Marseille Fos Repeats Q1 Cargo Result

General cargo rose 1 percent to 4.49MT led by container growth at Fos, which gained 3 percent for 263,038 teu. However, total box volumes slipped 3 percent to 304,664 teu – and by 1 percent to 2.93MT in tonnage terms - after a difficult start to the year at Marseille, where container traffic fell 27 percent to 41,626 teu. Added to conventional trades dropping 8 percent on 0.56MT, general cargo activity at Marseille ended 3 percent down despite ro-ro traffic rising 13 percent to 1MT. Ro-ro throughput included 45,688 trailers – up by 12 percent - and 51,492 import/export vehicles, a 35 percent increase. 

Marseille welcomed two developments in March. CMA CGM launched a new intra-Mediterranean container service, while Korean vessel Morning Caroline from Eukor Car Carriers made the first call at the Med Europe terminal on a monthly rotation linking the U.S., the Middle East and Singapore. 

Liquid bulks were stable on 12.36MT, driven by oil and gas throughput of 11.51MT. Crude imports rose 3 percent to 7.45MT – with refineries continuing to take advantage of low barrel prices – and included 144,000T delivered in March from Kharg Island after the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran. Refined products fell 21 percent to 2.19MT, reflecting a drop in both imports and exports. In contrast, LNG soared 57 percent to 1.18MT with strong import/export recoveries due to lower demand in Asia coupled with rising demand in Europe. LPG exports also rose but overall throughput was 6 percent down on 0.68MT. Liquid chemicals and agro-products gained 2 percent for 0.86MT, helped by strong exports of MTBE, benzene and vinyl chloride and a 41 percent rise in imports of castor and sunflower oils. 

Dry bulks dipped 3 percent to 3.3MT, mainly because a slump in steel industry activity saw imports of raw materials down by 8 percent on 2.2MT. Despite a rise in cereals exports, agro-bulks felt the loss of sugar imports after last year’s closure of a sugar refinery and fell 4 percent to 0.18MT. Other bulks improved 8 percent for 0.96MT, notably due to higher imports of peat and fertilizer. 

Passenger throughput started the year at half-pace, down 13 percent on a total of 269,000. Cruise numbers fell 16 percent to 150,000 - with 41 calls as against 48 in Q1 last year – including 55,000 home port passengers. Ferry carryings on the North Africa and more seasonal Corsica services fell 8 percent to 119,000.