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Logistics in Le Havre: France's gateway for container traffic

With about 165,000 inhabitants, Le Havre is the largest city in Seine-Maritime and one of the most important port cities in Europe. Its port is part of HAROPA Port, which groups Le Havre, Rouen and Paris along the Seine, and it handles more container traffic than any other French port. The deep-water terminals of Port 2000 serve large container vessels on intercontinental routes, and a dense network of shipping lines, agents and logistics companies has grown around them.

Industry is equally present across the region. The estuary is home to refineries and petrochemical plants around Gonfreville-l'Orcher and Port-Jérôme, while a vehicle plant in Sandouville adds automotive supply traffic. Engineering and maintenance companies serving the port and the energy sector need spare parts, tools and heavy equipment on short schedules.

The city centre, rebuilt after the Second World War to plans by Auguste Perret, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts cruise passengers and visitors. For British businesses, Le Havre is therefore both a delivery destination in its own right and a starting point for sea freight to other continents, which makes punctual road freight from the UK a key part of the chain.

The route from the UK to Le Havre

Most vehicles cross on the ferry from Dover to Calais, while Le Shuttle offers the tunnel alternative between Folkestone and Coquelles. On the French side, the A16 follows the coast south to Abbeville, where the A28 continues towards Rouen. Near Neufchâtel-en-Bray the vehicle switches to the A29, which runs west via Yvetot to Le Havre, roughly 280 km from Calais. For loads collected along the south coast, the Newhaven–Dieppe ferry is another option, leaving around 110 km of road to Le Havre. We choose the crossing according to where the goods are collected.

The Pont de Normandie crosses the Seine estuary towards Honfleur and the A13, which links Caen and Paris, while the A131 leads to the Tancarville bridge. Collections from the Portsmouth area can also use the ferry to Caen and approach Le Havre over the Pont de Normandie.

Customs formalities for Normandy

Because France is an EU member, goods from Great Britain require an export declaration in the UK and an import declaration on arrival in the EU, with EORI numbers for both sides. At the ports and the Channel Tunnel, GVMS links these declarations to the vehicle through a Goods Movement Reference. DAGO Express does not handle customs clearance; please have your customs agent prepare everything before loading begins.

DAGO Express: your freight partner between the UK and Le Havre

Over 15,000 companies trust our network of more than 50,000 vehicles in 38 countries. If a vehicle breaks down, we bring in a replacement vehicle at once so that the transport to the terminal can continue. Cross-border transports are handled by verified partners with a valid EU licence and, where dangerous goods are concerned, an ADR licence. Our team monitors transports around the clock, including at weekends and on public holidays, and our processes are ISO 9001 certified.

Insurance through the Schunck Group protects your consignment up to 8.33 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, and higher-value goods can receive additional cover at short notice. As soon as you book, you receive a tracking link, and emails keep you informed at collection and at delivery. For regular volumes, the DAGO ShipperHub gives you an overview of orders, ETAs and KPIs, with real-time reports and an API for your ERP system.

To check the price, use our online calculator: add the postcodes, dimensions and weight, and the figure appears in seconds. You can also book through the DAGO app or ask for a quote by email. From Le Havre, our network continues to Paris, Belgium and the rest of Europe.