More than €12.5 million has just been injected by the Brittany region, during its permanent commission in December 2024, for the maritime economy of Lorient. With in particular a budget of €11 million “for the work and investment of the commercial port of Lorient over the period 2025-2029”, say Gaëlle Le Stradic and Delphine Alexandre, regional advisors. The bulk of this sum is dedicated “to the acquisition of two tugboats”, says Michaël Quernez, vice-president of the Brittany Region. More than €9 million. “We have been working on this subject for months with SAS Port de Commerce Lorient Bretagne-Sud. Here we are faced with an emergency. The matter was raised last Monday during the port council.” The first tug should arrive within a year, the second “is currently being acquired”. The rest of the sum is allocated to the repair of the northern reservation and to buildings “as part of energy transition issues”.
Help for SEM Lorient Keroman
Aid of €500,000 is being provided to Lorient Agglomération in connection with the installation, at the peristyle in Lorient, of the technical base of Team France K-Challenge. Last June, the Lorient metropolitan area validated the operation, the cost of which for the community amounts to more than €2 million. On the other hand, the La Découverte pontoon, operational since October 2024, must accommodate the boats of the French America Cup team: AC40, AC 75 in the summer of 2025 and a hydrogen follower boat. Pending the work necessary to accommodate them (the extension of the La Découverte pontoon), they will take place on the left bank of the Scorff, in Lanester. “The Brittany Region thus contributes 60% to the cost of this project.”
During this commission, aid of €661,000 was granted to SEM Lorient Keroman. “This involves taking into account the effects of the additional cost of energy on the SEM’s accounts, supporting investment in a new cold production unit and supporting the purchase of new doors allowing limit energy losses in the auction,” specify the two regional advisors.
Valorization of starfish
The Region also supports innovation. The Polyform Concept Metal company, in Inzinzac-Lochrist, has received €48,000 in aid for its work on the development of new tidal turbine prototypes. Furthermore, €387,000 will support the activity of a team from the University of South Brittany as part of its research into the valorization of the biomass of stranded starfish. The academics are collaborating with three companies in Brittany and Normandy. “How can we, from a rejected or destroyed and invasive product, make it a valorization product for fishermen while having a carbon-free approach”, asked Olivier Le Nézet, president of IDMER, in December 2023, presenting this project. According to him, starfish can constitute a source of diversification for coastal fishing. Note that the Concarneau Marine Station, managed by the National Museum of Natural History, is taking part in this project.
