WORLD WORLDWIDE FRANCE News Journal Update - (en) France, UCL AL #336 - Ecology, Port Development: Democratic and Ecological Contempt in Le Havre (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 In Seine-Maritime, the local UCL group publishes a quarterly local information

brochure, Paroles Libertaires. This month we are publishing one of their
articles, taking stock of the harmful consequences for the environment of the
port works in Le Havre. ---- While the secretary general of the Élysée, Alexis
Kolher, is indicted for " illegal taking of interests ", having failed to declare
his family ties with the maritime company Mediterranean shipping company (MSC),
while he intervened on behalf of the public administration on several files
concerning it, TIL-MSC announced with great fanfare an investment plan of 700
million euros over six years in the two new container stations of Port 2000, in
Le Havre . Édouard Philippe, present at the ceremony, applauded a " historic
announcement " and the 1,100 job creations promised, including 900 dockers. In
turn, Christophe Béchut, Minister for Ecological Transition, outbids the
opportunity to decarbonise the transport of goods that such investments
represent. The commercial objective is to increase from 1.3 million containers
per year to 4.5 million for the Normandy terminal alone.

If maritime transport, by scale effect, is indeed the mode of transport that
emits the least carbon, there is no question here of reducing global trade in
goods or of doing without the need for transport by aiming for self-sufficiency.
regionalized production. On the contrary, the new 700 meters of docks and the
tripling of electrical outlets for refrigerated containers will leave the field
open to environmental aberrations consisting in importing highly perishable
foodstuffs from the other side of the world and " capturing market share " in the
ports of northern Europe. " Sobriety ", which has recently been applied to all
languages, seems to mean a deepening of competition without any questioning of
production methods and the capitalist system.

Massive investment for cruise ships
Within the port, it is not the only development project that is part of this
forced commercial logic. An investment of 100 million euros is on the table for a
total overhaul of the tip of Florida dedicated to cruise ships. On the side of
the decision-makers of the town hall, we are assured that the project includes a
promenade open to the population, as if it were the daily concern of the people
of Le Havre to be able to stroll in a space located in an industrial zone!

What is indeed targeted is the 40% increase in reception to reach 600,000
passengers per year and to use Le Havre as a political showcase for a mayor with
devouring ambitions. If an electrification of berths is also planned, allowing
ships to stop their engines during the stopover, this does not detract from the
energy consumption of these floating leisure towns which now symbolize the emblem
of the superfluous which it should get rid of.

The new 700 meters of quays and the tripling of electrical outlets for
refrigerated containers will leave the field open to environmental aberrations
consisting in importing highly perishable foodstuffs from the other side of the
world.
Photo: Alexandre Prevost
Disregard for labor law
Put forward as the consequence of the war in Ukraine, the tension on France's gas
supply is above all a consequence of the inaction of the ruling class in the face
of the problem of our dependence on fossil fuels. With the approach of winter,
the authorities have already warned the populations that load shedding, both
electricity and gas, were to be expected. The 2023-2024 winter season promises to
be even worse. This prompted the government to ask Total to install a floating
LNG terminal in the port of Le Havre. This could provide 10% of French consumption.

However, environmental associations and political organizations are opposed to
such an installation which, by its mobile nature, derogates from the usual law
concerning safety, the environment and work to which it would fall if it were
fixed. No more 35 h, let's make way for the regime applicable to sailors : 48 h
per week up to 91 h with overtime. Suffice to say that the " fatigue " factor
risks unduly increasing the accident rate, as shown by the statistics of the
merchant navy. Also out of the Seveso standard and traditional risk prevention plans.

https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Developpement-portuaire-Mepris-democratique-et-ecologique-au-Havre
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