Benefits of warehousing close to Fos Port
Marseille is on the Mediterranean coast in the south of France, in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. On a national scale, Marseille is the 2nd largest city in terms of population after Paris. Therefore, Marseille benefits from all the infrastructures present in a capital city. A particular advantage is Marseille Fos port, which is one of the Major Seaports of France. Below are several advantages of this port, along with an overview of how the 3PL Katoen Natie has strategically positioned itself just 30 kilometers away from this port.
Strategic location on the Mediterranean coast
Considered as a major southern European port, Marseille Fos port looks out over the Mediterranean Ocean. The access that it provides is important because of its location in the south of France, thus offering wide variety of connections:
- Italy – connections with the island of Sardinia
- Africa – connections between Europe and northern and western Africa
- Asia – via the Suez Canal, Marseille Fos port allows you to get to the Middle East
- Island of Corsica
Marseille Fos port is made up of two areas. The East area has an area of 400 hectares. At the heart of the city, this urban port zone is known as the local port for goods and passengers. The West area is in the industrial area of Fos-sur-Mer, which has 10,000 hectares including 3000 hectares of natural space. This part of the port is dedicated to international commerce and to the logistics and industrial sectors.
A multimodal port: river, rail, road and pipeline
The Marseille Fos port offers 4 ways of circulating goods to cover the needs of each business sector.
Road network
The terminals of the port, which make up at least 80% of all transport, are connected to the French road network which is connected to Europe.
Rail network
Although rail transport makes up 15% of goods transportation, one of the port’s aims is to triple the volume transported by rail in 4 years’ time.
Some important figures:
- 7 million tonnes of goods
- 150 trains per week
- 22 destinations in France and 9 in Europe
- Combined transport thanks to 5 operators: Naviland Cargo, Greenmodal, T3M, Ferovergne and Delta rail
- Investment of 20 million euros since 2008 to improve railway infrastructures
River network
With 6% of good traffic, one of the unique aspects of this port is the river connection between the Mediterranean and the Rhône-Saône axis. This has been possible thanks to Medlink Ports, which brings together seaports and internal ports from this axis with the support of river and rail infrastructures.
Important information:
- 3 million tonnes of goods
- 5 regular services per week to Valencia, Lyon and Macon
- 500km of network on a large scale
Transport by pipeline
This system allows for the movement of bulk liquids in a secure way, notably crude or refined hydrocarbons. This modality is closely linked to the river network, as this part aims to triple the volume transported by pipeline.
Goods and traffic at Marseille Fos port
All types of industrial goods are welcome at this port. The sectors which are already established there benefit from different services and infrastructures at the Marseille Fos port.
Conventional goods
- Regular shipping lines for heavy parcels to 7 Mediterranean countries
- 2.5 million tonnes of traffic
- 1 ro-ro ramp with a capacity of 800 tonnes
Containers and reefers
- 1st port in France in terms of transport of containers
- Extension of 2.6km, the longest dock in Europe
- Port is located at the crossroad of international shipping routes
- Journeys to 500 international ports
- 25 ship stopovers per day
- Capacity of 3 million m2 of storage
Finally, Marseille Fos Port is a critical gateway to France and Europe, with many strategic advantages for businesses in the area. Katoen Natie has established itself as a prominent player among these companies by strategically locating its major multicustomer platform in Saint-Martin-De-Crau, just 30 km from this bustling port.
Saint-Martin-De-Crau position as a major gateway, acting as a crucial access point to both France and the larger European continent, is further cemented by this strategic posture, which also highlights Katoen Natie‘s dedication to effective logistics and seamless connection. Katoen Natie‘s presence in Saint-Martin-De-Crau is a tribute to the lasting significance of strategic position and easy access in today’s globalized economy as firms continue to look for innovative solutions to satisfy their changing supply chain needs.
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“This partnership strengthens our logistics efficiency by joining forces with a company that not only shares our strategic outlook, but also brings extensive industry insights. As an Antwerp native, I take immense pride in collaborating with Katoen Natie, one of our city’s most prestigious companies.” said Paul Gils, VP EMEA New Era.
“We have found a strong logistics partner in Katoen Natie, one that understands our business and supports our growth in the region," said Danny Moult, Operations Director EMEA New Era.
The success of this project is a direct result of the joint commitment and collaboration between both organizations. The New Era team was consistently on-site alongside Katoen Natie during critical go-live moments — a testament to their dedication to delivering the best possible customer experience. This joint effort was already put to the test and proven successful during the handling of key campaigns including the 2024 Black Friday period.
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“This project is a true example of co-creation,’’ added Nathan Dujardin, Business Solutions Engineer at Katoen Natie Consumer Goods and Industry. “Together, we’ve built a flexible, scalable and omnichannel logistics solution tailored to New Era’s unique needs.”
To mark the occasion, representatives from New Era and Katoen Natie gathered in Kallo for a celebratory inauguration event, featuring a behind-the-scenes tour of the operation and an opportunity for both teams to connect and celebrate the joint achievement.
The collaboration is the result of several months of intensive joint planning, marked by transparency, co-creation, and shared goals—a testament to the strong alignment between both organizations. Both companies look forward to growing the partnership in the years ahead.