2010.01.24The port of Marseilles "severely penalized" by the crisis in 2009

The total cargo traffic in 2009 declined by 13% compared to 2008 in the port of Marseilles, "significantly affected" by the international economic crisis, said Monday the direction of the first French port.
"The total traffic in 2009 the port of Marseilles-Fos was 83 million tons, a decrease of 13.3% compared to 2008, a particularly low level in the history of the port," said the direction of Major seaport of Marseille (GPMM) at a press conference.

The GPMM sees four main reasons for these poor results: the economic crisis, strikes that hit the port from January to July as part of port reform, new customs measures Algerian and cancellation of the order of operations LNG terminal from Gaz de France (GDF Suez) Cavaou-Fos in Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhone).

The traditional port activities most affected are the bulk solid (-40%), whose activity was "highly conditional on the ArcelorMittal has arrested one of its blast furnaces in 2009.

The hydrocarbons (-10%) and liquid bulk (-13%) sustained lower energy demand, and the accidental rupture of a pipeline from the Society of South European Pipeline (SPSE) in National Nature Reserve La Crau.

The trafficking of stock (-7%) suffered new Algerian customs measures including prohibiting the import of construction machinery used.

Among the activities in progress, container traffic, up 4%, has benefited from strong growth in trade with China (40%) that sits in first place in the partner countries to Algeria, the United U.S., Singapore and Turkey.

Biofuels (40%) have reached "a record" in excess of one million tonnes carried. Liquefied natural gas (27%) and cereals and sugar (36%) also show their good health.

The passenger traffic, which amounted to 2.07 million passengers over the year, a slight increase (+2%), driven by good results cruises (18%, 639,000 passengers). The activity is scheduled it for 3% decline because of competition from the port of Toulon and air transport, with 856,000 passengers bound for Corsica (-2%), 333,600 passengers bound for Algeria (-9%) and 244,600 flights to Tunisia (-5%).

The management has nevertheless wanted GPMM optimistic, indicating that the investment reached 128 million euros, a level that was reached only twice in the history of the port.

Furthermore, she stated that "the crisis did not enter the developmental capacity of the port, in announcing the commissioning in 2010 of the LNG terminal from Gaz de France (GDF Suez) Cavaou-Fos in Fos-sur - Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône) and a logistics platform Ikea. She also announced increased capacity oil depot at Fos-sur-Mer from 80,000 tonnes in 2010.

Anticipating "a gradual economic recovery in 2010, GPMM the table a total cargo traffic at 92 million tonnes, up 11%, thus reducing the activity of the port near its 2008 level.

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