But now it seems that these unsettled times are over. The port workers’ unions, the federation of stevedoring companies (UNIM) and the national port union UPF, all signed up to the agreement which will mean that finally the law on port reform that was adopted by the French parliament in July 2008 can be fully implemented bringing an end to unrest in French ports. The recent breakthrough on tripartite agreements covering all major French ports coincided with the signing of the national agreement on the linked issue of retirement age. As the last stage of the local process the signing of the tripartite agreements allows the detachment of the quay crane operators to cargo-handling companies. The new arrangements transferring crane operators and crane technicians that were formerly employed by the ports to the private terminal operators at the country’s major seaports take effect from 3 May in Le Havre and between 3 and 31 May in Marseille-Fos. A spokesperson for the port authority of Le Havre (GPM du Havre), home to France’s leading container port, told World Port Development: “We are under the process of detaching our crane drivers and maintenance staff to the private companies operating in Le Havre.” In a press statement GPM du Havre confirmed that more than EUR30 million was invested by the terminal operators in 2010 in order to take over equipment and tools. Says a spokesperson: “Further to the implementation of the French port reform, we no longer manage port equipment: all GPMH cranes and equipment have been transferred to the private sector.” In Marseilles the transfer of around 400 port authority personnel to private or part-private stevedoring companies will take effect between 3 May and 31 May. Back in February Supervisory Board Chairman Patrick Daher at Marseilles-Fos was upbeat about the transfers saying: “It’s time to reunite all parties in building the port of tomorrow. I have the firm conviction that Marseilles Fos must aspire to the level of major city-ports in the mould of Singapore, Hamburg or Shanghai.” The facilities affected include Fos container terminal, to be operated by stevedores Eurofos and Seayard; the ore and grain terminals, to operate under Carfos; and the Mourepiane container terminal in Marseilles, which will be run by Intramar and Intramar STS, a joint venture between the stevedore and the port authority. In addition, the Fos and Lavera oil terminals – deemed to be of national importance – will be operated by Fluxel, a specially-formed company in which the port authority has a majority stake. The authority welcomed the agreements as a decisive advance that would bring terminal operations in line with the practice at other major European ports.
Le Havre
The Port of Le Havre is the number one port in France for container traffic handling more than 60 % of French box volume. The year 2010 ended on a positive note with pleasing figures for numerous trades, even if the overall maritime traffic dropped 5% against the year 2009. With 2.4 million TEU handled in 2010 the good news is that growth is back for containers. The rise recorded for containerised trade reached +4% in tonnes (23 Mt) and +5% in number of TEU with 2.4 MTEU handled in 2010. The vote of confidence from shipping lines in 2010 is noteworthy say Le Havre. New services were developed including services between the Asia and Havre. CMA-CGM and have jointly launched their service (FALS and AEB). MSC gradually introduced their giant containerships on the same shipping route (Lion service). 2010 was also the year of Vietnam, with direct calls by Hanjin and CGM vessels between Vietnamese ports and Le Havre. Another Asia and Europe service was welcomed with New World Alliance choosing Le Havre as the first European port of call for their new CEX service. As for the Mediterranean, Maersk chose Le Havre for their new Eurolev service. For Northern Europe, MSC made Le Havre the hub for the Irish market owing to the WEC feeder. The year 2010 ended with hinterland trade on the rise, with an increase of inland transport of 10%. The share of hinterland traffic reached one of its best figures, accounting for 78% of the overall trade, with 1.8 MTEU carried. Le Havre has great ambitions for rail combined transport. The improvements achieved in 2010 now provide rapid and direct access between the national rail network and the port rail network. As from spring 2011, long trains (850m) will run between Le Havre facilities and Paris, and then Lyons providing higher competitiveness of this transport mode. In 2010, rail and river container traffic accounted for 290,000 TEU, up 8% against 2009. They account for 16% of the hinterland container traffic. In terms of ro-ro traffic (Cross-Channel traffic excluded), the year 2010 can be called the recovery year. 2010 was marked by the arrival of new trades and new customers. For example, since January 2010, the Korean manufacturer KIA has distributed its vehicles into France from Le Havre. BMW has also placed confidence in Le Havre for the import of some of their models bound for the French market.
