New Industrial Port Mission in China

The Port of Marseille Fos and Provence Promotion on a joint mission to Shandong Province.

Representatives of the Port of Marseille Fos and Provence Promotion will be in Shandong Province, China, form May 27 through 31 on a visit intended to boost collaboration opportunities in the port zone industries sector. Since 2016, the port of Marseille Fos, along with several economic partners including Provence Promotion, has been actively engaged in the Belt and Road Initiative. This new mission follows on from the Port of Marseille and Provence Promotion’s joint participation in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November, 2018, and the positive feedback received, with the ongoing aim of attracting new businesses and new freight traffics. A round table bringing together high-level business leaders and leading companies in the field of Franco-Chinese business relations will provide an opportunity to showcase examples of economic and technological partnerships that will serve as a basis for analysis and discussion.

With a population of more than nine million, Shandong Province’s main city of Qingdao, the world’s eighth-largest seaport and China’s second-largest after Shanghai, is known for its booming international trade, but also for its extremely dense fabric of industrial companies.

It was back in November, 2018, at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, at a meeting between the Port of Marseille, Provence Promotion and the Port of Qingdao, that areas of collaboration were first mooted.

Six months on, this new mission confirms the desire of the two ports to begin discussions on subjects of common interest. As part of the agreement binding Provence Promotion and the port authority, Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM), it also furthers the joint canvassing work in China aimed at enhancing the attractiveness of the Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolitan Area.

Solid Foundations for New Business Relations

Against a background of the New Silk Road put forward by President Xi Jinping, the investments made by CMA CGM, Airbus Helicopters and Weichai Power are perfect illustrations of the excellent economic relations that have existed between Provence and China for many years.

CMA CGM ships call daily at the port of Qingdao, providing substantial business opportunities for overseas trade. Airbus Helicopters has an assembly line in Qingdao for its H135 model and the purchase of Moteurs Baudoin by Weichai Power has produced a fruitful collaboration since 2009 that has seen the company win challenging contracts such as the one for the emblematic New York ferries.

These examples will serve as a base for discussions around three main themes: smart ports, port ecology and cruise business development.

A Round Table and B2B Meetings

The Port of Marseille Fos and Provence Promotion have invited Chinese industrial and logistics companies to a round table entitled “Marseille Fos and the Provence as A Mediterranean Hub Between China and Europe”.

Provence is an eco-industrial region open to investment and its geographic location makes it an ideal partner for conquering both European and African markets. The potential for developing trade between Provence and Shandong will be showcased using examples and citing competitive advantages.

Lastly, the mission will provide an opportunity for tailored meetings with companies planning to develop their business in Europe. The aim is to attract Chinese business leaders to Provence by proposing visits to the region and targeted meetings.