The French port of Marseilles Fos said it is seeing signs of recovery in the world economy as the cargo volume handled by the twin ports in January rose 10 percent over the previous January.
Container throughput increased 27 percent year-over-year to 84,029 20-foot containers on the steep rise in deep-sea trade via Fos, where volume increased 42 percent to 65,251 TEUs.
Cargo tonnage passing through the twin ports in January totaled almost 7.2 million metric tons with increases in all the main categories.
General cargo was up 21 percent to 1.23 million metric tons including container tonnage of 820,000 metric tons, which grew 35 percent.
Roll-on, roll-off volume fell 11 percent to 250,000 metric tons after a 41 percent slump in exports from Corsica and Sardinia, but conventional traffic improved by a third to 160,000 metric tons due to revived demand for steel products.
Oil and gas volume increased 6 percent to 4.93 million metric tons thanks to refined products, for which a 57 percent increase in imports boosted the total by 35 percent to 1.5 million metric tons.
Crude imports dipped 2 percent to 2.87 million metric tons because the South European Pipeline – down 18 percent at 870,000 metric tons -- was out of action until mid- January after being fractured last August.
Following last year’s slump in demand for raw materials, a 49 percent increase in steel industry activity helped dry bulk volume improve 8 percent to 730,000 metric tons.
Separately, the Marseilles Fos port authority said it appointed Dirk Becquart, 45, to the new post of development director as of March 15.
He comes to the port from Ghent in his native Belgium, where he has been commercial director since 2006.
Container throughput increased 27 percent year-over-year to 84,029 20-foot containers on the steep rise in deep-sea trade via Fos, where volume increased 42 percent to 65,251 TEUs.
Cargo tonnage passing through the twin ports in January totaled almost 7.2 million metric tons with increases in all the main categories.
General cargo was up 21 percent to 1.23 million metric tons including container tonnage of 820,000 metric tons, which grew 35 percent.
Roll-on, roll-off volume fell 11 percent to 250,000 metric tons after a 41 percent slump in exports from Corsica and Sardinia, but conventional traffic improved by a third to 160,000 metric tons due to revived demand for steel products.
Oil and gas volume increased 6 percent to 4.93 million metric tons thanks to refined products, for which a 57 percent increase in imports boosted the total by 35 percent to 1.5 million metric tons.
Crude imports dipped 2 percent to 2.87 million metric tons because the South European Pipeline – down 18 percent at 870,000 metric tons -- was out of action until mid- January after being fractured last August.
Following last year’s slump in demand for raw materials, a 49 percent increase in steel industry activity helped dry bulk volume improve 8 percent to 730,000 metric tons.
Separately, the Marseilles Fos port authority said it appointed Dirk Becquart, 45, to the new post of development director as of March 15.
He comes to the port from Ghent in his native Belgium, where he has been commercial director since 2006.