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Port of Bordeaux (France) (ID: 9971)
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Bordeaux is a maritime port located on the largest estuary in Europe. This gives it the advantage of being able to serve a vast region located over 100 km from the sea with maritime transport. Currently, the port handles over approximately 8,5 million tons of cargo each year, the equivalent of some 400 000 lorry loads. FACILITATES TRADE For companies in South West France, its vocation is three-fold : to ensure their international trade at the lowest cost, to enable their supplies in energy to be a tool of development for industry and service companies Largely dependant on industrial and agricultural economic activities within South West France, and its rail and road links, imports involve petroleum and chemical products, chemical fertilisers, animal feeds and exports grains, (the Port of Bordeaux is the leading port for exports of maize in Europe), oilseeds and forest products. Of course, the Port of Bordeaux has also developed facilities for containers that offer regular links with 300 ports across the world. To cater efficiently for these trades, it operates 6 dedicated terminals. In 2004, the Port of Bordeaux invests around 18 million euros, , thanks in part to aid from the State, local public authorities and the FEDER, to which investments made by companies located in the port can be added. The Port of Bordeaux also manages vast real estate property. To enhance its value, it develops alone or in partnership with promoters, logistic platforms or reconverts obsolete sheds into service company centres. A port that enjoys the status of autonomy , Its missions are defined by law; they are based on the Administrative Board which is responsible for defining its strategic orientations and on its 500 staff who maintain its very varied operations, (seafarers, crane drivers, maintenance...). In 2002 they profited from 7500 hours of training, thanks to the support of the State and Regional Council. Operations that do not come within its competence, but enable the essential services to be offered to ensure the efficient reception of ships and cargo, are ensured by specialised companies, such as those of pilotage, mooring, towage, ships agents, forwarding agents, stevedoring,... The Port of Bordeaux has given itself the target of constantly better satisfying its customers, thanks to the improvements made in its competitiveness and the increasing of its hinterland. The Port of Bordeaux creates a platform cars and set up with the petroleum companies and cereal companies of conventions providing price reductions in rates for all increases in demand. It also carried out the installation of surfaces of storage storage areas and a centre for processing timber. Its main projects, defined in close cooperation with its partners are : the restructuring of the multi-bulk terminals on the upstream and downstream Bassens quays. the development of intermodality. the reception of companies specialised in the extraction or processing of building materials. the development of new short sea regular line services, especially ro-ro. the concentration of traffic container in Verdon. the reception of the A 380 aircraft parts in transit new logistic centres : (cars and warehouses). To cater efficiently for its trade whether traditional or new, the Port of Bordeaux provides 6 specialised terminals : Le Verdon, Pauillac, Blaye, Amb s, Bassens and Bordeaux. To improve its competitiveness while protecting its environment, it invests about 15 million euros annually, to which investments made by private companies in the Port can be added. Click on the site that interests you not just to view, but also to find out its nautical characteristics and inland connections. Bassens and le Verdon also cater for roll-on /roll-off handling (RO-RO system) Each year more than 1600 ships call at the Port of Bordeaux. The port servicing for both ship and cargo, implies calling upon several service providers whether from the private or the public sector. Bordeaux there are more than 100 companies who constantly improve the quality of services by investing in the training of their staff as well as in better equipment. RECEPTION OF SHIPS Port officers in Bordeaux represent the Port Authority on all the terminals. They ensure the reception of ships, the allocation of their berths on the quays, control and monitor shipping and have the duty of policing the quays and storage areas. They also manage the new VTMS (Vessels Traffic Management System) that incorporates the latest technical innovations (image transfer, radar screen without echo parasites...). From the Harbourmasters Office located at Bassens, the port officers monitor shipping in the channel and on the roads as well as from the BXA landing buoy up to buoy 13, near Le Verdon. . In that sector, in certain circumstances, they may authorise remote pilotage for certain vessels, which is then carried out from the Verdon station. A pilot using the VTMS monitors the ship s path on his screen and advices and assists the ship by radio. SHIPS AGENTS - CONSIGNEES Their interventions cover all assistance operations to a ship throughout her call. SHIP OWNERS AND SHIPPING COMPANIES SHIP CHANDLERS - BUNKERING Ship chandlers provide ships with food equipment and bunker fuel. SHIP CHARTERERS Acting on behalf of the shipper, he finds the ship ; acting on behalf of the shipowner, he finds the freight. SHIP BROKERS