Lorient (France)

Lorient is an Atlantic port town in France's Morbihan department (Brittany region), with total area approx 18 km2 (7 mi2) and population around 58,000. The port is located on Brittany's southern coast (northwestern France), at the confluence of two rivers (Blavet and Scorff) discharging into the Atlantic Ocean. Lorient is approx 153 km (95 mi) southwest of Rennes (Brittany's capital), 158 km (98 mi) northwest of Nantes and 503 km (313 mi) southwest of Paris City. Approx 5 km (3 mi) to the east is Ile de Groix. This small island is connected to Lorient via several regularly scheduled (daily) ferries.

From its establishment, shipbuilding has been of great importance to Lorient. Naval Group (formerly DCNS) now owns and operates port's shipyards (aka l'Arsenal, founded in 1690) and still builds warships for the French Navy (mainly frigates, submarines, drones, weapons).

Lorient is also known as "the 5-port city" (commercial-fishing-yachting-passenger-military). Its maritime sector supports around 9,600 local jobs.

1. Kergroise (Brittany's largest cargo port) has annual traffic volume around 2,6 million tons (oil, sand, TEU-containers, cattle fodder).
2. Keroman (fishing port) has annual catch around 27,000 tons, ranking it France's second (after Boulogne-sur-Mer), but also first by cash value. Its fleet consists of 130 fishing vessels with supported around 3000 jobs (of which 700 fishermen).
3. Boat marinas - mooring berths are dispatched on Gavres (57), Guidel (102), Lorient (370), Port-Louis (450) and Kernevel (1000). Additionally, a 800-m (2600-ft) long dock is dedicated to offshore competitive sailing boats. It was built within the former submarine base Keroman.
4. Passenger (cruise port) each year, over 457,500 passengers depart from here to the nearby islands Groix and Belle-Ile-en-Mer.
5. Military port - though no longer serving as French Naval base, newbuild warships temporarily dock on the wharves along Scorff River.