Société nationale maritime Corse Méditerranée


Image:Mv-Danielle-Casanova-Bastia-fr-01.jpg|thumb|260px|MS Danielle Casanova departing the port of Bastia
Société nationale maritime Corse-Méditerranée was a French ferry company operating in the Mediterranean.
Its ferries sailed from Marseille, Toulon, Nice on mainland France, Calvi, Bastia, Ajaccio, Ile Rousse, Propriano, and Porto Vecchio on Corsica, Porto Torres on Sardinia, Algiers, Oran, Skikda and Bejaia in Algeria as well as Tunis in Tunisia and Genoa in Italy. Since 2016 the fleet of SNCM went to a new company, Corsica Linea.
SNCM traces its history back to 1850.
WWW Official Site

History

  • In 1855, the Compagnie Générale Maritime was created.
  • In 1861, the Compagnie Générale Maritime changed its name to the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique.
  • In 1969, the Compagnie générale transméditerranéenne was created by joining the Mediterranean services of the Compagnie générale transatlantique with the Compagnie de navigation mixte.
  • In 1976, the CGTM came under state control and changed its name to SNCM. The state ownership was managed 75% by the Compagnie générale maritime and 25% by the SNCF, the latter influencing the new name.

2005 privatization

In September 2005, French Prime minister Dominique de Villepin presented a project of privatization of the company. Villepin was to hand out the SNCM to Butler Capital Partners for 35 million euros, after a previous "recapitalisation" of 113 million euros. However, this project caused a public outcry, as it put into question the balancing out principle of public transports, meaning that to insure the continuity of the national territory and the equality of all concerning this important territorial continuity. In other words, the state-owned SNCM was to insure transport between the mainland and Corsica all year long, even though in exclusive market terms it may not be profitable, so that Corsicans can access administrative services as well as any other Frenchman. Moreover, Walter Butler was Villepin's schoolmate and friend from l'ENA, the elite public servants school.
Following hard negotiations and a strike by the CGT trade-union and the Corsican Workers' Trade Union, a new project was presented. In May 2006, the company was privatized. Connex took 28% of the SNCM ; the state kept 25% of the shares, and 9% sold to the employees. 400 layoffs were planned; in addition to the 113 million euros reinjected by the state before the privatization, 35 million euros were to be given to finance the layoffs.
In 2008, Butler sold its shares to Veolia, who became the main shareholder with 66% of shares. In 2011, the shares were passed on to Veolia Transdev, after Veolia merged with Transdev (historic).
The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2014 and was subsequently placed in receivership of the court of Marseilles.

Former Fleet

  • Sidi Bel Abbes Scrapped in Alang, India in 1988.
  • Kaiouran Scrapped in Spain in 1973.
  • Napoleon Scrapped in Gadani Beach, Pakistan in 1987.
  • Fred Scamaroni Sank as Salem Express while en route to Suez 15 December 1991. 450 passengers died.
  • Comte De Nice Scrapped as Express Naias in Aliağa, Turkey in 2003.
  • Corse Sank as Express Samina at Paros 2 nautical miles away in26 September 2000. 80 passengers died.
  • Avenir Sank as Shahrazad in the Red Sea after a fire on board on 21 September 1985.
  • Roussillon Scrapped as Opi in Aliaga, Turkey in 2002.
  • Travetal Scrapped in Indonesia
  • Monte Rotondo scrapped as Tramola 1 in 2023.
  • Ile De Beaute scrapped in Chittatong Roads Bangladesh as Empress in 2004.
  • Provence scrapped as Bel Air in Aliağa, Turkey in 1999.
  • Napoleon scrapped as Berkane in Aliaga, Turkey in 2015.
  • L'Isere Scrapped in 2010.
  • L'aude as Meyra since 2011
  • Cyrnos scrapped as Beau in Aliağa, Turkey in 2013.
  • Liberte scrapped as Biladi in Aliaga, Turkey in 2013.
  • Esterel scrapped as Mistral Express in Aliaga, Turkey in 2016.
  • Corse as Grand Ferry since 2018.
  • Monte Cinto as Eden since 2014.
  • Danielle Casanova as Mediteranee for Corsica Linea since 2016
  • Monte D'Oro as Monte D'Oro for Corsica Linea since 2016
  • Paglia Orbia as Paglia Orbia for Corscica Linea since 2016
  • NGV Asco sank as Panagia Parou in Algeciras in 2017 and scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey in 2018.
  • NGV Aliso as Kalli P for Idomeneas Lines since 2015 laid up in Perama, Greece
  • Napoleon Bonaparte as Rhapsody for Grandi Navi Veloci since 2014.
  • NGV Liamone scrapped as Tai Min Star in Taiwan in 2020.
  • Danielle Casanova as Danielle Casanova for Corsica Linea since 2016.
  • Pascal Paoli as Pascal Paoli for Corsica Linea since 2016.
  • Jean Nicoli as Jean Nicoli for Corscica Linea since 2016.
  • NGV Liamone II laid up in Perama, Greece as Aelos Kenteris I since 2011.
  • Excelsior as Excelsior for Grandi Navi Veloci.
  • El. Venizelos as El. Venizelos for ANEK Lines