port de Sète

What port de Sète does

Port de Sète is a historic Mediterranean port on the French coast operated by Port Sud de France, a regional public establishment wholly owned by the Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region. It is the second-largest decentralized port in France and the second-ranked port on the French Mediterranean coast by commercial tonnage. The port runs four intertwined business lines: a commercial port (containers, Ro-Ro, bulk, livestock; deep-water access at 13.5m draught), a passenger terminal serving ~320,000 annual ferry passengers to Morocco, Algeria, Corsica, the Balearics and Sardinia plus cruise calls, a fishing port anchored by the computerized Halle à Marée (first tidal market in Europe to computerize, 1967), and a marina with 893 berths for vessels up to 70m plus 1,100+ canal moorings. Around this core sits an ecosystem of 2,300+ direct jobs in pilotage, towage (TSM), mooring (Lamanage Sète), clearance (Sète Clearance, SGS Transit) and freight forwarding.

Technology and infrastructure investments center on digital cargo management (MGI Ci5 Cargo Community System, ISO 27001-certified, 5-year contract), a connected marina IoT layer (Falco/Wattson Elements with INRIA across 484 berths), shore-power electrification on Quai H, G and Môle Masselin (~€7.5M, with up to €5,999,384 ERDF support), a €7M railway platform enabling the Sète-Calais rail freeway via operator VIIA, and 64,000 m² of photovoltaic roofing that produces 2.5x the port's annual electricity consumption, earning positive-energy status and the 2020 Prix TEM – Transition Énergétique Maritime. Operating certifications include ISO 14001 (renewed 2022), Clean Port, Actif en Biodiversité, 5-star Qualité Plaisance, and RGAA 92.8% web accessibility.

The revenue model is multi-stream and transaction-plus-subscription hybrid: vessel and port dues (tonnage/draught-based), passenger and cruise terminal fees, fishing auction transaction fees (Crée via MERCAPEPSCA), marina berth rentals and annual/6-month subscriptions (with Navily for short stays), and real-estate/land concession income from port tenants, shipping agents and logistics firms. Distribution is direct enterprise sales to shipping lines, cruise operators, freight forwarders and concessionaires, supplemented by Navily as a marketplace channel for transient marina customers; passenger ferry tickets are sold indirectly via resident operators (GNV, Corsica Ferries, Corsica Linea, Algérie Ferries, Balearia). Pricing is publicly available only as downloadable tariff PDFs rather than on the website.

Name

port de Sète

Legal name

Port Sud de France

Website

https://sete.port.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Port de Sète is a regional public port in southern France operated by Port Sud de France, serving commercial shipping, ~320,000 annual ferry passengers, cruise lines, commercial fishing, and a 893-berth marina, with multimodal sea-rail-river-road logistics and a connected IoT marina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Port Services

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Marinas (71393)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Ferry Terminal, Port & Passenger Handling Services (THAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Port Call Operations & Berth/Service Scheduling Liaison (Terminal, Pilots, Tugs) (TLAHAJAK), Ferry Terminals & Water Transit Piers (THAIALAH), Ferry Terminal & Passenger Pier Operations (Ferry-Specific) (THAIAJAJ)

Keywords

• Maritime port services
• Commercial shipping operations
• Ferry terminal services
• Marina berthing services
• Commercial fishing port

