Marseilles-Fos container volume down 1%, increases security level

Marseilles-Fos container volume down 1%, increases security level Container throughput at the port of Marseilles-Fos, France, dropped 1 percent in the first six months of this year to 453,000 TEUs.
   Volumes at the Fos container terminal fared better, up 2 percent in the first half of the year to 302,000 TEUs. Volumes at Fos were up 15 percent at 55,000 TEUs in June.
   Total port traffic for January-June, including bulk cargoes, was up 2.8 percent to 47.6 million tons.
   In a separate development, the Port of Marseilles Authority raised its security measures to the maximum red alert level immediately following the London bombing July 7. The authority issued a bulletin highlighting the requirement for controlled access to ships, including the closure of ferry ramps and gangways outside operating hours, and stressed the need for personnel to carry identity cards or entry documents issued by the port.