UN/LOCODE: FRLPE📍 France
Port of La Pallice (UN/LOCODE FRLPE)
❖ Coordinates: 46.1626°N, -1.2051°E
❖ Time Zone: Europe/Rome
❖ UN/LOCODE: FRLPE
## About the Port
La Pallice (UN/LOCODE **FRLPE**) is the deep‑water commercial terminal of the larger **Port of La Rochelle** in the Charente‑Maritime department, western France. Situated at **46.1625749 N, ‑1.205105 W**, La Pallice lies on the Bay of Biscay within the **Europe/Rome** time zone (UTC+1, summer UTC+2). The harbor benefits from a naturally protected inlet and a continental shelf that permits anchorage for vessels with drafts up to 12 m, making it one of the few Atlantic French ports capable of handling ultra‑large container ships (ULCS) and bulk carriers without extensive dredging.
The port is administered by the **Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle (GPMRL)**, a public‑private partnership responsible for the development of both La Pallice and the adjacent Grand‑Port complex. Its strategic position—approximately 500 km north of Bordeaux and 780 km south of Le Havre—places it at the crossroads of major North‑South Atlantic trade lanes and the intra‑European corridor linking the Atlantic façade to the Loire‑Val de Loire industrial belt.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) for La Pallice (2023 data) include:
- **Total cargo throughput:** ~ 9.7 Mt (million tonnes)
- **Container volume:** ~ 900 k TEU (twenty‑foot equivalent units)
- **Berthing capacity:** 21 berths (14 dedicated to containers, 5 to bulk, 2 multipurpose)
- **Annual vessel calls:** ~ 2 600
These figures situate La Pallice among the top 15 French ports by cargo volume, while its specialized facilities give it a unique niche in handling **industrial timber, petroleum products, and refrigerated cargo**.
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## History
### Early Foundations (17th–19th century)
The origins of La Pallice trace back to the 1620s when Cardinal Richelieu authorized the construction of a fortified harbour to protect the nearby town of La Rochelle. The natural cove was gradually deepened using manual labor, enabling the arrival of sailing vessels engaged in the Atlantic slave and wine trades. By the mid‑19th century, the harbour had evolved into a modest coal‑import terminal, reflecting the growth of France’s industrial heartland.
### The Submarine Base Era (1930s–1945)
In the 1930s, the French Navy selected La Pallice for a **U‑boat pens** project, anticipating a major naval base. Construction began in 1938, but the outbreak of World War II halted the program. The partially completed concrete shelters were subsequently seized by Nazi Germany in 1940 and converted into a submarine depot for the Kriegsmarine. The base housed Type VII and Type IX U‑boats until Allied bombings in 1944 demolished the structures, leaving a distinctive “hammerhead” silhouette still visible in aerial imagery.
### Post‑War Reconstruction and Commercial Expansion (1950s–1990s)
After 1945, La Pallice was rebuilt as a civilian cargo hub. The 1950s saw the installation of the first gantry cranes and the opening of a dedicated **oil terminal** (1962). The 1970s and 1980s brought containerisation; the port received its first container crane in 1978, triggering a rapid shift from break‑bulk to TEU handling. In 1992, the Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle was created, centralising management and attracting private investment for modern super‑post‑pandemic facilities.
### 21st‑Century Modernisation (2000–present)
The early 2000s marked a strategic shift toward **green logistics**. La Pallice invested in shore‑power infrastructure, shore‑based cargo handling equipment powered by renewable electricity, and a dredging program that deepened the main channel to 12 m. A 2017 agreement with the French Ministry of Ecological Transition earmarked € 125 M for further sustainability projects, including the installation of a 2 MW on‑site solar array and the deployment of a **hydrogen‑fuel‑cell powered reach stacker**—the first of its kind in a French Atlantic port.
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## Infrastructure & Facilities
### Berths and Quays
| Berth | Primary Cargo | Length (m) | Depth (m) | Crane Type |
|-------|----------------|------------|-----------|------------|
| 1‑8 | Containers | 380‑420 | 12.0 | Super‑post‑pandemic (45 t) |
| 9‑11 | Dry bulk | 300‑350 | 11.5 | Gantry (30 t) |
| 12‑14 | Ro‑Ro / Vehicles| 250‑300 | 11.0 | Mobile (20 t) |
| 15‑16 | Liquid bulk (oil, LPG) | 280‑320 | 12.0 | Fixed (40 t) |
| 17‑18 | Timber & Forest Products | 260‑310 | 11.0 | Gantry (25 t) |
| 19‑21 | Multipurpose | 290‑340 | 11.0 | Hybrid (30 t) |
The **container terminal** comprises a 600‑hectare lay‑down yard equipped with 12,000 TEU ground slots, 2,500 m of covered storage, and a **Rail‑Container Intermodal Facility (RCIF)** allowing direct loading onto SNCF freight trains. An adjacent **cold‑storage complex** (12 000 m³) supports perishable goods, primarily seafood from the Atlantic fishing fleet.
### Navigational Aids
- **VHF Channel 16** (distress), **Channel 71** (port traffic) for ship‑to‑shore communications.
- **Differential GPS (DGPS)** and **Automatic Identification System (AIS)** coverage throughout the basin.
