Strategic investments and selective growth despite falling traffic volumes

In 2023, Port Réunion faced a notable decline in total traffic, marking a historic drop with 5.156 million tons handled, reflecting a 9% decrease compared to the previous year.

The decline extended to container exchanges, which fell to 3.017 million tons. Within this tonnage, 323,840 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were handled, including 70,000 transshipped units, indicating a 13 % decrease from 2022. Despite these challenges, certain sectors experienced noteworthy growth, notably conventional traffic by 83 %, grain by 7 %, and vehicles by 4 %. Additionally, the transition to biomass wood pellets contributed to a new flow of 262,629 tons, partially offsetting the decline in coal traffic.

In the cruise business, 29 calls were recorded with 20,498 passengers passing through the terminal. The majority of these calls were made by smaller vessels falling into the “luxury and/or expedition” category. Projections from the Indian Ocean Port Association suggest a continuation of this trend, with an anticipated total of 566 vessel calls across all categories, representing a 14 % increase compared to 2022.

Despite the challenges posed by declining traffic, the Maritime Grand Port remains committed to strategic investments and selective growth initiatives. In 2023, the port maintained its investment momentum, with record spending nearing 47 million EUR. Notable investments include the acquisition of a floating dock, slated for completion by the end of 2024, representing an investment of 19.5 million EUR. This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the French government, underscoring the port’s dedication to enhancing infrastructure and bolstering its capabilities for future operations.