The mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, wants to study the creation of a port terminal near Nice Côte d’Azur airport. The project, already mentioned in the past, aims to divert some of the maritime traffic away from the city center. The announcement is already attracting criticism from the ecological opposition and raising questions about cost, environmental impact and technical feasibility.
The project for a new port to the west of Nice is back in the public debate. The mayor of Nice, Eric Ciotti, wishes to launch a feasibility study for the creation of a port terminal near Nice Côte d’Azur airport.
The new mayor explains that the city has “an exceptional maritime facade” with strong economic potential that is not sufficiently exploited. His stated objective is to relieve congestion in the historic center and to develop maritime activity in western Nice.
The project could take place near the current Carras port, to the west of the airport. On France 3 Côte d’Azur, Eric Ciotti describes “an almost unique multimodal location in the world.” The mayor envisions a terminal capable of accommodating ferries and facilitating maritime connections, particularly with Corsica.
“It would be extremely useful to have a port terminal, especially for large vessels, for traffic with Corsica for example, for ferries that could dock and have easier access than our historic port in the city center, especially for vehicles”, says Eric Ciotti.
A study announced for 2027
The municipality plans to launch a feasibility study in the coming months. Results are expected in 2027. Eric Ciotti emphasizes the necessary caution around this matter.
The sector in question remains sensitive. In 1979, an underwater tsunami hit a port construction site south of Nice airport. Ten people died, including nine workers on site.
Several studies had already been conducted in the past, particularly by the general council and then the departmental council. Some conclusions mentioned constraints related to air traffic and proximity to the airport.
“We will look at whether there is indeed a place that could technically accommodate a port jetty that would allow ships to dock, of what size and dimensions. Depending on the constraints of the seabed, environmental constraints, and constraints related to air traffic. We are exploring the idea”, explains Eric Ciotti.
The former mayor and president of the Metropolis, Philippe Pradal, believes that studies remain necessary before any decision. Philippe Pradal recalls that the Lympia basin “probably needs to be expanded”, while emphasizing the complexity of the matter.
“We’re talking about several hundred million euros and also the possibility of mobilizing external financing”, specifies Philippe Pradal, who wishes that “the Nice municipality remains in control.”
Ecological opposition criticizes the project
The announcement is already provoking reactions from the ecological ranks. Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux, an EELV elected member of the municipal council, believes that priorities should be different.
“No, Nice does not need a new port, and the Mediterranean Sea does not need more boats”, states Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux.
The elected official considers that “this idea is one that comes from the early 21st century, which is outdated and does not fit at all with the challenges we face today in the city of Nice.”
Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux also recalls the positions defended by the former majority against large cruise ships. The municipal councilor prefers to see the Metropolis invest in a marine protected area rather than in new port infrastructure.
The same tone from Hélène Granouillac. In a statement, the leader of the Ecolocratie XXI movement mentions a project that “is resurfacing” and that could “multiply nuisances at sea and on land.”
The former municipal councilor points to several concerns: proximity to the international airport, rising sea levels, preservation of marine biodiversity, and saturation of land and maritime mobility. The statement also questions the financing of a facility in “an indebted metropolis.”
The debate around a new port in Nice should now continue around the future technical, environmental and financial studies announced by the municipality.
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