Marseilles Fos
Despite strong oil and gas volumes, first-quarter cargo throughput at Marseilles Fos was pegged to 21.8 million tonnes – up 1% on last year – in the wake of domestic and overseas political unrest, which also saw passenger numbers dip 9% to 164,000. General cargo fell 11% to 3.5MT, notably as container traffic slumped 17% to 201,149 TEU. The port authority pointed out that the first three months of 2010 were particularly good, but admitted that strikes last October and in January had taken their toll as clients showed ‘prudence’ in waiting for the French port reforms to be implemented. In other general cargo categories, conventional trades were 5% better on 0.55MT and ro-ro improved 3% to almost 1MT due to North Africa and Turkey services, although Corsica volumes fell 3% after a strike at ferry operator SNCM from February to mid-March. Oil and gas throughput rose 9% to 15.3MT. Crude imports were up 1% to 7.5MT for local refineries and rose 6% to 2.2MT for pipeline deliveries to Switzerland and Germany – despite a 20% drop from war-torn Libya, the port’s chief source in 2010. Volumes were sustained via alternative sources. Refined products increased 16% to nudge 3MT. With the new Cavaou methane terminal at full capacity, LNG volumes soared 46% to 1.9MT, while LPG added 4% to reach 0.73MT. Liquid chemicals slipped 1% to 0.86MT, partly due to a drop in biofuels production that was reflected throughout France. Dry bulks, dominated by imports of raw materials for the steel industry, were 19% worse on 2.2MT. The downturn followed the maintenance closure of a furnace at the Arcelor Mittal foundry and the end of an incentive scrapping scheme that had stimulated the market in 2010. Agro-bulks rose 24% to 0.3MT due to increased sugar imports and strong worldwide demand for wheat after drought conditions in Russia and floods in Australia. Passenger numbers felt the impact of the uprising in Tunisia, where ferry passengers were down by a third to 15,000. Meanwhile the SNCM strike cut Corsica numbers by 21% and Algeria was down 23%, leaving the ferry total on 110,000. In contrast, the cruise sector maintained its success story with a 43% increase to 54,000 passengers, of whom 40% were ‘home port’ customers. Marseiiles has several development projects underway including expansion of the logistics zone which continued with PRD AXA starting the second phase of its 84,000m2 warehouse project. The 48,000m2 first phase was completed in 2009 and the rest will be ready later this year. Meanwhile plans were announced for two new 35,000m2 projects – one by the developer Barjane and the other by leading distributor Maison du Monde. Public enquiries took place between September and December on two methane terminal proposals – modernisation of the existing Tonkin facility to provide a 20-year life extension; and constructi
on of a terminal with annual capacity of 12MT for Fos Faster. Subject to official sanction, the companies could confirm their projects during 2011. Following last year’s call for tenders issued in May 2009 to develop and run container and general cargo operations at Graveleau, the current container base at Fos, the concession was awarded to Eurofos, one of two existing stevedores at the facility. The company will maintain Graveleau services until Fos 2XL comes on stream, when other aspects of the agreement will come into force. Following a decision in 2010, the port authority is now about to call for tenders for an agro-industrial complex of between five and 15 hectares dedicated to the production of vegetable oils. Consultations took place last year on creating a combined transport terminal at Mourepiane in the Marseilles harbour area. A call for tenders will be launched later this year. In terms of investment the port’s 2010 investment spend of EUR74m included EUR33m of co-finance from national and regional government as well as local authorities. Spending of EUR23m on container and logistics infrastructure included EUR15m on Fos 2XL, EUR3m on Fos Distriport and EUR2m on Fos yard areas. Investment in oil terminal facilities totalled EUR8m, with EUR2m each spent on a new berth, a new discharge arm, ship access gangways and renovation of the fire-fighting system. Other spending included EUR4m on the Tellines grain terminal; EUR12m on improvements to ro-ro and passenger terminals; and EUR27m on projects such as sea wall and quay renovations, dredging and upgrading of the utilities network. And finally, two super post-panamax cranes were delivered in December for the Fos 2XL-A terminal to be operated by the Port Synergy venture between CMA CGM and DP World. Two more will be delivered in late 2011 for Fos 2XL-B operator MSC. Both terminals are due in service early next year, doubling Fos container capacity to 2m TEU. Annual capacity should rise by a further 1.5m TEU in 2018 when Hutchison Port Holdings plans to start operations at another new terminal, Fos 4XL.