Marseilles Fos traffic falls in January

Marseilles Fos traffic falls in January The French port of Marseilles Fos said the world economic crisis hit cargo activity at the port in January, with total throughput down 24 percent to 6.54 million tons.
   General cargo fell 28 percent to 990,000 tons. This included container traffic of 560,000 tons also down 28 percent amounting to 59,118 TEU, down 25 percent.
   Dry bulks plunged 47 percent to 670,000 tons due to a 77 percent fall in imports of raw materials for the steel industry.
   Liquid bulks slipped 8 percent to 220,000 tons, although bio-fuels increased 150 percent.
   Oil volumes fell 19 percent to 4.68 million tons after demand for crude at French refineries dropped by 37 percent in the wake of industrial action the previous month.
   Refined products rose 5 percent to 1.15 million,    and LNG traffic, rose 11 percent to 410,000 tons.