Marseilles container, dry bulk totals fall

Marseilles container, dry bulk totals fall    Port of Marseilles-Fos container volume fell 9 percent to 462,781 TEUs in the first half of 2011.
   The port said the fall comes after 18 percent growth in box volume in the first half of 2010. The Mediterranean port handled 44.6 million tons of total cargo in the first half, replicating its performance in the first half of last year.
   Dry bulk volumes, dictated by imports of raw materials for the steel industry, slumped 25 percent to 4.7 million tons, due to the December closure of one of steel giant Arcelor's two foundries, the port said. A drop in coal demand also contributed to the fall. Liquid bulk volume, however, rose 8 percent to 32.2 million tons.