- **Pneumatic‑fire‑fighting** installations on all berths, complying with IMO SOLAS Chapter II‑2 requirements.
### Supporting Services
- **Customs & Border Control:** Integrated within the GPMRL customs zone, facilitating “single‑window” clearance for EU‑wide trade.
- **Ship‑Repair Yard:** 10,000 m² covered slipway for minor hull maintenance, equipped for diesel‑engine overhauls.
- **Logistics Parks:** Two adjacent free‑trade zones host warehousing, light manufacturing, and distribution centers, offering tax incentives under the **French ZFU** (Zone Franche Urbaine) scheme.
For a full technical specification of the port’s equipment, see the **UN/LOCODE database** entry for FRLPE here↗.
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## Economic Importance
### Regional Impact
La Pallice is the economic engine of the Charente‑Maritime region, directly employing **≈ 2 400** port workers and indirectly supporting an additional **≈ 10 000** jobs in logistics, transport, and ancillary services. The port’s annual **gross value added (GVA)** exceeds € 1.2 bn, representing roughly **12 %** of the regional GDP.
### National Significance
Within France’s maritime network, La Pallice occupies a **strategic ancillary role** to the larger Atlantic ports of Bordeaux and Le Havre. It specializes in handling **forest‑product imports**, **petroleum derivatives**, and **high‑value refrigerated cargo**, thereby relieving congestion at the main hub ports. The port’s capacity to berth **Ultra‑Large Container Vessels (ULCVs)** up to 22 000 TEU enables direct trans‑Atlantic services, supporting France’s ambition to maintain a diversified maritime trade portfolio.
### Investment Outlook
The French Ministry of Ecological Transition’s **“Port 2030”** program earmarks € 210 M for La Pallice’s digitalisation (IoT‑enabled cargo tracking, AI‑driven berth allocation) and further **decarbonisation** (shore‑power for 80 % of visiting vessels by 2028). Private equity funds have shown interest in the terminal’s **cold‑chain logistics**, anticipating a 7 % CAGR in European seafood exports over the next decade.
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## Trade Routes & Major Cargo
### Core Trade Corridors
| Origin/Destination | Primary Commodities | Typical Vessel Size |
|--------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| **Rotterdam – La Pallice** | Finished automobiles, chemicals | Panamax (≈ 70 000 t) |
| **New York – La Pallice** | Grain, timber, LNG | Suezmax (≈ 150 000 t) |
| **Singapore – La Pallice** | Electronics, textiles (containerised) | ULCV (≈ 22 000 TEU) |
| **Algeria – La Pallice** | Crude oil, LPG | VLCC (≈ 300 000 t) |
| **Casablanca – La Pallice** | Fresh fish, canned seafood | Reefer‑equipped reefer vessels (≈ 10 000 t) |
The **Atlantic–Mediterranean corridor** links La Pallice with the **Rhine‑Alpine** trans‑European network via the **Canal du Midi** and rail connections to the **Lyon – Marseille** axis. The port's **intermodal terminal** handles an average of **1 500 000 TEU** per year that cross onto rail, facilitating onward distribution to inland European markets.
### Cargo Breakdown (2023)
- **Containerized goods:** 38 % (≈ 350 k TEU) – machinery, consumer electronics, automotive parts.
- **Dry bulk (grain, ores):** 26 % (≈ 2.5 Mt) – imports of wheat from the Black Sea and iron ore from Brazil.
- **Liquid bulk (fuel, chemicals):** 22 % (≈ 2.1 Mt) – refined petroleum from the Gulf of Mexico and petrochemical intermediates from the North Sea.
- **Refrigerated cargo:** 9 % (≈ 850 000 t) – Atlantic sardines, shellfish, and French foie gras destined for EU and Asian markets.
- **Project cargo & heavy lift:** 5 % (≈ 400 t) – wind‑turbine components and modular construction units for offshore energy projects.
The **Reefer terminal**’s capacity of 12 000 m³ makes La Pallice a preferred entry point for seafood exporters targeting the **Asian premium market**, where freshness and traceability standards are stringent.
### Emerging Trends
- **Renewable‑energy logistics:** The port is positioning itself as a hub for **offshore wind turbine components**, leveraging its heavy‑lift cranes and deep‑draft berths.
- **Digital trade documentation:** Implementation of the **e‑Customs** platform (aligned with the EU’s **Digital Single Window**) is projected to cut clearance times by 30 % within two years.
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*La Pallice continues to evolve from its historic wartime origins into a modern, sustainability‑focused gateway that underpins regional prosperity while contributing to France’s broader maritime strategy.*
Port Intelligence
UN/LOCODE
FRLPE
Country
France
Province / Region
Charente-Maritime
Latitude
46.162575
Longitude
-1.205105
Timezone
Europe/Rome
Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of La Pallice?
The official UN/LOCODE for Port of La Pallice is FRLPE.
Where is Port of La Pallice located?
The Port of La Pallice is located in France, Charente-Maritime. Its coordinates are 46.1626°N, -1.2051°E.
What time zone is Port of La Pallice in?
Port of La Pallice operates in the Europe/Rome time zone.
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About the World Port Index
This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.
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