The La Perrière group (LP Group) opens on May 3, on the logistics center of the Roland-Hoarau activity zone, the South Container Terminal intermediate storage platform, with a capacity of 1,200 containers. A first and a major logistical advance for the territory, which will facilitate the transport and delivery to companies in the South of goods imported by boat.
Intermediate storage platforms, said dry ports, have grown across the world in recent years. They make it possible to decongest the unloading ports, to control the cost of road transport of containers by massifying the flow and to develop logistics service centers for businesses in micro-regions. This is the objective of Sud Conteneur Terminal (SCT) in the meeting. Specialist in port handling and business logistics services, LP Group takes the initiative to create a dry port in Pierrefonds to better serve the southern economic basin and its development dynamics. It is estimated that a third of the containers unloaded for import at the port of Pointe des Galets – 126,300 TEU (Twenty foot equivalent) handled in 2023 — are in fact intended for the South of Reunion. This is an old project, remained on paper 15 years ago, despite the support in particular from the CCI Réunion, which is emerging today thanks to this private operator. The La Perrière Group is investing several million euros in this three-hectare space with a capacity of 1,200 containers., including around forty refrigerated containers, offering high quality service and operational flexibility benefiting the entire supply chain. Thanks to this intermediate storage site, companies in the South basin have even greater assurance of being delivered within 24 to 48 hours. This is an additional logistics solution offered to importing companies by the company Sud Conteneur Terminal, new subsidiary of LP Group.
A transport in two stages
Currently, container transport takes place mainly during the day during the opening hours of the recipient companies (in the morning and early afternoon). Les rolltainers (trucks with an articulated arm to lift containers) can rarely transport more than one container per day to the South, taking into account the distances to be covered and the traffic difficulties. With the offer from Sud Conteneur Terminal, containers unloaded at the East Port and intended for the southern market will be transported by shuttle to Pierrefonds at the end of the day or early evening. They will then be available to customers the next day for “last mile” delivery.. This system makes it possible to optimize means of transport, deployed in the morning for deliveries to customers in the North and East economic areas, then in the second part of the day to make the shuttles towards the South. We see the full advantage of such a system which benefits from the greater fluidity of traffic in the late afternoon and early evening.. Deliveries are finally being made more safely and quickly and carriers are increasing the number of their deliveries.. On his side, Port Réunion is freed of part of its containers awaiting delivery, which means less waiting in the morning for the queue of trucks at the entrance to the port.
container transport to the south despite traffic jams.
Pierrefonds meeting, new sea freight destination
The new subsidiary of the La Perrière Group is managed by Christophe Guenneguez, also director of Réunion Inland, the group’s logistics services company. Six workstations should be created when the installation has found its rhythm. The official inauguration on May 3 was attended by the president of LP Group., Arnault Brac De La Perrière, and many economic actors. Started several months ago, Explanatory work continues with all parties concerned : shipping companies, industrial, importers, tradespeople, carriers, freight forwarders, etc. This project was presented, especially, to shipping companies so that they include a new destination in their freight offers : Pierrefonds meeting. “We chose this location because the South is a very dynamic region economically., commercial, demographic. The objective is to be able to serve customers in the South more effectively. Our dry port brings goods closer to their final recipients and carriers can optimize their work tools by increasing the number of rotations carried out. Faced with the problem of traffic jams and port congestion, it is the possibility of a better spread of container transport. Furthermore, this solution also allows the customer to return their empty container to Pierrefonds and no longer to the East Port. »
No change in customs formalities
The South Container Terminal platform has the status of a temporary storage facility (IS). No waste of time in customs formalities which continue to be carried out at the seaport, even when the container arrived at the dry port. All regulatory procedures relating to the traceability of goods are ensured by the new site, connected to the information system linking all transport and logistics players in Reunion. Just like at the Port, the goods are released once the formalities have been completed. Thanks to the automated number plate and container number recognition system, the traceability of the goods is guaranteed during the storage period at Sud Conteneur Terminal. Finally, the platform is also aimed at exporting companies from the South : it is intended to serve in the other direction. A container intended for export deposited at the dry port will be taken care of the next day by the return shuttles to Port Réunion.
THE REUNION INLAND COLD WAREHOUSE
LP Group is at the origin of another important recent piece of equipment : the Réunion Inland cold storage warehouse entered into operation at the Port in December 2023. The equipment filled the lack of large volume refrigeration installations in the port activity area. With a storage capacity of some 3,500 pallets, this cold storage warehouse is equipped with cold rooms at — 22 degrees. It mainly meets the needs of frozen food importers, developing sector in Reunion.
THE TWO PILLARS OF THE LA PERRIÈRE GROUP
Resulting from the takeover of the Georges Michel Group by Jean de La Perrière in 2003, LP Group divides its activity between two major businesses. The maritime : with a shipping agency, port handling and dry and refrigerated logistics. Mobility : with vehicle rental (LP Group represents Avis and Budget in Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius) and soft mobility with electric assist bikes for businesses and communities via its subsidiary Cirkul.
