SNCM ferries get a six month reprieve to find a buyer.

Reprise de la SNCM : “Notre plan va sauver 800 emplois” (Daniel Berrebi). Possible buyer will save 800 jobs.

EXCLUSIF par Cécile Mimaut vendredi 28 novembre 2014

Daniel Berrebi veut conserver 800 emplois sur les 1.500 salariés en CDI de la SNCM © Maxppp

Le tribunal de commerce de Marseille a prononcé ce vendredi la cessation de paiement et le placement en redressement judiciaire de la SNCM. (Syndicat National du Chemin de  Maritime) La compagnie maritime dispose d’une période d’observation de six mois pour trouver un repreneur. Parmi les candidats, le principal repreneur potentiel s’appelle Daniel Berrebi. Il était l’invité de France info ce vendredi après-midi. The court in Marseille on Friday announced the end of support payments and put SNCM into legal administration. The maritime company will be given a six month period to find a receiver for take-over. Among the candidates, the main purchaser is named Daniel Berrebi. France Info have invited him for interview today.

L’actionnaire majoritaire Transdev, mais aussi l’Etat, actionnaire à 25%, considèrent le redressement judiciaire comme la seule solution pour “empêcher la disparition pure et simple” de la SNCM, car cela permettrait selon eux de trouver un repreneur et d’annuler les condamnations européennes à rembourser des aides publiques jugées illégales pour plus de 400 millions d’euros. Déjà sur les rangs, la société américaine Baja Ferries. Son dirigeant, l’armateur franco-tunisien Daniel Berrebi, était l’invité de France info ce vendredi après-midi.
Transdev, the majority shareholder, but also the State, holder of 25% consider a legal restructuring the only solution to “avoid closure pure and simple” of SNCM, as this will permit them to find a buyer and get rid of the European sanctions of reimbursing the more than €400M public financial aid, judged illegal. Already in the wings, is the USA company Baja Ferries. It’s boss and Franco-Tunisien owner Daniel Berrebi, was invited to speak on Fance Info last Friday.

Il confirme sur notre antenne son intérêt pour la Société Corse Méditerranée. Il a ainsi envoyé dès jeudi soir une lettre d’intention en ce sens aux deux administrateurs judiciaires en charge du dossier à Marseille. Et ses motivations sont multiples. “Je suis fils et petit-fils d’armateurs. Nous sommes spécialisés dans le ferry, notamment dans le bassin des Caraïbes, au Mexique et aux Etats-Unis. Je connais bien la Méditerranée. Je connais bien ce marché et je pense qu’il y a une réelle possibilité de redévelopper et redynamiser cette activité pour en faire une belle entreprise”, explique-t-il.

He confirmed on radio his interest in the Corsican Mediterranean Company. And he has sent his intentions by letter to the legal administrators in charge of the brief. And his motivations are multiple. “I am the son and grand-son of ship owners. We specialise in ferries, notable in the Caribbean basin, in Mexico and the USA. I know the Mediterranean well. I know the market well and I think there is a real possibility to redevelop re-invigorate this business to make a good company”, he explained  

Un peu plus de la moitié des emplois sauvegardés. About half the jobs would be saved.

Notre plan va s’axer sur la sauvegarde de 800 emplois (sur les 1500 salariés en CDI de la SNCM). Nous allons maintenir le pavillon français sur la Corse et la qualité de service sur la DSP (Delegation Service Publique). Par contre, le grand changement va être une offre beaucoup plus importante sur le Maghreb où nous voulons redynamiser cette activité. Nous allons ouvrir une nouvelle ligne sur le Maroc et offrir beaucoup plus de départs de Marseille vers l’Algérie et vers la Tunisie“, détaille Daniel Berrebi, qui souhaite aussi fermer les lignes non rentables, celles qui relient la Corse depuis Nice et Toulon.

“Our plan is going to save 800 jobs (out of 1,500 Contrat Durée Indeterminer, CDI, full-time jobs).We are going to keep a French presence in Corsica and the public service obligation quality. On the other hand, changes are going to offer many big opportunities in the Magreb and will reinvigorate this business. We are going to open a new route to Marocco and offer more departures from Marseille to Algeria and Tunisia” said Daniel Berrebi, who wishes also to close non-profitable lines to Nice and Toulon.

Pas d’offre sans levée de l’amende européenne. No offer without lifting the European fine.

Mais, pour pouvoir reprendre la SNCM,  Baja Ferries a besoin de deux garanties. D’une part la délégation de service public (DSP), et d’autre part  l’annulation de ces fameuses amendes, 440 millions d’euros, imposées par Bruxelles. “J’ai très bon espoir, je suis très optimiste. Ce serait un drame si notre solution qui permet de sauver 800 emplois n’était pas acceptée par Bruxelles“, explique  Daniel Berrebi. Et d’ajouter que si les amendes ne sont pas annulées, “il n’y aura pas d’offre de notre part“… “Et je pense très honnêtement qu’il n’y aura aucune offre de personne“, ajoute le dirigeant de Baja Ferries.
But, to take over SNCM, Baja Ferries want two guarantees. One part is the Public Service Obligation, and the other is the dropping of the famous fines, €440M, imposed by Brussels. “I have a lot of hope, I am very optimistic. There will be a lot of angst if our solution to save 800 jobs is not accepted by Brussels”  explained Daniel Berrebi. And he added that if the fines are not lifted “there will be no offer from our side”..”And I think honestly that no one else will offer either” added the boss of Baja Ferries.

About bill

Worked in the technical / engineering area as a Science Laboratory Technician and as an Aeronautics Engineer. The artistic side involves writing under the nom de plume of Billy Olsenn, his recently written play 'A Case of Wine' was staged by the players group Straight Make-Up at the 2012 Birr one act drama festival. It's next staging was in the one act circuit is in Cavan, at Maudebawn on Sat 10 Nov 2012. Then it was performed in the Bray, Co.Wicklow at the very popular one act festival in January 2013. Next play is FEAR. A dark tale about revenge on the cruel death of two pensioners by young thugs. Neighbours hatch a devious and dangerous plan to exact old-style revenge. Bill is a member of the Drama League of Ireland and his plays have been critically vetted and certified as original pieces of work by the DLI. Another literary project is that of commemoration of an aircraft crash on Djouce mountain in Wicklow in 1946. Bill wrote articles for the 50th, 60th and most recently the 70th anniversary, (12 Aug 2016) all were published in the Wicklow Times and ensured the survivors of the crash, all French Girl Guides, were not forgotten. Articles reproduced on this website. But mostly this site gives a more general European and specific French slant on popular and not so popular articles of French news, translated to English by the author. Each article is translated on a paragraph by paragraph basis so easy to read in either language and even possible to improve either language by comparison of the short English and French paragraphs. Amusez vous bien. The author is currently writing an easy to read technical aviation book centered around the Fokker 50. Another interest is that dealt with in another of Bill's websites www.realnamara.net, a Statue of the mother of God, Mary. It was erected in 1972 in Dublin, at the end of the Bull Wall near Clontarf, and my grandfather William Nelson, was the main instigator of that project. I give talks on the history of the statue and my grandfather's adventurous and dangerous life at sea. Technical assistance with each website is by J O'N.
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