Headquarters

HQ city

Sète

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Port Dues and Vessel Fees: Revenue from port dues charged to vessels based on tonnage and draught. Includes vessel fees, equipment royalties, and other port service charges for commercial vessels, ferries, and cruise ships.
2. Passenger Services: Revenue from ferry and cruise passenger operations including terminal fees and related services.
3. Fishing Auction (Criée) Fees: Revenue from the fish auction market operations, the first tidal market in Europe to computerize (1967), handling fish and shellfish sales.
4. Marina Berth and Moorings: Revenue from berth rentals (893 berths for vessels up to 70m), canal moorings (1,100+ rings for vessels under 8m), careening services, and annual/seasonal packages.
5. Port Infrastructure and Real Estate: Revenue from leasing port land, warehouses, and facilities to port operators, shipping agents, logistics companies, and other maritime businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Port de Sète operates a multi-activity Mediterranean port delivering four core services: a deep-water commercial port for containers, Ro-Ro, bulk goods and livestock; a passenger ferry and cruise terminal serving routes to Morocco, Algeria, Corsica, Balearics and Sardinia; a fishing port with computerized fish auction and careening facilities; and a 893-berth marina plus 1,100+ canal moorings for recreational boating. Operations are integrated through multimodal sea-rail-river-road logistics and digital infrastructure including the Ci5 Cargo Community System and connected marina IoT sensors.

