On Friday, March 29, 2024, the Rouen Administrative Court dismissed a motion aiming to halt the construction of the river access channel in Le Havre, also known as the “cat flap.” This decision allows Haropa Port to proceed with preparatory work for the embankment, which aims to enhance river barge access to Port 2000.
The court ruling, issued on the same day, rejected the motion seeking to suspend the government’s official order from June 19, 2023, which authorized the project’s commencement. The court stated that none of the arguments presented by the applicants raised serious doubts about the legality of the order. Consequently, the motion for suspension was dismissed without urgency.
The project entails constructing an 1,800-meter-long river channel protected by an embankment, facilitating a direct link between Port 2000 and the Seine basin, France’s largest employment and consumer region.
Funding for the project is provided by the Normandy regional authority (€82.75m), central government (€23.60m), and EU funds (€11m). This investment is crucial for promoting multimodality along the Seine Axis and creating a green corridor for decarbonizing logistics chains.
Preparatory work for the embankment began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in nearly two years.
