PARIS, FRANCE — Senalia, a French-based company that operates the largest port and food industry grain silos in the port of Rouen, said it plans to temporarily stop taking delivery and loading grains at its 250,000-tonne Grand-Couronne silo near the port of Rouen, according to Reuters. The silo is expected to be offline for more than four months, from Sept. 1 to Jan. 19, 2019, while Senalia modernizes the site, Reuters said.

Gilles Kindelberger, director general at Senalia, told Reuters that other silos and docks managed by Senalia will remain open, which should help ease the impact on export flow. The shutdown also will be minimized by an expected slowdown in French grain exports due to lower supplies.

Kindelberger said the Grand-Couronne silo accounts for approximately half of Senalia’s grain capacity in Rouen. Modernization work includes the replacement of three loading gantries, he said.

“This investment will allow us to receive Panamax in mid-January and load them without having to change dock,” he told Reuters.