Shipments of LNG into France's Mediterranean Marseille port area from January-September rose by 35% on the year to 5.3 million mt, the latest figures from port company GPPM showed Wednesday.
LNG cargoes enter the Marseille port area for delivery to GDF Suez's Fos Tonkin and Fos Cavaou facilities.
The rise in LNG shipments, which is partly explained by the fact that Fos Cavaou only entered into commercial operations in April 2010, helped boost total oil and gas shipments into Marseille in the first nine months by 6% on the year to 44.8 million mt.
Crude oil imports climbed 1.6% to 28.4 million mt, helped by a recovery of stocks in September, the port authority said.
However, the closure of Petroplus' Reichstett refinery in April and the threat of closure at LyondellBasell's Berre facility would likely mean a reduction of crude imports going forward, it said.
