From just a few thousand passengers to over 2.6 million: three decades of collective achievement for the region
Marseille Provence Croisière celebrates its 30th anniversary today at an event bringing together around one hundred guests aboard MSC Meraviglia.
Past and present members, cruise lines, port stakeholders, public institutions and economic partners have gathered to celebrate three decades of collective achievement that have profoundly transformed Marseille’s position in the cruise industry.
In 1993, when Marseille welcomed just 11,606 passengers, fourteen institutional and industry stakeholders signed the Cruise Charter. Three years later, in 1996, the Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the City of Marseille and the Port of Marseille established the Club de la Croisière, driven by its founding president, Jacques Truau.
Success was far from guaranteed. International cruise lines had to be won over, infrastructure developed, the passenger welcome professionalised and the wider region gradually united around this emerging activity.
From 11,606 passengers to over 2.6 million
Over the years, Marseille attracted the leading international cruise lines and expanded its infrastructure. In 2001, the Club launched Top Cruise, which became a recognised industry event. In 2012, Marseille hosted Seatrade Med, bringing together several thousand international professionals. In 2013, cruise passenger numbers passed the one-million mark.
In 2025, Marseille Provence welcomed 2,634,780 ocean cruise passengers during 660 port calls, alongside 165,616 river cruise passengers on the southern Rhône.
In thirty years, the pioneers’ vision has grown into a fully fledged tourism and economic sector, supported by an ecosystem of more than one hundred stakeholders.
Jacques Truau: “A collective achievement”
On board MSC Meraviglia for the anniversary, Jacques Truau, founding president of the Club de la Croisière, looks back on the past thirty years:
“When we created the Club de la Croisière in 1996, we were convinced that Marseille had everything it needed to become a major cruise destination. But we could never have imagined how far it would come in thirty years. From a few thousand passengers and just a handful of calls, Marseille has become a leading Mediterranean destination. What makes me espcially happy today is seeing how an idea championed by a few pioneers has become a truly collective achievement.”
This collective endeavour has also evolved profoundly in response to environmental challenges.
Jean-François Suhas: “A new responsibility for the cruise industry”
President of the association from 2015 to 2025 and now delegated president, Jean-François Suhas placed the ecological transition at the heart of Marseille Provence Croisière’s work.
Launched in 2019 at his initiative, the Blue Maritime Summit brought international cruise industry stakeholders together in Marseille to address the energy and environmental transition. This momentum led to the Blue Charter, followed by the Mediterranean Sustainable Cruise Charter and the Sustainable Port Calls Commitments.
“In thirty years, our industry has grown in scale, but our responsibilities have grown too. The ecological transition is now central to the future of cruising. The commitments made in recent years and the investments undertaken demonstrate that profound change is possible when all stakeholders work together. Our responsibility today is to sustain that momentum and ensure that cruise development fully meets the environmental and societal expectations of our region.”
Jacques Hardelay: “Charting a new course for cruising in Marseille”
Elected president of Marseille Provence Croisière in June 2025, Jacques Hardelay is leading this new chapter with a clear ambition: to reshape the sector’s development model.
Through Horizon 2030, Marseille Provence Croisière is focusing on three priorities: environmental commitment, integration with the local region and competitiveness, placing the quality of port calls and local economic benefits above growth in passenger volumes alone.
“The 30th anniversary of Marseille Provence Croisière is an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary journey since the Club’s creation. We have inherited a remarkable legacy, built by successive generations of stakeholders who helped make Marseille a major cruise destination. Our mission now is to evolve that model, prioritising the quality of port calls, their integration into the local community and a reduction in their environmental impact. Through Horizon 2030, we aim to chart a new course for cruising in Marseille Provence: one that is more responsible, better integrated and creates value for the region.”
Marseille is shaping the future of cruising
Today, Marseille stands as a leading Mediterranean cruise destination, thanks to its tourism appeal, heritage and strong maritime and port ecosystem. Having welcomed more than 2.6 million passengers in 2025, Marseille Provence Croisière is embarking on a new phase of development with Horizon 2030: favouring quality over quantity, enriching port calls, expanding turnaround operations, better managing visitor flows and increasing local benefits. Another key goal is to turn the port-call experience into a genuine gateway to the destination, encouraging cruise passengers who discover Marseille to return for a longer holiday.
The future of cruising in Marseille will be built with the local region and in harmony with it, bringing together destination appeal, economic performance, passenger experience and environmental transition.
The presence on 12 October of founding president Jacques Truau, delegated president Jean-François Suhas and current president Jacques Hardelay embodies this continuity and their shared determination to shape the future of cruising in Marseille.
About Marseille Provence Croisière
Founded in 1996 as the Club de la Croisière Marseille Provence, the association became Marseille Provence Croisière in 2023, adopting a modern, clear identity firmly rooted in its region. “Committed cruising, engaged communities” reflects its dedication to sustainable cruising that is integrated into local life. Its ambition is to make Marseille and Provence a benchmark cruise destination, combining economic development, tourism appeal and ecological transition. The association brings public and private stakeholders together around an ambitious and responsible vision and supports changes across the industry. Through its Horizon 2030 Plan, it sets key priorities and strategic projects to strengthen the region’s appeal while promoting sustainable cruising that respects the local community.
