Port of Marseille half-year throughput down 4%, box traffic up 14%

Cargo throughput at the port of Marseille (France) in January-June 2012 decreased by 4% compared with the same period in 2011, to 42.7 million tons, the Port Authority said.

At the same time, container traffic at the port increased by 14% to 520,130 TEUs, container throughput at FOS terminals rose 18% to 400,000 TEUs.

Overall cargo volume decline was due to the fall in shipments of crude oil and raw materials for the steel industry.
Passenger traffic at the port increased by 8% to 855,400 people. In June, the port was visited by more than 110,000 passengers of cruise ships.