Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Morlaix

The construction of the port of Bloscon starts at the beginning of the 1970's, East of the city of Roscoff, and ends in 1972.  As the first French vegetable basin, the region, also know as "Léon golden belt", is seeking better outlets for its cauliflowers, artichokes and other early potatoes which brought it fame and wealth.  The Léon peasants turn towards exporting.

England, a natural neighbour, is a promising destination but the old grounding port of Roscoff, accessible only at high tide, does not allow goods forwarding in optimal conditions (long handling time for goods loading and unloading, problem of non-refrigerated storage for vegetables).

A challenge for an entire region...

Farmers become aware of the emergency and develop the project to be equipped with an appropriate facility: a deep water port, passable under any circumstances.  Convinced of the economic interest of the approach, the region's economic and political stakeholders get together to ensure the project's success.  Morlaix Chamber of Commerce and Industry becomes the project's contracting authority.  The General Council has been the port's licensing authority since July, 1973.

However, a final pitfall winds up frustrating the local bet: none of the solicited maritime companies wants to set up shop in Roscoff due to the fact that there is no market for sea transport West of the English Channel. Never mind! The vegetable producers, grouped together within the SICA of Saint-Pol-de-Léon, act as ship-owners and create the BAI company (BAI stands for Bretagne (Brittany) Angleterre (England) Irlande (Ireland), known under its trademark Brittany Ferries), of which they are the majority shareholder.

A diversification towards tourism...

The first opened route connects Roscoff to Plymouth and allows the direct loading of refrigerated trucks by ferry, thanks to the roll-on, roll-off technique.   At first, the traffic is exclusively dedicated to the import-export transport by ferries of various goods to the Southwest of England and Ireland. Then, Brittany Ferries very quickly opts for a new diversification of its activities towards

passenger traffic.  The turn towards tourism works: after Plymouth, a second route towards Cork (South of Ireland) is offered to the travellers in 1978. In 1995, the arrival of the Irish company, Irish Ferries, strengthens the offer even more on this destination, to the point that Roscoff becomes the first French port towards Ireland.  At the same time, a cargo boats traffic anchored in Roscoff supplies the needs of companies of the hinterland.

...then fishing

In 2001, a new stage is cleared in the development of the port, with the construction of a specific quay for fishing boats and a modern fish auction market. Bloscon thus provides the means for welcoming a new commercial

activity in optimal conditions by offering professionals the conditions of better profitability for their activity (proximity to fishing grounds).

From the outset, Morlaix Chamber of Commerce and Industry has ensured the operating and running of the port.  The department of Finistère and the Brittany region constantly work with the CCI and contribute to the financing of the works connected to its development.