The Blue Maritime Summit 2024 focused on the challenges of decarbonization and the modernization of port infrastructure, with significant investments at stake.
At the Blue Maritime Summit 2024, experts and stakeholders in the maritime sector discussed the challenges and solutions related to energy transition. The discussions centered on port modernization, the adoption of alternative fuels, and the investments necessary to reduce the environmental impact of maritime transport.
With projects like the one at the Port of Marseille, the summit highlighted ambitious initiatives aimed at achieving environmental goals by 2030.
Port Infrastructure at the Heart of the Transition
European ports play a key role in the energy transition. The Port of Marseille presented its ambitious investment plan of €150 million by 2030. This budget will primarily be used to electrify quays, allowing ships to connect to the electrical grid and eliminate their emissions during stopovers. This project is part of the « Zero Smoke Stop » program, currently under experimentation.
These efforts are in line with the broader trend of modernizing European port infrastructure. Discussions also emphasized the need to standardize these solutions in other major ports to meet the emission reduction targets set by the European Union.
Alternative Fuels: A Path to Decarbonization
The issue of alternative fuels took center stage in the discussions. Among the solutions studied, liquefied natural gas (LNG) was identified as a transitional fuel that can significantly reduce CO2 emissions. However, technologies like hydrogen and methanol, which represent long-term options, pose major challenges in terms of costs and infrastructure.
Speakers discussed pilot projects funded by the European Union, amounting to several tens of millions of euros, to test these fuels on new-generation ships. These initiatives aim to reduce environmental impact while maintaining the competitiveness of the European maritime sector on the global stage.
Cruise Impact Study in Marseille: Presentation at the Blue Maritime Summit
The cruise industry was also present at the summit. Globally, the cruise sector generates $140 billion in economic returns and supports 1.2 million jobs. In France, the sector’s impact reaches €7.7 billion, with approximately 38,000 jobs. This figure also includes shipbuilding and maintenance in Saint-Nazaire and Marseille.
Economically, a local impact study was conducted by Oxford Economics in partnership with CLIA (see methodology in the sidebar).
“What was missing, and what we aimed to do with this study, was to look at an even more local level to truly understand, not only the economic returns, but also the connections our cruise sector has with the local economic fabric,” explained Samuel Maubanc, General Director of CLIA Europe.
The survey was conducted across 10 ports worldwide, including five European ones, with Marseille being one of the cities studied. Initial results were presented during the Blue Maritime Summit in Marseille.
Locally, in Marseille, the average expenditure for transit passengers is €121 per group and €57 per person, with an average time spent in Marseille of 4.7 hours.
Regarding the nature of spending, 69% of these transit passengers go to restaurants, 52% make purchases, 38% visit points of interest, museums, etc., and 21% take guided tours, spending nearly €30.
For embarking and disembarking passengers, the average expenditure is €173 per group and €78 per person. 28% of these passengers spend at least one night (in 75% of cases, at a hotel). For this group, expenditures reach €383 per group, or €171 per person. For day passengers embarking, spending per group amounts to €90, or €41 per person.
It is also worth noting that the average expenditure per crew member is €79 per person, primarily through dining (67%) and miscellaneous purchases (43%).
These expenditures directly benefit the local economy, according to the study. 70% of local businesses surveyed expect their revenue to increase in the next five years. They estimate that the average revenue from the cruise sector accounts for between 45% and 49% of their earnings over the past three years and the coming year. Finally, 77% indicate that cruising is an important sector. “When there are cruisers, they see their activity increase,” summarized Christian Savelli, Director of Cruise Analytics at Tourism Economics.
Environmental Study
Another study focused on the environmental impact, conducted in collaboration with CITEPA, examined the East and West basins of the Port of Marseille-Fos and various traffic types, including roll-on/roll-off ships and container carriers. Three reference years were analyzed: 2015, before the implementation of environmental measures; 2022, to assess the impact of ongoing initiatives; and 2035, to anticipate the effects of future technologies and infrastructure.
The results show significant reductions in emissions due to port investments, estimated at €150 million. For example, ship electrification is expected to reduce sulfur oxides by 80%, fine particles by 75%, and nitrogen oxides by 60% by 2035. Greenhouse gases are expected to decrease by 50%. These joint efforts highlight the complementary economic and environmental impacts, strengthening the strategic role of the Port of Marseille in sustainable development.
The Key Role of the Port of Marseille
The Port of Marseille aims to become an example of resilience and innovation. With its investment and the planned third electrification connection scheduled for 2029, the port seeks to be a model for other European ports. The electrification of quays will allow all ships to eliminate their emissions at port by 2030.
This ambition is part of a broader strategy to position the port as a leader in energy transition in the Mediterranean. Experts also emphasized that international collaborations will be necessary to maximize the impact of local initiatives and standardize best practices globally.
Source: Tourmag