The ship broker carries out the administrative formalities on behalf of the ship masters, (customs clearance, marine report, etc...) CUSTOMS The co-operation that started in 1995 between the Bordeaux Interregional Direction of Customs and the Ports has enabled working conditions to be improved. . In this regard the Customs administration supports and is accompanying the computerisation project for the processing of information on goods transiting through the Port. In addition companies now have access to all the Customs regulations and practical information provided by the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry via the Customs web site : http://www.douane.minefi.gouv.fr. Furthermore, personalised information may be obtained through the Business Advice service on (+33 (0)5 57 81 01 42) or through the Bordeaux Customs Information and Statistics Centre (+33 (0)5 57 81 03 64 or +33 (0)5 57 81 03 63). BOATMEN The boatmen carry out the mooring and unmooring of the ships lines on the quay. HANDLING The stevedoring company is responsible for all operations for loading or unloading cargo using sea transportation, including the operations of storing or removing cargo from the warehouses and storage areas. PILOTAGE The role of the pilot is to assist the master of a ship by providing him with local knowledge and experience to ensure the passage of the ship from the sea to Bordeaux and to carry out man uvres with or without tugs, in the restricted zones surrounded by port facilities, in a minimum of time and under the best conditions of safety. TOWAGE SHIP REPAIRS INTERNATIONAL TRADING COMPANIES CONTROL COMPANIES MARINE SURVEYORS STORAGE (ACCORDING TO PRODUCTS) FORWARDING AGENTS They draw-up co-ordinate and organise cargo movements as well as carrying out all administrative and customs formalities. The transport of goods relies on a logistic chain. The overall cost therefore may include, for example, pre and post sea transport services, overland transport (road and/or rail) and payments to the shipping line, the insurers, the forwarding agents, the brokers... and the costs of port transit. The services provided by the port itself, which often represents less than 5 % of the overall transport costs,, are included in the port transit costs. DEFINING THE COSTS OF PORT CALLS They include payments to the Port and to private companies (pilotage, linesmen and often towage) Dues on the ship A due is levied on all commercial vessels or cruise ships disembarking, embarking or transhipping passengers or goods. The amount of the ship s dues depends on the maximum length, width and draft of the ship. For each type of ship (cruise liner, containership, tanker, etc ), a specific due is applied to the volume of the ship on entering and leaving the port (euro per cubic meter). Reductions may be given according to the size of the call, (ratio between the tonnage unloaded or loaded and the volume of the ship), the frequency of calls and the creation of new services in the context of regular lines. Due on the goods A due is levied on goods, unloaded, loaded or transhipped. The due on the gross weight (euro per ton) is specific to each type of good or unit (animals, vehicles, containers). Warf-cleaning fee Determined by the volume of merchandise handled. Due on Passengers The Port of Bordeaux levies for each passenger, embarking, disembarking or in transit, a due. Due on Cranage This due is invoiced to the stevedores in the Port of Bordeaux who pass it on to the shippers in their handling costs. OTHERS (PRIVATE) INVOLVED IN THE SERVICE OF VESSELS Pilotage All vessels entering or leaving the Gironde are subject to obligatory pilotage. The pilotage company applies rates based on the volume of the vessel and the terminal of destination of the vessel. Linesmen The linesmen service is obligatory (it consists of mooring and unmooring the vessels along the quays). Towage This service is not obligatory : Any ship s master is free to use or not to use the towage company located in the Port, except in cases where the assistance of one or more tugs are imposed by the Harbour Master. With regard to oil tankers, specific provisions were drawn-up by the Prefecture of the Gironde. FOR MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION Port call costs depend on a number of parameters. If you need more detailed information, please contact : How are Investments in the Port of Bordeaux Financed? Investments mainly concern infrastructure, therefore territorial development (quays, land given over to industrial development ). For this reason they are financed by the Port with the help of the State, the local government authorities and the European Union. In this regard, the Contract Plan 2000 2006 which defines the major regional priorities with regard to equipment, reserved a budget of nearly 70 million uros for port infrastructure in the Bordeaux region, which is allocated as follows : br> Self financing : 23,31 millions State : 9,14 millions Aquitaine Regional Council : 11,43 millions Gironde General Council : 10,03 millions Bordeaux Urban Community : 3,43 millions European Union : 11,17 millions SNCF (railways) : 0,15 million. Does the Port of Bordeaux Cater for Pleasure Craft? Catering for pleasure craft does not correspond to one of the assignments of the Port of Bordeaux. It nevertheless manages the Bassins flots(enclosed docks) site, close to the town centre, where permanent and temporary moorings are available, as well as cranage and wintering facilities. Within