The Occitanie Region has officially inaugurated three major infrastructure projects at the Port of Sète-Frontignan. The investments include the commissioning of a dredger, a new rail terminal, and shore-side electricity connections for vessels.
The newly christened dredger, Hydromer, is a 70-metre vessel with a hopper capacity of 1,500 cubic metres. Representing an investment of €30 million, the vessel features electric propulsion and is scheduled to run on locally produced “green hydrogen” by September 2026.
From January 1, 2026, the vessel will be managed by the newly established regional public establishment, Dragage Occitanie.
Operations have also commenced at a new six-hectare rail terminal operated by VIIA, a subsidiary of the SNCF Group. Equipped with horizontal loading technology that eliminates the need for cranes, the facility services the Sète-Calais link. The terminal aims to triple the annual transport volume from 15,000 to 40,000 semi-trailers and containers.
Additionally, the port has electrified three quays to provide shore power for ferries and cargo ships. First utilised by the ferry Danielle Casanova in May 2025, the system allows vessels to switch off engines while berthed.