Marseilles Fos сontainer volume up 16 percent in May
Cargo handled at leading French port Marseilles Fos through May reached 36.6 million metric tons -- up 6 percent on the first five months last year – with container throughput contributing a 16 percent increase in both tonnage and 20-foot equivalent units, the Marseilles Fos Port Authority said Monday.
Total container volume of 421,143 TEUs included 309,038 TEUs (up 10 percent) at the east-west Fos terminal – its best performance for three years – and a 37 percent rise to 112,105 TEUs in the mainly intra-Mediterranean trades handled at Marseilles.
Container tonnage of 4.1 million metric tons led general cargo to 6.7 million metric tons (up 18 percent). Roll-on, roll-off traffic advanced 3 percent to 1.6 million metric tons on the strength of North Africa trades, with trailer numbers up 1 percent on 72,396. Conventional traffic of almost 1 million metric tons maintained the 68 percent year-on-year surge due to revived demand for steel products.
Steel industry demand for raw materials saw dry bulk cargos leap 110 percent to 5 million metric tons. Chemicals industry traffic drove liquid bulks up by 37 percent to 1.47 million metric tons, which included 430,000 metric tons (up 27 percent) in biofuels.
Oil volume declined 8 percent to 23.3 million metric tons as crude imports continued to suffer from technical refinery shutdowns at home and abroad. Pipeline deliveries to Switzerland and Germany slumped 27 percent to 3.2 million metric tons, and imports for local refineries fell 10 percent to 11.5 million metric tons. Crude throughput should improve as the facility returns to full capacity following a plant breakdown last July. In addition, a new crude berth that came on stream in late April has restored full capacity at the Fos terminal.
Refined oil products rose 3 percent to 5.4 million metric tons, LPG was stable on 890,000 metric tons and LNG soared 19 percent to 2.3 million metric tons following the April 1 start of commercial operations at the Fos-Cavaou methane terminal.
Total container volume of 421,143 TEUs included 309,038 TEUs (up 10 percent) at the east-west Fos terminal – its best performance for three years – and a 37 percent rise to 112,105 TEUs in the mainly intra-Mediterranean trades handled at Marseilles.
Container tonnage of 4.1 million metric tons led general cargo to 6.7 million metric tons (up 18 percent). Roll-on, roll-off traffic advanced 3 percent to 1.6 million metric tons on the strength of North Africa trades, with trailer numbers up 1 percent on 72,396. Conventional traffic of almost 1 million metric tons maintained the 68 percent year-on-year surge due to revived demand for steel products.
Steel industry demand for raw materials saw dry bulk cargos leap 110 percent to 5 million metric tons. Chemicals industry traffic drove liquid bulks up by 37 percent to 1.47 million metric tons, which included 430,000 metric tons (up 27 percent) in biofuels.
Oil volume declined 8 percent to 23.3 million metric tons as crude imports continued to suffer from technical refinery shutdowns at home and abroad. Pipeline deliveries to Switzerland and Germany slumped 27 percent to 3.2 million metric tons, and imports for local refineries fell 10 percent to 11.5 million metric tons. Crude throughput should improve as the facility returns to full capacity following a plant breakdown last July. In addition, a new crude berth that came on stream in late April has restored full capacity at the Fos terminal.
Refined oil products rose 3 percent to 5.4 million metric tons, LPG was stable on 890,000 metric tons and LNG soared 19 percent to 2.3 million metric tons following the April 1 start of commercial operations at the Fos-Cavaou methane terminal.