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CONFERENCES
BULK TERMINALS MARSEILLE 2025 – RESPONDING TO THE NEW AGE OF CHAOS
ABTO members and friends met at the Bulk Terminals 2025 Conference, in Marseille on 29–30 October 2025.
Bulk Terminals Marseille brought together port authorities, terminal operators and bulk industry stakeholders to discuss key topics such as geopolitical tensions, tariff regimes, operational efficiency, resilience, cyber security, climate adaptation and risk and safety.
The conference theme for Marseille was ‘Responding to the New Age of Chaos’. The first two presentations in the traditional opening markets session directly addressed this theme:
Louis Borer from Risk Intelligence opened the markets session with ‘Geopolitical tensions impacting the global bulk trade’. Both on land and at sea, the international geopolitical context has deteriorated significantly since the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza. The substantial increase in the threat at sea in several maritime areas and strategic choke points through which international maritime trade flows result in not just in rerouting and delays, but possible changes in the choice of unloading and loading terminals.
Drewry’s Sean Fairley continued with an ‘Impact on bulk markets of the US tariff regime’, an update on the fallout of the Trump Administration’s launch of tariff regimes, resulting in retaliation and the new era of trade wars which has sent shock waves through the markets. For the dry bulk market, the implications of the trade wars are potentially significant. In the short-term global tariffs will restrain demand. In the longer term, these tariffs will prompt a strategic redirection of trade routes, impacting dry bulk terminals.
The presentations which followed in the markets session were covered by exiting new speakers: Pablo Rodas-Martini, from Market Intelligence, Emerging & Frontier covered iron ore. Will tooth and Cara Hatton from SSY discussed coal and grain respectively. Two new subjects not covered in previous Bulk Terminals conferences were for the first time discussed: Lisa Schmidt, from the International Biomass Torrefaction and Carbonisation Council (ITBC) highlighted the role of biocarbon as a practical and scalable coal substitute for defossilising energy-intensive industries and Sylvie Doutres Ghizzo, from DSG Consultants our conference partners, gave us an ‘Overview of cementitious trade’. As well as cement and clinker this includes other binders and supplementary materials such as granulated slag and fly ash, explaining the factors have reshaped cementitious trade flows and consequent terminal activity especially in the Mediterranean area.
The opening presentations on the following operations session similarly addressed the need to tackle the changed conditions brought about by the conference theme and the discussions in the markets session.
Sylvie Doutres Ghizzo spoke about the ‘Challenges making the transition to new bulk traffics’ Professor Mike Bradley, Director of the Wolfson Centre and our conference Chairman reopened the debate about ‘Efficiency versus flexibility – how to choose in a time of turbulence in trade patterns’.
Sylvie Collange, from SEA-invest Caronte Terminal, Marseille Fos gave an excellent case study about ‘Operating a multi-bulk terminal‘. Firas Ezzeddine, from HES MED Terminals in this presentation ‘Business development playbook for dry bulk terminals’ gave a helpful exposition of how to go about developing terminal potential.
Focused operational benefits offered by specific approaches followed in the second part of the session. Richard Habering from igus – who have sponsored every Bulk Terminals conference – presented ‘Leveraging smart diagnostics and predictive analytics to streamline maintenance and ensure operational continuity’. Jan Cantow from Heyport followed with ‘Smart berth planning – benefits of minimising idle time’. Julien Pierre, from indurad – one of our sponsors – showed how radar-based technology can assist ‘Real-time volume and quality tracking from warehouse to terminal’.
The TT Club have supported all our previous events, always giving a safety update. Géraldine Savin joined us this year to make the final presentation of the day ‘Minimising risk, increasing safety’.
We then all decamped to the Conference Reception at Le Petit Pernod restaurant, with views of the Old Port and Notre-Dame.
Mark Lazzaretto, from the Port of Marseille Fos opened day two and the environment session with and interesting history of the port and explanation of their route to decarbonisation.
Dust control remains a big headache for bulk terminals. Frank van Laarhoven, from RAM Spreaders – one of our sponsors – showed how containerised bulk handling (CBM) offers solutions to these environmental problems and for some commodities definite operational advantages.
We have for some years wanted to cover the effects of climate change on our industry. Modern ports and terminals face an increasing range of climate change related challenges, including rising sea levels, extreme weather events, heat stress, and increased flood risks. These events threaten critical infrastructure and disrupt supply chains. Anthony van der Hoest, from Arcadis covered the risks and solutions in ‘Port and terminal resilience to climate adaptation’.
Cyber security was the last session of the conference. Ports and terminals are at high risk to cyber-attack. Richard Hodder from Engage Cyber gave us an ‘Update on the latest cyber threats’. Paul Franquart followed with a case study of the Marseille Port’s response to cyber threats.
After our Chairman’s conclusions we than all left by coach for lunch at the lovely Villa Khariessa in Martigues set in the middle of a magnificent Mediterranean garden overlooking the Étang de Berre. Built by the painter Henry Gérard on land he acquired at the beginning of the last century, the Villa Khariessa is now a club. The lunch was kindly organised by Sylvie Collange before visiting the SEA-invest Caronte Terminal, where Sylvie is the CEO.
During our visit four ships were docked, three in operation. The SEA-invest Caronte Terminal was the perfect terminal to visit and to end the conference, being is good example of the flexibility that today’s terminals need to demonstrate to be able to react to the current uncertainties which were discussed during the previous two days.
In conclusion the main takeaways from the conference were that in addition to the traditional market forces affecting terminal throughput, geopolitical and tariff regimes add another layer of complexity; operationally, bulk terminals must adapt and diversify – shifting from coal to new and evolving material flows; climate adaptation and resilience to extreme weather present both major challenges and opportunities; safety needs to remain a priority, and maintaining a high level of cyber security vital as operations become increasingly automated and digitalised.
Watch this space for details of Bulk Terminals 2026.
BULK TERMINALS MARSEILLE HOST PORT AND CONFERENCE PARTNER
With thanks to our hosts the Port Authority of Marseille Fos and conference partner DsG Consultants.
SPONSORSHIP AND SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES BULK TERMINALS 2026
To discuss speaking and sponsorship opportunities, or simply to register an interest in attending Bulk Terminals 2026, please contact Simon Gutteridge [email protected] +33 (0)3 21 47 72 19.
SUPPORTING ASSOCIATIONS AND MEDIA PARTNERS
With thanks to our Supporting Associations and Media Partners
BULK TERMINALS MARSEILLE AND PREVIOUS EVENTS
Please click here to see the programme of Bulk Terminals 2025 Marseille and previous events
COURSES, TRAINING AND SUPPORTED EVENTS
A key feature of ABTO’s Mission is ‘Developing training schemes and educational seminars to facilitate advancement and best practice’
Please see here for details of the following ABTO short courses and supported events:
Resilient Ports, Terminals & Logistics Operations in a Changing Climate, 13 November 2025, London
European Biocarbon Summit, 9-10 December 2025, Amsterdam
Port and Terminal Operations for Bulk Cargoes – dates to be announced
Biomass Operations and Handling Technologies – dates to be announced
Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership – dates to be announced