L'anse du Pharo redesigned to create a yachting centre
Located at the gateway to the Old Port of Marseille, Anse du Pharo will benefit from major investments to set up a business village linked to yachting and water sports. "The idea is to strengthen the small and medium sized yachting activity in the area. We want to create at Le Pharo a centre of excellence around marine carpentry, as well as premises for commercial use linked to nautical activities, such as fittings. The redevelopment of the site will allow us to complete the Borg and Sainte-Marie shipyards, as well as the Phocéenne sailmakers already present" explains Lionel Royer-Perreaut, president of SOLEAM, the local public company in charge of the project and concessionaire for the Aix Marseille Provence Metropolis.
Port works and compliance with environmental standards
8 million, half of which will be financed by mainland France. The work will take place on land and in the maritime area. A new building will be constructed for commercial activities, while the existing yards will be upgraded to bring the site up to standard for the treatment of polluted water and pollutants. A storage area will be built. Two protective dikes will secure a pontoon area reserved for professionals for boats waiting to be picked up. Car parks for yachting clients are also planned. "Administrative procedures are underway for building permits and authorisations for work on the maritime domain. The marketing of the spaces should start at least in 2 years time," says Lionel Royer-Perreaut.
Strengthening the Marseille boating industry
Through the project, presented as a showcase for the Olympic Games for which Marseille will host the sailing events, the Phoenician city also intends to consolidate a lesser-known aspect of its nautical industry. "This complements the other sites, such as the Form 10 yacht race in Marseille or La Ciotat. We want to consolidate the industry on a regional scale. We will be the contact for the shipyards in place for the renewal of AOTs (Authorisation for Temporary Occupation) and we are particularly keen to propose longer AOTs to give the shipyards the possibility of amortising investments over longer periods" concludes the president of SOLEAM.
