What view do the retailers and wholesalers of Rungis International Market take of the downstream sharing of the means of transporting fruit and vegetables? In a sector ruled by intense competition, individual interests take precedence, even if it means trucks travelling half empty!

In the space of a few years, Egypt has made a quantum leap, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in the citrus fruit sector. This leap places it alongside Spain and Turkey on the podium of top orange producers and exporters, not only in the Mediterranean, but also in the world market.

MOROCCO. In 2012, climatic vagaries caused a fall in small fruit exports. As regards oranges, the decline is more structural. For a number of years now, Morocco has lagged behind Egypt.

In recent years, citrus growers in the Mediterranean basin have been waging a relentless war on export markets. The price of labour, export subsidies, fruit quality, bilateral trade agreements, transport and logistics costs, there are no holds barred.

Challenged by the demand for frequent deliveries in large-scale distribution, companies in the food-processing industry are beginning to collaborate with a view to pooling transport and logistics operations.

In two decades, Marseille has gone from a few thousand to one million cruise passengers. This success is due to the total synergy between port professionals, tourism and institutional investors, which are all involved with the Club de la Croisière Marseille-Provence (Marseille-Provence Cruise Club).

econostrum.info : What are the most popular routes for your passengers in the Mediterranean? Georges Azouze : French cruise passengers in general...

TUNISIA. Tunisia hopes to attract as many cruise passengers in 2013 as in 2012 and eventually to regain the 900,000 passengers that visited the destination in 2010. Recent activity has been promising, but is still suffering from uncertainty over national security.

A specialist in cruise sales in Monaco, Pierre-Yves Canton, CEO of Cruise'nFly, gives his opinion on the market.

GREECE. Stavros Hatzakos, Président of the OLP (Piraeus Port Authority), is expanding the Port of Piraeus in order to accommodate more cruise ships.
He is also president of the MedCruise association which brings together the Mediterranean cruise ports.

Jacques Truau is the man who has revived cruises in Marseille. A liner Captain from Gascony, he finished his seafaring career at Paquet and then became a pilot boat captain. He has been posted at the CCI Marseille-Provence for the past 25 years and founded the “Club de la Croisière Marseille-Provence”, which he chairs.

From the 22nd January to the 22nd March 1891, 241 passengers sailed on board the Augusta Victoria in the Mediterranean. They are considered to be the...

The western Mediterranean ports of call, starting with Barcelona, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, confirm their success. Disney Cruise...

Econostrum.info: How big is the Mediterranean cruise market in relation to other tourism markets (seaside, cultural, etc.)? Etienne Pauchant: It is...