The basic idea behind the Fos complex was to build a zone of “industry-creating industries”, which meant planning for two stages: first, heavy industry would be brought in, and that in turn would attract processing industries. The site was huge, 16,000 people were employed building three harbour basins, 3 km long and 600 metres wide. The first factories opened between 1972 and 1974. Fos-sur-Mer became the first French industrialised port complex, covering 8,400 hectares, making it bigger than Le Havre-Antifer or Dunkirk. Its ambition was clear: to become the southern “Europort”, allowing France to play a major role in Mediterranean maritime trade. In a country booming economically, where maritime traffic increased from 150 million tonnes to 200 million tonnes between 1965 and 1970, Fos-sur-Mer became a major part of the nation's economic development. Since industrialised port areas attract industries needing to import raw materials, the project encouraged the creation of large metallurgical, steel and chemical companies, such as Solmer, Atochem or Air liquid.

 

The consequences in the surrounding area were enormous. The merchant shipping tonnage in Marseille increased by nearly 60% between 1965 and 1975, many jobs were created and the road networks in the region improved with the opening of the Paris-Lyon-Marseille motorway in October 1970.

 

But from the very start there were those who spoke up against the lack of consideration for the environment. One of the consequences of the construction of the complex at Fos is indeed pollution, related to industrial effluent, the accumulation of waste and the degradation and loss of natural areas. Indeed the environment did change, the smells and noise associated with industry were suddenly everywhere. Faced with a housing crisis caused by the increase in population, there was much uncontrolled urbanization. But in the early 1970's, the environment was not DATAR's main concern and it relied on the goodwill of businesses to control the problem themselves. In his book, La Damnation de Fos, Bernard Paillard criticises the management of the industrial port project and its adverse effects.

 

All these aspects are discussed in this film report, shown on ORTF's 1.00 o'clock TV news on October 8^th 1970. The opening shots show viewers an impressive concrete building: the port watchtower. A map then appears, placing Fos-sur-Mer not in its national context but within Europe. The journalist sets out the facts and compares the promising industrialised port complex of Fos with northern Europe's powerful port area, Rotterdam. To do this, unprecedented means would be put into effect and the port allocated a vast area, equivalent to “the area of ​​Paris”, shown graphically by juxtaposing the map of the industrial zone against a map of Paris. The journalist emphasises the speed of the project: planning started in 1969, the first factories were rising out of the ground in 1971. Another map appears, showing viewers the lay-out of the port with all the large factories. As well as the complex itself the surrounding infrastructure needed to be developed: the film shows a motorway, while talking about links to Spain and Italy, but also with the North. Supported by videos, the reporter also talks about pipelines and waterways. Finally, he explains the economic benefits of such a project: the population will double, there must be investment in schools, hospitals and other infrastructure. He closes with a reflection on the environmental consequences of the complex.