The port of Bordeaux is experiencing an increase in its traffic
Bordeaux Port has almost returned to its 2019 levels. At 6.7 million tonnes, traffic climbed 10.3%, an increase that the port hopes to consolidate in 2022. As for container traffic, it increased by 1.9% in volume to 280,000 tonnes, but felt by 2.3% in TEUs with just over 25,000 boxes handled. The GPMB expects a restart of this activity in 2022. “We are working hard to find a second container line. One stopover per week is not enough. I hope for a second service in the year,” explains Jean-Frédéric Laurent. The goal stated by the GPMB for 2022 is to reach 7 million tons.
If you want to know more about it, read : Bordeaux rebounds with an increase of more than 10% in its traffic (ouest-france.fr)
First LNG bunkering for the port of Marseille-Fos
The container ship “CMA CGM Bali” experienced a singular stopover on January 21 in Fos-sur-Mer. In addition to its commercial operations, which took place at the container terminal operated by PortSynergy Eurofos, the group’s LNG-powered vessel CMA CGM carried out its first direct bunkering in the western basins of the Marseille-Fos port with the “Gas Vitality”.
This 18,600 m3 barge chartered by Total Energies to the Japanese Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), the second micro-LNG carrier of the French oil company, transferred 6,600 m3 of gas into the tanks of the container ship. The ship-to-ship refueling operation of this 15,000 TEU vessel, assigned to the Asia-Europe service as part of the Marseille group’s MEX1 service, is the very first to have been carried out in Fos-sur-Mer (near Marseille). For Christine Cabau-Woehrel, Group Assets Director CMA CGM, “this liquefied natural gas bunkering operation is, in many ways, an important step for our group. It places France, and more particularly the port of Marseille, at the forefront of efforts to decarbonize the maritime transport industry.”
If you want to know more about it, read : Marseille-Fos: first LNG bunkering for a CMA CGM container ship (lantenne.com)
An extended agreement between the port of Zeebrugge and COSCO’s seaports
The extension of the concession period of the CSP Zeebrugge container terminal, located on the Albert II quay, took effect on 1 January 2022, and will continue until 31 December 2055. The signing took place during an online ceremony. This extension will allow CSP to invest more in superstructures and handling equipment. The Port of Zeebrugge initially entered into a concession agreement with APM Terminals on 15 December 2004 for a period of 36 years. In January 2018, CSP Zeebrugge acquired all the shares of APM Terminals, putting the same concession agreement in the hands of COSCO Shipping Ports.
If you want to know more about it, read : Port of Zeebrugge extends concession agreement with COSCO – Port Technology International
Dunkirk becomes the first transshipment terminal in France
Even if the volumes achieved before the pandemic are not yet met again, Dunkerque Port has found the resources in 2021 to return to the race. From liquid bulk to general cargo to solid bulk, all the lights are green. Indeed, on January 13, the GPM of Dunkirk presented its results for 2021. With an 8% increase in traffic to 48.6 Mt, including 41% growth for containerized traffic. The pride of Dunkerque Port was to see the container terminal complete the year with a traffic of 652,000 TEUs, an increase of 41%. “Since 2010, Dunkirk has tripled its containerized traffic,” said the Chairman of the Executive Board. Indeed, in 2010 Dunkerque Port processed 201,205 TEUs. “It is especially in this activity that we see that social reliability has had a positive impact. We were able to respond when neighboring ports suffered congestion or social movements” continues the head of the CNTPA.
This increase in containerized traffic is realized both on traffic intended for the Dunkirk hinterland and on transshipment. This last activity represented, in 2021, 40% of the total traffic. “We have become the first container transshipment port in France in proportion,” says Maurice Georges.
If you want to know more about it, read : In 2021, Dunkerque Port became the first transshipment port in France – Ports and corridors
