or bumper harvest surges. When comparing this maritime grain series with land-based rail or road transport metrics for agricultural products, users should note that port figures reflect international and coastal shipping hubs rather than inland collection points or domestic consumption centers.
Frequently asked questions
- What specific commodities are categorized under cereals in seaport freight statistics?
- The category captures bulk grains like wheat, barley, and corn moving through maritime ports, while excluding processed foodstuffs.
- How do harvest cycles affect this cereal cargo series?
- Annual tonnage swings often reflect domestic crop yields and international harvest timing rather than underlying shifts in port handling capacity.
- Does this series cover grain transported exclusively by rail or road?
- No, this metric tracks only grain moving through seaports, leaving inland rail and road shipments to separate transport datasets.