Total 2008 cargo throughput at the port of Marseilles Fos finished on 96m tonnes – just 0.3% down on 2007 despite the impact of first-half industrial action over French port reforms and a second-half slowdown due to the world economic crisis.

Marseilles Fos cargo holds at 96m tonnes

General cargo was hit hardest by the year’s events, falling 12% to 15.2m tonnes, within which container traffic slumped 16% to 8.4m tonnes and was down 15% in unit terms to 847,651 teu after topping 1m teu for the first time in 2007.

Throughput at Fos, which handles the key east-west trades, finished 21% worse at 568,203 teu, whilst the Marseilles harbour area, which specialises in Mediterranean and Black Sea traffic, faired better dropping 3% to 279,448 teu.

A one percent rise in ro-ro traffic contributed 4.4m tonnes to the general cargo total while conventional trades added 2.4m tonnes – down 18% due to weak demand for steel products.

The loss in general cargo wiped out a one percent increase in the port’s oil sector, which grew 8% to reach 63.1m tonnes. Dry and liquid bulks ended the year at 14.1m tonnes and 3.6m tonnes respectively.