CNR (Compagnie Nationale du Rhône), Rhône concessionaire, announces today, December 20, 2024, the designation of the sub-concessionaire group for the port of Arles.
The group is made up of the CCI du Pays d'Arles (agent), NGE Concessions, the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts Group), the Caisse d'Épargne and the Compagnie Fluviale de Transport (Sogestran Group). The sub-concession of the public port of Arles, which extends over a period of 25 years, includes the development, operation, maintenance and major upkeep of the public port of Arles in particular to support the growth of mass flows of the port. This marks a strategic turning point for the port of Arles, which will be completely modernized during the first two years of the project.
The CCI of Pays d’Arles will ensure port operation
The CCI of Pays d'Arles, a key player in local economic development, will ensure the operation of activities which includes all services and in particular port handling. The CCI of Pays d'Arles bases its strategy in accordance with that of the Mediterranean Rhône Saône axis (MeRS). Accessible to 3000 t vessels, the port of Arles offers all the advantages in complementarity with the other river ports, GPMM, Port of Toulon and Port of Sète South of France. With its 40 years of experience, it has developed recognized skills and know-how with more than 500,000 tonnes of goods processed in 2023. It invests in tools and promotion to ensure reliability, quality and development. The CCI of Pays d'Arles has a strong ambition for the port of Arles which offers accessibility to all modes of transport and is part of logistical solutions in line with sustainable development. By relying on the circular economy sectors (scrap metal, biomass), the wood sector (crushing and lumber) and maritime containers, the CCI of Pays d'Arles will work to develop mass transport .
The group is investing in the modernization of the Port of Arles with work carried out by NGE
The sub-concessionaire group composed of NGE Concessions (35%), the CCI du Pays d'Arles (35%), the Banque des Territoires (14.99%), the Caisse d'Epargne (10.01%) and the Compagnie Fluviale de Transport (5%) will invest a total of 7 million euros for the modernization of the port of Arles. A 100% NGE construction group (Guintoli agent, EHTP pipelines, Agilis concrete roads, NGE Routes and NGE GC civil engineering) will carry out work to modernize the port, under project management of Egis with a view to increasing river freight . For the construction group born in Arles and whose head office is just a stone's throw away, it is a source of pride to finance and contribute to the modernization of the river port of Arles, which is the ideal site for developing modern logistics solutions and more and more respectful of the environment.
The work that NGE will carry out consists of:
o The construction of structures for the recovery, storage and treatment of rainwater before its discharge into the natural environment.
o The construction of a 200 m2 concrete washing area equipped with a decanter/sludge trap system which will allow the treatment of ship washing water before its evacuation.
o The construction of a hydraulic network, storage platforms, the relamping of the entire lighting network.
o The installation of connected power terminals at the edge of the quay to allow the supply of water and electricity to ships in port.
o A video surveillance system will be installed on the existing lighting masts to ensure complete remote monitoring of the site.
All work will aim to ensure that the site meets environmental requirements.
Modernization part of an ecological transition approach
This market is fully in line with the strategic roadmap of the members of the group in favor of the ecological transition and in which carbon-free mobility and the water cycle have a preponderant place.
For Stéphane PAGLIA, President of the CCI of Pays d’Arles: “It is an honor for the CCI of Pays d’Arles to be part of this group which aims to ensure the future of the port. The Port of Arles was created more than 40 years ago by the CCI of Pays d'Arles as part of a territorial development process. Thanks to a clear vision and concrete actions, it was able to put in place the necessary tools to ensure its development and make it the port it is today. We are delighted to contribute to the future development of the Port of Arles, by continuing to create and adapt the tools necessary for its evolution. The ambition of the CCI of Pays d'Arles is to make the Port a real lever of economic development serving our territory, fully committed to modal shift and ecological transition. I would like to thank all of our partners in the group and the project team who successfully completed this concession renewal. »
“It is a source of great pride for NGE to be part of the sub-concessionaire group of the river port of Arles. Participating in the financing of such infrastructure from a perspective of ecological sobriety and territorial development responds to our desire to promote projects in favor of ecological transition and economic dynamics. Furthermore, it is a 100% NGE construction group which will carry out the port modernization work and new works thanks to our integrated global offer and our professional expertise which is established in the region. Our teams will therefore be present over the long term for 25 years, to transform the port of Arles and strengthen it in its role as the economic heart of the region” declares Jean BERNADET, President of NGE.
« We are delighted to be able to contribute to this project that creates value for the region, which will make it possible to consolidate the transport of goods by increasing the volumes transported on the Rhône. This contribution is also a means, more broadly, of participating in the development of the Rhône-Saône river axis. By joining in the financing of this operation, the Banque des Territoires, which has extensive experience in port investments, confirms its commitment to accelerate the decarbonization of transport and participate in the ecological and energy transformation of the country, which constitutes one of the major challenges for Caisse des Dépôts. » underlines Alexis ROUQUE, Regional Director of Caisse des Dépôts.
