France-based sustainable iron producer GravitHy and HES FOS SAS, a subsidiary of HES International, which is one of Europe’s largest independent bulk handling companies for liquid and dry bulk products, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop critical port infrastructure in Fos-sur-Mer, southern France.
The agreement represents a key milestone in enabling GravitHy’s large-scale low-carbon steel project, which will play a central role in Europe’s industrial decarbonization efforts.
Strategic infrastructure for iron ore and HBI flows
GravitHy is developing a major low-carbon direct reduced iron (DRI) and hot briquetted iron production (HBI) plant in Fos-sur-Mer that will depend on iron ore pellet imports and hot briquetted iron (HBI) exports. Reliable port access and large-scale storage capacity are essential to the project’s success.
Scope of the planned development
Under the MoU, the two companies will jointly plan and construct the infrastructure linking the industrial site with the terminal.
The planned infrastructure will include dedicated storage, handling, and transfer facilities to support efficient movement of inbound raw materials and outbound HBI products.
Timeline and strategic importance
The MoU sets the stage for negotiating a final binding agreement by 2026, ensuring infrastructure readiness ahead of the plant’s 2029 launch.
Both parties emphasize their shared ambition to build resilient, future-proof logistics infrastructure that will support European industry’s decarbonization and strengthen Fos-sur-Mer’s role as a strategic green steel hub.
