Assignments Administrative Board Organisation
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).