Six French retail giants agreed to significantly increase river transport along the Rhône-Saône axis. Auchan, Casino, Carrefour, Conforama, Ikea and Leroy Merlin have signed a deal with the French government, CNR (Compagnie Nationale du Rhône), and VNF (Voies Navigables de France) which manage the waterway. Over the next weeks, the six firms will shift around 16,000 tonnes of non-food merchandise from road to river transport, the equivalent of 1,200 trucks. 5 years from now, some 200,000 trucks will be replaced by barges on this congested route. This represents a 50% increase in river transport for the six, as well as a cut in CO2 emissions of 1,469 tonnes and savings up to 499 tonnes of fuel, good for a city of 10,000 inhabitants.

The initiative is a big boost to the Rhône. Only seven years ago, the port of Lyon transshipped 2,000 containers, today 60,000 boxes are handled. This deal aims at doubling the present volumes on Rhône and Saône in the context of sustainable mobility and reducing road traffic which currently takes 80% of the freight. According to one of the mass distribution companies, costs are more or less identical to other modes of transport, and, with good planning, the time taken is scarcely any longer. Some firms like Conforama and Auchan have already been faithful water clients for many years. A facilitated customs procedure helped to convince the others to join in.

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