French technology group Thales has signed a contract with HAROPA – Port of Le Havre for a turnkey upgrade of the rail signalling installations on the 3R interlocking system.

The contract covers the supply, installation, testing and user training of the rail signalling solution, as well as preliminary studies.

As per the agreed terms, the company will upgrade the mechanical 3R system with a LockTrac PIPC electronic interlocking system, which will increase the capacity, availability and efficiency of the rail network.

"To support the growth in traffic volumes, we are making a concerted effort to upgrade the rail infrastructure at the port."

Expected to enter into service in June 2015, the new solution will help HAROPA to meet the increasing freight volumes at Port of Le Havre.

HAROPA network director Christian Feuvre said: "To support the growth in traffic volumes, we are making a concerted effort to upgrade the rail infrastructure at the port."

The contract is HAROPA’s third electronic interlocking system contract, which follows the installation of the port’s first computer-based interlocking system in 2008 and at the Port 2000 terminal.

Port of Le Havre’s rail network comprises 200km of track, 350 signals and six signal control centres, based on Thales’s LockTrac PIPC technology.

Currently, Thales’s LockTrac PIPC solution is installed on French rail network with almost 200 systems in operation.