Visit to Marseille Fos Port

As part of our spill response equipment “import-export” activities with overseas subsidiaries, we were invited by Bolloré Logistics to take an in-depth tour of Marseille Fos Port on 19 January.

First, the port configuration and port traffic frequency were presented, drawing on a model of the western basins, followed by a visit to EuroFos, operator of Terminal Center Fos 1, where we were able to see part of the loading/unloading operations of one of CMA CGM’s largest container ships.

The terminal has a capacity of 18,000 containers, i.e. just in excess of the entire capacity of the CMA CGM vessel in dock (17,000 containers). Container transport and handling operations are carried out using Straddle Carriers. This system quickly and automatically updates the position of containers on the terminal using GPS twistlock sensors. EuroFos boasts the 4 largest port gantry cranes in the world (54 m high, with a 72 m-long boom).

The dockers work 3 x 7-hour shifts, from 6 am to 3 am. They are multi-skilled in order to better manage any reduced activity at certain workstations due to strikes or delays in the ship flow schedule.