Marseille Fos announces multi-million dollar growth strategy

The French port authority plans to spend nearly $440 million on strategic growth in the next four years.    The Marseille Fos port authority has announced a four-year strategic plan with an estimated cost of 360 million euro ($438 million).
   The plan, according to a release from Marseille Fos, includes new developments as well as some already in progress, and it will “target areas of activity with the greatest potential for strong growth and gaining market share. A key aim is to position the port as a viable European gateway alternative to ports in the northern range.”
   Investments will focus on container and ro-ro activities in the Marseille and Fos harbor areas, cruiseship operations and repair, traffic-building activities from LNG, and dry bulk trades to further industrial improvements. 
   The port has identified long-distance rail services as crucial to its goal of winning traffic from the northern range and enhancing trade with hinterland markets such as Switzerland, southern Germany and Austria. With this in mind, Marseilles Fos said it “intends to support the launch of new services and seek partnerships in multimodal platforms to enhance links beyond the natural hinterland.”
   The authority added, “In a context of economic constraints and falling oil traffic, financial partners will also be sought to boost state and regional authority contributions to the investment program,” which it stresses “is vital not only in growing volumes but also in safeguarding jobs in the port and beyond.”
   Also part of the strategic plan are measures to ensure that port developments are environmentally sustainable.