Container throughput at the French port of Marseilles-Fos hit the one million-TEU mark for the first time last year, when a new record was also set for ro-ro volumes.
The annual container throughput figure included 10 per cent growth in east-west trades, which port authorities hailed "as a symbolic step towards increasing Fos traffic to two million TEU from 2010".
This date is significant as two new container terminals are due to come on stream in 2010 under the Fos 2XL development. Construction started last autumn, a statement from port authorities said.
In spite of general cargo posting a five per cent increase last year over 2006, total cargo throughput failed to reach the 100 million tonnes achieved in 2006, after slipping 3.7 per cent year on year to 96.3 million tonnes in 2007.
Ro-ro traffic grew six per cent in 2007 to reach 4.3 million tonnes, while dry bulk traffic was down by more than 2.3 per cent over the previous year. The decline was largely attributed to the temporary closure of a local steelworks for renovation. Oil volumes fell 2.6 per cent to 62.5 million tonnes, which port authorities described as being in line with average totals for the past five years, "after an 11.4 per cent drop in refined products imports and lower pipeline deliveries to Swiss and German refineries due to a major increase in crude prices".
The port expects a return to overall growth in 2008 with a predicted total cargo volume of around 102 million tonnes - helped by the re-opening of the steelworks and the mid-year debut of the Gaz de France GDF2 plant, which is expected to generate an additional 6.6 million tonnes of dry bulk in a full year.
By 2011, cargo volumes are expected to rise 30 million tonnes following the completion of various industrial developments authorised since 2001, the release said.
The annual container throughput figure included 10 per cent growth in east-west trades, which port authorities hailed "as a symbolic step towards increasing Fos traffic to two million TEU from 2010".
This date is significant as two new container terminals are due to come on stream in 2010 under the Fos 2XL development. Construction started last autumn, a statement from port authorities said.
In spite of general cargo posting a five per cent increase last year over 2006, total cargo throughput failed to reach the 100 million tonnes achieved in 2006, after slipping 3.7 per cent year on year to 96.3 million tonnes in 2007.
Ro-ro traffic grew six per cent in 2007 to reach 4.3 million tonnes, while dry bulk traffic was down by more than 2.3 per cent over the previous year. The decline was largely attributed to the temporary closure of a local steelworks for renovation. Oil volumes fell 2.6 per cent to 62.5 million tonnes, which port authorities described as being in line with average totals for the past five years, "after an 11.4 per cent drop in refined products imports and lower pipeline deliveries to Swiss and German refineries due to a major increase in crude prices".
The port expects a return to overall growth in 2008 with a predicted total cargo volume of around 102 million tonnes - helped by the re-opening of the steelworks and the mid-year debut of the Gaz de France GDF2 plant, which is expected to generate an additional 6.6 million tonnes of dry bulk in a full year.
By 2011, cargo volumes are expected to rise 30 million tonnes following the completion of various industrial developments authorised since 2001, the release said.