Port Of Marseilles News

Mr. Jacques R. Saade, founding president of the CMA CGM Group, died on June 24, 2018 at the age of 81, according to the company. Jacques R. Saadé dedicated his life to CMA CGM. An extraordinary visionary and entrepreneur, he made the group into a world leader in the maritime transport of containers, developing the company in more than 160 countries, while maintaining the family dimension with its values. After having left Lebanon to protect his family for Civil War, Jacques R Saadé founded the Compagnie Maritime d’Affretement (CMA) 40 years ago…

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is leading a Port of Long Beach delegation on a weeklong business development trip this week to meet with executives at the European home offices of the world’s three largest shipping lines. The group will update Port customers on the impact of the recent labor negotiations and steps being taken to improve congestion and make the Port more efficient. Delegation members include Harbor Commission President Doug Drummond, Commission Vice President Rich Dines, Commissioner Lou Anne Bynum and Harbor Department Chief Executive Jon Slangerup. "It's incredibly important that we let our customers know that despite the labor negotiation process and congestion, the Port of Long Beach is still the best place to do business on the West Coast," said Mayor Garcia.

A development partnership including the Port of Marseilles Authority (PMA) has outlined plans for further expansion of inland waterways traffic following 60% growth in five years. The latest objectives, focusing on container and dry bulk trades for the period 2008-2012, maintain a co-operation agreement signed in 2002 by the port, waterways authority Voies Navigables de France and the Compagnie Nationale du Rhone (CNR) covering 550km of waterways in the Rhone-Saone corridor. In the first five years of the initiative, total cargo volumes for containers, oil products and dry/liquid bulks rose from 1.8 to 2.7million tonnes, giving the waterways a 5.34% share of hinterland traffic compared with 3.65% in 2002.

The Port of Marseilles Authority has launched a call for tenders for the lease of drydock No 1 and part of wet dock No 7 with the aim of expanding its repair facilities for super yachts. The facilities, which include yard areas and workshops, are aimed at the thriving market for super yachts ranging from 80-120 metres long. Similar deals were concluded with ITM in 2001 - for docks 3, 4, 5 and 6 - and with Sud Moteurs in 2005 for dock 2 and part of berth 7. The remaining part of berth 7 now up for tender is 104m long and 23m wide. Dock 1 is 171m long, 19.75m wide and has a workshop of 1100sq m as well as a 1950sq m yard. The port authority says the operator will be able to offer services to other types of vessels compatible with the dock's dimensions.

Oiltanking Mediaco Marseille has confirmed plans to construct $294.5m refined products depot at the Port of Marseilles Authority’s Fos oil terminal. With a first phase due on stream in 2010, the 800,00 cu m facility offers additional throughput potential of six million tons a year at Marseilles-Fos – already the world’s third biggest petroleum port – reinforcing its Mediterranean hub role in refined products trades. The partners in the new company are Oiltanking, a subsidiary of Hamburg’s Marquard & Bahls, and Marseilles-based Mediaco. Oiltanking is said to be the world’s second largest independent tank farm operator, with 73 storage terminals in 21 countries…

The Port of Marseilles Authority (PMA) has briefed unions and staff on government plans for the ‘re-launch’ of French ports - as required by a timetable for local consultations at each port before parliament considers the legal framework this spring. PMA director-general Guy Janin outlined the aims and procedure this week at press conferences in Marseilles and Paris detailing the port’s 2007 results, which set new records for general cargo – including containers – and passenger volumes. Janin confirmed that, following a government announcement on January 15, the port had held initial meetings to inform personnel of the broad proposals…

Cargo throughput at the Port of Marseilles-Fos to the end of November was marked by sustained growth in container and liquid bulks traffic, while passenger numbers continued to be boosted by the cruise sector. In contrast, oil and dry bulk volumes fell by a combined five million tonnes compared with the first 11 months last year to leave the cargo total down 4.3% for the period on 87.9MT. The port authority says that 2008 throughput should recover to the 2006 level of more than 100MT as the Fos Cavaou methane terminal, a second Arcelor-Mittal steel foundry and the Cap Vracs clinker and cement works come on stream. Among the 2007 high spots, January-November container traffic rose 4.5% to almost 908,000 teu, with east-west trades via Fos up 8.1% on 647,000 teu.

British shipbuilder Cammell Laird Holdings Plc is expected to price its high-yield bond issue at around 11.5 percent, sources familiar with the deal said on Thursday. The bond issue of 125 million euros ($109 million) of 10-year senior notes, non-callable for five years, will be launched early next week. Cammell Laird will use the proceeds to repay existing debt and part-fund acquisitions. The company has recently been expanding into the U.S. and Europe, signing a long-term deal with the French port of Marseilles and an initial agreement with U.S. firm Cascade General Inc. The bond issue, lead-managed by Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette comes after Cammell Laird raised about $20 million through a share placing in August.

