Exhibition - L'économie portuaire rochelaise

The La Rochelle Ports Center association, created in 2021 to strengthen La Rochelle's port identity and promote the maritime industry, brings together the three ports of La Rochelle: the commercial port, the fishing port and the yachting port.

In 2024, the association commissioned an in-depth study on the socio-economic impact of the ports on the scale of the urban area, in order to highlight the major impact of La Rochelle's blue economy, a fundamental pillar of the region's economic development.

Funded by the European Union and the Région Nouvelle Aquitaine, the study was carried out by Meresco, a consulting and analysis firm specializing in the fishing and aquaculture sectors, and Abington, a strategy and accounting expert.

The three ports of La Rochelle: an asset for the region
The Communauté d'Agglomération de La Rochelle, comprising 28 communes, 70 km of coastline and 9 coastal communes, is deeply linked to its three ports, each of which contributes to the region's maritime character.

Grand Port Maritime de La Rochelle (GPMLR): France's 5th largest port in terms of tonnage, the only deepwater port on the Atlantic seaboard, accessible 24 hours a day. In 2022, it handled 9.5 million tonnes of goods, with annual growth of 3% over the past decade.
The fishing port: Located in Chef de Baie, this is a fish port structured around fishing, shellfish farming and seafood processing. 25,000 metric tons of seafood products pass through here every year.
The marina: One of the largest in Europe, it boasts over 5,000 berths and supports a nautical industry cluster, 90% of whose production is exported.

An unprecedented study on the economic impact of ports

The aim of this initiative, the first of its kind in Charente-Maritime, is to accurately assess the impact of port activities on the region, particularly in terms of jobs, added value and economic influence.

The economic impact of the three ports has been assessed through three types of spin-off:

Direct : Impact on the economy of activities in the port passage value chain (trade, fishing, yachting).
Indirect: Impact on the economy of activities supporting the main activities in the value chain (suppliers and service providers).
Induced : Spin-offs linked to the money reinjected into the local economy through jobs generated and taxes paid by companies involved in direct, indirect or support activities.

The exhibition: "The Port Economy of La Rochelle

On display until June 20 in the yachting area of the marina's harbour master's office, this exhibition is based on the results of the study.

It offers a summary of harmonized data concerning the three harbors of La Rochelle, and underlines the structuring role of their activities in the local and regional economy.

An enriching visit to better understand the workings of the port economy and the strategic importance of ports in our region.