The shipping platform

Location: The port is siituated in the camargue region of southern France, it is located on the coast of the Gulf of Lion, part of the Mediterranean Sea, near the mouth of the Rhône river. General overview: The port of Marseilles authority comprises the harbour areas of the Gulf of Fos (Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone, Fos, Port-de-Bouc and Lavera), of the Etang de Berre, Caronte La Mede and Shell Berre and of Marseilles itself. The harbours offer favourable nautical conditions: easy approaches, an absence of tides and strong currents and excellent visibility. The Fos harbour area can receive the largest vessels in the world. The ports covered in the Marseilles section are: 1. Marseilles 2. Port Saint Louis du Rhone 3. Fos 4. Port de Bouc 5. Lavera 6. Etang de Berre 7. Caronte 8. La Mede 9. Berre (Port de la Pointe) Opened in 1998, the Southern Carrier Terminal in the Port of Marseille receives vessels carrying containers and all types of cargoes, including heavy-lift items. The 19.4-hectare terminal has capacity for two million tons of cargo per year. The Port of Marseille's Southern Carrier Terminal has 1.7 kilometers of quays and seven berthing stations for roll-on/roll-off traffic as well as one station for conventional cargoes. Maximum draft varies according to the cargo: 5 meters, 7.3 meters, and from 8.5 to 9 meters. The terminal contains three covered hangars near the quays with a total 20 thousand square meters of space, and the terminal is equipped with rail service. The Marseilles Handling Company has the concession for this terminal. The Southern Terminal in the Port of Marseille's east basins was established in 2001 to serve carriers with mixed cargoes including containers. The five-hectare general-purpose terminal can accommodate all types of cargo, including iron and steel products, motor vehicles, and other bulk cargoes like wood and heavy-lift cargoes. The Port of Marseille's Southern Terminal can accommodate vessels to 550 DWT. With 990 meters of quay and six berthing stations with maximum draft between 6.5 and 9 meters, the quays include three stations for roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and the terminal is equipped with rail service. Cargo-handling is done by SOCOMAN Company. Opened in 2003, the Port of Marseille's Northern Terminal in the east basins is a general-purpose terminal that can serve all types of vessels with maximum capacity of 1.5 million tons. The 14-hectare terminal emphasizes container vessels and general cargoes. It offers 1.2 kilometers of quays with seven berthing stations accommodating vessels with maximum draft from 8.5 to 10.5 meters, including three stations for roll-on/roll-off traffic. Containing closed storage of three thousand square meters, the terminal is equipped with rail service. Traffic figures: Approx 86,000,000t of cargo, 953,500TEU and 2,760,000 passengers handled annually. Load line zone: Summer Zone for ships over 100m in length and Winter Seasonal Area for ships of 100m or less in length, Winter Dec 16 to Mar 15, Summer Mar 16 to Dec 15. Max size: Depth 14.5 m., draft 14.0 m. Max permissible dimensions and draughts of ships: -Cruise: Draft 10.8 m. -Ro-Ro: Draft 14.0 m. -Tankers: Draft 11.0 m Largest vessel handled: "Batillus", 500,500DWT ULCC.