the context of the current Contract Plan, some 9 million euros is scheduled to be invested to convert it into a real yachting harbour, with the financial support of the Local Authorities, the State and Europe. The Port for its part will invest 2.71 M . There is a municipal yachting harbour at Pauillac (tel : 33 (0)5 56 59 12 16), on the Medoc banks of the Gironde, some 45 km from Bordeaux, which offers 150 berths, 20 of which are for visitors and a further private one at Bordeaux : le Point du Jour (tel : 33(0)5 56 50 84 14), at the foot of the Aquitaine Bridge. Both have supplies of water and electricity on the quays, have sanitary facilities, as well as providing facilities for cranage and careening. Finally, there are various nautical stopping places close to Bordeaux. This is the case at : Amb s (tel :33 ( 0)5 56 77 11 35) : visitors mooring rings, public telephone, dustbins, shops Lormont (tel : 33 (0)5 57 77 63 27) : permanent and visitors mooring rings, sanitary facilities, public telephone, dustbins, shops, cranage, wintering facilities. Cadaujac (tel : 33 (0)5 56 30 71 38) : permanent and visitors mooring rings, sanitary facilities, water and electricity on the berth, public telephone, shops. Langoiran (tel : 33 (0)5 56 67 21 23) : visitors mooring rings, public telephone, dustbins, shops.br> Portets (tel : 33 (0)5 56 67 17 75) : permanent and visitors mooring rings, water and electricity on the berth, dustbins, and shops. B gles (tel : 33 (0)5 56 49 88 88) : permanent and visitors mooring rings, water and electricity on the berth, dustbins, and shops. Cadillac (tel : 33 (0)5 57 98 02 10) : visitors mooring rings, sanitary facilities, water and electricity on the quay, public telephone, dustbins, shops. Saint-Pierre d'Aurillac (tel : 33 (0)5 56 63 30 27) : visitors mooring rings, sanitary facilities, and dustbins. Castets : waiting berths. In addition, Port-Bloc, a service port located at the tip of the M doc, at Le Verdon, cannot cater at present for touring pleasure craft. It is to be complemented by Port-M doc which will be accessible at all tides and at any time. It will provide 800 mooring rings (permanent and temporary), fuel, water and electricity, sanatary facilities, watch keppers and shops. The building contract having been given to Guintoli Marine, Port-M doc should be completed by mid-2004 whilst its marketing has already begun (tel : 33 (0)0 800 505 404). Are port activities compatible with the protection of the environment on the largest estuary in Europe ? First it should be stressed that sea transport is the safest the most economic and the least polluting mode of transport ; a ship uses 6 times less fuel on average per ton transported than a train and 10 times less fuel that a lorry. The Port of Bordeaux s annual traffic figures are the equivalent of that of 400 000 lorries. In addition, the Port of Bordeaux, which has a department of environmental, development and urbanisation studies, has developed an environmental policy guided by the precautionary principle. In this way it intends to reconcile the development of its activities with the preservation of the estuary milieu (way of life, ecological wealth and cultural heritage). In this regard, for several years, in partnership with the General Council, and various associations, the Port : Protects natural areas such as the Isle of Macau Contributes to the plans being made to enhance the ecological value of Nouvelle Island. In liaison with the Regional Department of the Environment, the Port : Carried out environmental audits at Le Verdon and Blanquefort-Parempuyre - Studied with the Higher Council of Fishing and associations, the template for an opening in a dyke to facilitate the movement of migratory fish Furthermore, it regularly monitors the quality of water and sediments in both the estuary and the Garonne. Finally, together with SOGREAH, it has launched a European research project to study the influence of climatic change on coastal erosion. Can one visit the Port of Bordeaux ? Various companies offer river trips : departures from Bordeaux, embarking at Quinconces : Ali nor Loisirs (tel : 33 (0)5 56 51 27 90 : fax : 33 (0)5 56 52 17 67) offers both fixed circuits and services to order (maximum capacity : 220 people) The vessel Ville de Bordeaux (tel et fax : 33 (0)35 56 52 88 88) offers a daily trip from 15.00 to 16.30 hours.In July and August, on Mondays and Thursdays (departure 15h00), commentated boat trip "The History of Bordeaux Recounted by its River". Evolution Garonne (tel : 33 (0)6 07 19 75 86) has two boats, (one with a maximum capacity for 74 people while the other caters for 10 people) they work only by appointment departures from Le Verdon (Port Bloch) : - From March to November, La Boh me II (tel : 33 (0)5 56 09 62 93, fax : 33 (0)5 56 09 65 13, web site : www.vedettelaboheme.com) can organise a visit by appointment:Sea and Gironde estuary boat trip, visits to the Cordouan Lighthouse. In addition, for technical or economic visits, the Port of Bordeaux can, on request, organise on shore visits during opening hours for groups of up to 30 people maximum. They must be adult and accompanied by a bus. (tel : 33 (0)5 56 90 59 95). When are the next cruise liners due to call ? In our country, the season starts in Spring and finishes during the automn. The provisional schedules (date, berth ) is accessible through the web on www.port-of-call.com. Bordeaux is a maritime port located on the largest estuary in Europe. Port of Bordeaux (France)