Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and French port handling services provider Terminaux de Normandie (TN) will invest more than US$153.7 million in the extension of container Port 2000 at the northwestern French port of Le Havre.

Through a newly set up entity, TNMSC, the two companies have signed an agreement with the port authority for three of the new berths at the container facility that will come into service in 2011.

The funds will be allocated for equipment of the new terminal.

The extension of Port 2000 is required because of the increase in MSC activities at Le Havre, where the company's container traffic has risen to 800,000 TEUs from 100,000 TEUs in 2000.