The agreement aims to establish a robust trade ecosystem aligned with the broader vision of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) the world’s fastest growing integrated transport utility announced that it has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Marseille Fos France’s maritime hub  have formalised cooperation to anchor the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in Europe. For cargo owners, carriers and terminal operators, the pact signals closer digital and operational alignment along a proposed 6,000 km trade spine.

An India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor Ports Club

The agreement was signed during the visit of Emmanuel Macron and includes a proposal to create an India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor Ports Club  It aims to establish a robust trade ecosystem aligned with the broader vision of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union.

The 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi, IMEC

Meanwhile Launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi, IMEC is a multimodal connectivity initiative connecting India and Europe through maritime routes, rail links, digital systems and clean energy pathways.Under the terms of the agreement, the two entities will collaborate to develop a green maritime corridor linking APSEZ’s flagship Mundra Port in Gujarat with Marseille Fos.

This means a lot for ship owners 

At the same time  this initiative focuses on sustainability and innovation, with specific plans to cooperate on port digitalisation by creating smart-port platforms to streamline logistics, sustainability through the implementation of low-carbon bunkering, alternative fuels, and shore power supply, and security by enhancing cybersecurity frameworks for maritime trade. This means a lot for ship owners and managers trading between India and Europe This partnership calls for the establishment of A Mundra–Marseille Fos Green Maritime Corridor is also planned.

APSEZ’s ports at Mundra and Hazira

It noteworthy that on the eastern end, APSEZ’s ports at Mundra and Hazira already serve as the multimodal logistics hub connecting South Asia to West Asia. The addition of Marseille Fos strengthens the western European gateway, adding approximately 70 million tonnes of capacity and extending the corridor’s reach deep into the European hinterland.

Strengthening economic cooperation and supply-chain resilience

Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, said: “India has already taken a leadership role in advancing this corridor, and with the conclusion of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, trade between the participating countries is expected to grow manifold.” He added that Hazira and Mundra ports have established a “seamless” pathway across the first and middle legs of the corridor and said: “This partnership will significantly accelerate the exchange of information and materials among all participating nations, further strengthening economic cooperation and supply-chain resilience.”

 Two extremities of this future trade backbone

On the other hand Mr Hervé Martel, CEO of the Port of Marseille Fos, added: “We are pleased to strengthen our partnership with APSEZ at a moment when the IMEC corridor is entering a decisive phase. India and Marseille stand at the two extremities of this future trade backbone, giving both ports a major responsibility in structuring and energizing this new route. Together, we intend to mobilize and federate the ports involved, and to act as strong advocates of a more efficient, resilient and sustainable connection between our regions.”

About the Port of Marseille Fos

A major player in international trade, the Port of Marseille Fos, France’s leading maritime gateway and a strategic hub on the Mediterranean, handles 74 million tonnes of cargo annually and welcomes nearly 10,000 vessel calls each year. Its 10,400 hectare industrial and logistics zone – one of Europe’s largest – hosts major global players and supports a complete range of activities including liquid and dry bulk, containers, Ro Ro, energy, industry, and ship repair, notably Dry Dock 10, the third largest dry dock in the world.

As a multimodal hub connected by rail, river, road and pipelines, Marseille Fos offers direct access to the French and European hinterland, with robust services linking the Mediterranean to Northern Europe. It serves more than 15 million consumers in Southern France and reaches over 70 million inhabitants across the Rhône–Saône corridor and Western Europe.

The port also benefits from the MeRs axis (Marseille–Rhône–Saône), the natural extension of its industrial ecosystem, which gathers hundreds of companies and Europe’s leading inland logistics clusters. Marseille Fos is actively involved in several inland port authorities and multimodal platforms, supporting coordinated logistics and greener supply chains along the corridor.

Environmental excellence is at the heart of its strategy, with over 1 billion euros invested in the 2025–2029 plan to accelerate decarbonisation, expand shore power capabilities and support the emergence of green industrial ecosystems, including renewable hydrogen, circular economy and low carbon manufacturing clusters.

Related : Adani Ports fleet expands to all-time high 129 vessels

#Adani Ports #APSEZ #Hervé Martel #Port of Marseille Fos # MoU #Ashwani Gupta # Emmanuel Macron # European Union.