The final stage of renovating shiprepair drydocks 8 and 9 at the Port of Marseilles will be carried out in 2005 with renewal of the electricity supply at a cost of Euro404,000. The work will be entirely funded by the port authority, which leases out the facilities, and takes total expenditure to more than €6m under an upgrade programme approved in 1999. Previous improvements include a €1.2m overhaul of the pumping station, acquisition of a mobile crane for €1.4m and overhaul of the Titan heavy-lift crane for €1m. Refurbishment of the dock gates is currently under way at an estimated cost of €2.4m. The docks were built in 1960 and are large enough to accept 90% of ships in the world fleet.

Container throughput at the Port of Marseilles totaled 826,000 teu to the end of October - a 3.7 rise on the first ten months last year - marked by a 6.8% increase to 586,000 teu on east-west volumes through Fos. Box tonnage of 8.37 million tons (+6.9%) helped general cargo to a 5.1% improvement on 14.48MT, which also included a 6% rise in RoRo traffic to 3.65MT. Liquid bulks maintained the upward trend, finishing the period 6.6% better on 2.83MT, but total port traffic slipped 3.5% to 80.24MT due to continuing lower demand in the high volume oil and dry bulk sectors. Warm weather saw oil throughput 2% worse at 51.93MT despite a three-point rally in crude imports to 37MT. Against 4% growth in LNG to 3.41MT, refined products and LPG were down 15% on 11.5MT.

The Port of Marseilles Authority has set up a simulator-based international training center in Fos for crane and equipment operators handling cargo such as containers and dry bulks. Responding to internal and external demand for competence training, the facility is currently focused on initial and refresher courses for PMA personnel but will be available to outside clients from next February. Training is largely based on a $2.3m latest generation simulator developed in association with Global-SIM. Featuring eight projectors, a 7-meter screen and an operator’s cabin, the system uses 3D images to replicate working scenarios for various equipment, weather conditions, vessel types and incidents.

Despite increases in general cargo and liquid bulks, January-September throughput at leading French cargo port Marseilles-Fos slipped to 72.03 million tonnes – down 2.7% on the first nine months last year - due to lower oil and dry bulk volumes. General cargo rose 6% to 13.05MT, led by an 8.4% increase in container tonnage to 7.55MT on the back of Far East imports. Ro-ro traffic contributed 3.3MT (+5.6%) while conventional trades were down 0.9% on 2.2MT. In unit terms, box traffic grew 4.8% to 744,000 teu. Petro-chemicals demand saw liquid bulks throughput improve 10.8% on 2.56MT but reduced steel industry demand prompted a 15.7% fall in dry bulks to 10.35MT. The oil sector experienced contrasting fortunes to finish 2.3% down at 46.07MT.

First-half east-west volumes through Fos container terminal rose by 7% compared with the first six months last year, helping total box throughput at the Port of Marseilles to a 3.5% increase on 488,000 teu. Container tonnage improved by 6.6% to almost five million tonnes, leaving general cargo 5.7% better at 8.7MT. The balance was split between ro-ro (2.1MT/+7.5%) and conventional trades (1.6MT/+0.8%). The overall cargo total of 47.8MT for January-June was down 2.4% on last year due to lower oil and dry bulk volumes. Contrasting demand saw oil traffic slip 2% to 30.2MT. Crude oil imports for local refineries rose 17% to 16.4MT but pipeline deliveries to Swiss and German refineries fell 15% to 5MT. Refined products/LPG ended 25% worse on 6.7MT whereas LNG gained 3% to 2.1MT.

Costa Crociere is both a historical cruise company in France, having had a presence there since the 1950s, and also the market leader, accounting for over 50% of French cruisers (120,000 Guests in 2006). The number of Costa Crociere’s French Guests has almost quadrupled since 1993. With this position on the French market, Costa has also built its success on an important partnership with Marseilles. Rocketing growth in recent years shows that French people are more aware of and keener on cruise holidays. Costa Crociere saw its recall rates rise from 5% in 1993 to 75% in 2006 (from a TNS, Infratest survey in September 2006). Costa Cruises ranks fourth in assisted recall tests among French travellers and cruisers…

Guy Janin has been named the new director-general of the Port of Marseilles Authority. Janin, 58, has been head of the inland waterways authority Voies Navigables de France (VNF) since 2004. His nomination by the French minister of transport and maritime affairs was approved at a port board meeting on November 24 and is due to be formally ratified at a government cabinet meeting. Predecessor Eric Brassart, 56, stepped down in October following a sympathy strike by the port’s CGT union members opposing plans to privatize State ferry operator SNCM. The government marked his departure with praise for the port’s growth during his eight-year tenure and stressed that he is to be assigned to new tasks.