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SNCM goes solo in Corsica tender
French ferry operator SNCM will bid alone - without long-time partner CMN - for the public service concession governing ferry routes from France to Corsica in a tender due to
close on 4 August.
SNCM was expected to bid jointly with CMN ('La Méridionale') but the latter has decided also to go its own way. The separation, which had been the subject of rumour for some time, has brought "regrets" on the SNCM side and "concern" from CMN.
"It is a pity that we could not come to an agreement so far. However, things could change again by the year end", said a spokesman from SNCM. At CMN the split has triggered anxiety among staff, who are demanding more information about their company's future strategy for serving the Corsican trade.
CMN only operates three ships and cannot on its own effectively respond to the tender. Under new rules adopted by the Corsican Assembly, it could bid for one or two isolated routes, one analyst said, but the Assembly is likely to favour the line proposing a service covering all Corsican ports.
To offset the loss of its partner, newly-privatised SNCM has announced it is about to buy one ferry and modify two others to be able to meet the demands of the Corsican tender.
Award of the concession, initially due in late August, is now expected in October, and it will come into effect on 1 January 2007. Corsica Ferries, SNCM's largest competitor for the tender, has so far not commented on the SNCM/CMN split.
SNCM was expected to bid jointly with CMN ('La Méridionale') but the latter has decided also to go its own way. The separation, which had been the subject of rumour for some time, has brought "regrets" on the SNCM side and "concern" from CMN.
"It is a pity that we could not come to an agreement so far. However, things could change again by the year end", said a spokesman from SNCM. At CMN the split has triggered anxiety among staff, who are demanding more information about their company's future strategy for serving the Corsican trade.
CMN only operates three ships and cannot on its own effectively respond to the tender. Under new rules adopted by the Corsican Assembly, it could bid for one or two isolated routes, one analyst said, but the Assembly is likely to favour the line proposing a service covering all Corsican ports.
To offset the loss of its partner, newly-privatised SNCM has announced it is about to buy one ferry and modify two others to be able to meet the demands of the Corsican tender.
Award of the concession, initially due in late August, is now expected in October, and it will come into effect on 1 January 2007. Corsica Ferries, SNCM's largest competitor for the tender, has so far not commented on the SNCM/CMN split.
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