Agreements for the construction and operation of the Fos 2XL container terminal extension have been signed between the Port of Marseilles Authority and private operators Port Synergy - part of the CMA-CGM group - and MSC.
Due on stream in late 2009, Fos 2XL will treble current capacity at the French Mediterranean port to 2.1m TEU by 2011. Each operator has been granted a 35-year concession for one of the two new terminals being jointly developed, with infrastructure works to start next year.
The Port Synergy deal fixes a first-year target of 500,000 TEU - rising to 660,000 TEU per year - through a 50-hectare facility with 600 metres of quay. MSC is committed to an initial 700,000 TEU, rising to 800,000 TEU, from a 52-hectare terminal with an 800-metre quay. Annual rental/licence fees will be subject to bonus or penalty clauses matched to the targets.
The agreements confirm that the operators will be in overall charge of cargo-handling operations and personnel as well as being responsible for landside development including equipment and storage yards. This is expected to be worth about half the total cost of the project - put at more than euros400m million - with the port authority responsible for developing the infrastructure.