Product overview

Port de Sète is a multi-activity port managed by Port Sud de France (regional public establishment). The port comprises four interconnected core divisions: Commercial Port (commerce, containers, Ro-Ro, bulk goods with quay electrification and railway platform), Fishing Port (fish auction/criée, careening area, quays), Marina/Plaisance (893 berths plus 1,100 canal moorings with connected IoT sensors), and Passenger Services (ferries to Morocco/Algeria/Mediterranean islands, cruise calls). Digital infrastructure includes MGI Ci5 Cargo Community System for goods management and MERCAPEPSCA for online fish auctions. The port operates as a unified port authority offering complementary maritime, logistics, and leisure services under one regional management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Port de Commerce (Commercial Port) The second-largest commercial port on the French Mediterranean coast by tonnage, providing deep-water access (13.5m draught) for shipping companies and freight operators. Handles containers, Ro-Ro cargo, bulk goods, livestock and general cargo via multimodal sea-rail-river-road logistics.
• Ferry Terminal (Passengers) Passenger ferry terminal at the Orsetti Maritime Station connecting Sète to Morocco (Tanger Med, Nador), Algeria, Corsica, Balearic Islands and Sardinia. Handles approximately 320,000 ferry passengers annually through operators including GNV, Corsica Ferries, Corsica Linea, Algérie Ferries and Baleària.
• Cruise Port Services Cruise port facility serving as gateway to the Occitanie region with access to 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Handles regular cruise calls from operators including Viking Cruises with vessels such as Viking Venus, Viking Sea and Viking Neptune.
• Port de Pêche (Fishing Port) Historic Mediterranean fishing port featuring fish auction facilities (Halle à Marée), careening area for ship maintenance, quays and platforms, and the Frontignan fishing zone. Provides infrastructure for commercial fishing vessel operators, fish buyers and seafood processors.
• Criée (Fish Auction) Digital fish auction system handling sale of fish and shellfish with buyer and fisherman registration. Operates Monday to Friday, 9am-12pm and 2pm-7pm. Accessible online via the MERCAPEPSCA platform for digital participation by registered buyers and sellers.
• Port de Plaisance (Marina) Recreational marina offering 893 berths for sailboats, motorboats, multihulls and pleasure craft up to 70 meters, plus closed canals with over 1,100 moorings for vessels under 8 meters. Services include connected IoT sensors, quay electrification, and crew services.
• Marina Berth and Mooring Subscriptions Annual and seasonal berth rental packages for marina visitors at Port de Plaisance de Sète. Short stopovers (<7 days) available through the Navily booking platform; longer stays (7+ days) and careening services booked directly through port teams.
• Careening (Fairing) Services Vessel careening and maintenance services at the Môle Saint Louis careening area for fishing boats and pleasure craft. Operated with pricing per lift, 2023 price list available.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5x renewable energy production vs. consumption across 3 ports
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MGIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 20215-year partnership for Ci5 Cargo Community System digital platform to manage goods flows at Port de Sète. Handles containers, trailers, bulk goods, and livestock. Project received €85,395 grant from Occitanie Region under 'Avenir Littoral' program.
• ENEDIScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2020Partnership agreement to anticipate and facilitate Port of Sète's ecological transition projects including shore power electrification and renewable energy integration.
• European PSAMIDES Project PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019European Interreg-Mediterranean project with port authorities from Balearic Islands (Spain), Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain), and Heraklion (Greece) for sustainable marina development through innovative solutions in tourist flow management and resource efficiency.
• ATMO OccitanieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir quality monitoring partnership for study and ongoing tracking of atmospheric conditions in port areas.
• Le 7ième ContinentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZero-plastic corporate initiative partnership with environmental awareness campaigns for port community.
• CPIE du Bassin de ThauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental protection awareness and education partnership for marina users, partners and service providers on ecological transition.
• Falco/Wattson ElementscoreTechnology or IntegrationConnected marina IoT technology partnership deploying intelligent sensors across 484 berths. Solution based on INRIA research. Makes Port de Sète Europe's first connected marina.
• INRIA (French Research Institute)coreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partnership for Internet of Things technology development for smart marina applications.
• VIIAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRailway platform operator for Sète-Calais rail freeway service. COT (railway service contract) signed in summer 2022 for intermodal transport development.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Grand Port Maritime de Marseille: France's largest port and direct French Mediterranean competitor operating commercial, passenger, cruise, fishing and ro-ro services out of Marseille Fos. Comparable as a state-backed port authority managing a multi-activity Mediterranean port with significant ferry and cruise traffic.
• Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux: French state-backed port authority managing Atlantic-side commercial, passenger and bulk operations. Comparable as another regional French public port authority managing multi-activity concessions with public funding dependence, though serving a different seaboard.
• Port de Toulon (Conseil Départemental du Var): Regional French Mediterranean port operating passenger ferries to Corsica, a large marina, fishing facilities and a naval base. Direct comparable as a smaller-scale multi-activity French Mediterranean port competing with S\u00e8te especially for Corsica ferry traffic.
• Port de Port-La Nouvelle: Sister port operated under the same Port Sud de France regional establishment, also in the Occitanie region, handling commercial bulk, agribulk and Ro-Ro traffic. Directly comparable as it shares the same regional public-establishment management structure and commercial-port business model.
• Autorit\u00e0 di Sistema Portuale del Mar Tirreno Settentrionale (Port of Livorno): Italian port authority managing commercial, ferry (to Corsica, Sardinia, Balearics), cruise and marina operations on the Northern Tyrrhenian coast. Comparable as a Western Mediterranean multi-activity port authority competing for the same ferry and cruise customer base.
• Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mar Ligure Occidentale (Port of Genoa): Italian port authority managing the Port of Genoa including passenger ferries to Corsica/Sardinia, cruise calls and commercial cargo. Directly comparable as a multi-activity Mediterranean port authority competing for the same ferry, cruise and container traffic.
• Port de Nice (Conseil D\u00e9partemental des Alpes-Maritimes): Smaller French Riviera port operating passenger ferries to Corsica, marina services and limited commercial activity. Comparable as a regional French Mediterranean port competing for Corsica-bound ferry and Riviera yachting demand.
• Autoritat Portuària de Barcelona: Port authority of Barcelona operating commercial containers, cruise, ferries and marina services on the Western Mediterranean. Comparable as a regional port authority competing for the same Mediterranean container, cruise and ferry customers, though at substantially larger scale.
• Autoridad Portuaria de la Bah\u00eda de Algeciras: Spanish port authority operating one of the Mediterranean's largest container hubs as well as ferry services to Morocco. Comparable as a Mediterranean port competing for North Africa-bound ferry, container and cruise traffic on overlapping routes.
• Autoritat Portuària de Val\u00e8ncia: Spain's largest Mediterranean container port managing commercial, passenger and cruise operations. Comparable as a Western Mediterranean multi-activity port authority competing for container and cruise volumes with deeper draught capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/portdesete
• Facebookfacebook.com/portdeplaisancedesete
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/port-de-s%C3%A8te-sud-de-france
• Instagraminstagram.com/portdesete/?hl=fr

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about port de Sète