Container traffic at the port of Marseille shrunk 9 percent in the first half of 2011 from a year ago largely due to strikes that slashed volume at the start of the year.France’s second-largest box port, along with other French ports, is seeking to boost traffic following an agreement with unions over government labor reform plans in February that ended three years of rolling nationwide strikes, Journal of Commerce reports. Marseille handled 462,781 20-foot equivalent units in the period, making it unlikely it will achieve its full year target 1 million TEUs, the second year running it has fallen short due to labor unrest.
The decline in container volume contrasts with first half increases of 4.3 percent at Antwerp and 10 percent at the German inland port of Duisburg.
Total traffic was broadly unchanged at 44.6 million tons, as a two million tons rise in fuel shipments, mainly liquefied natural gas, was balanced by a 1.6 million tons drop in dry bulk trade, mainly steel.
General cargo tonnage, including containers, was down 7 percent at 7.7 million tons.
Marseille and Le Havre, France’s biggest box port, are focusing their marketing efforts on the millions of France-bound containers that pass through foreign ports, led by Rotterdam and Antwerp.
The decline in container volume contrasts with first half increases of 4.3 percent at Antwerp and 10 percent at the German inland port of Duisburg.
Total traffic was broadly unchanged at 44.6 million tons, as a two million tons rise in fuel shipments, mainly liquefied natural gas, was balanced by a 1.6 million tons drop in dry bulk trade, mainly steel.
General cargo tonnage, including containers, was down 7 percent at 7.7 million tons.
Marseille and Le Havre, France’s biggest box port, are focusing their marketing efforts on the millions of France-bound containers that pass through foreign ports, led by Rotterdam and Antwerp.