The Commercial Court of Marseille has again postponed the examination of the takeover bids for sNCM to November 4th. This time because of the lawyers' strike, which has been going on for 3 weeks now, against the reform of the legal aid.
The court granted the request of the President of the Marseilles Bar, although he said he was "exasperated." However, he stated that this postponement will in no way improve the offers of the buyers.
Update on submitted bids
As a reminder, four takeover bids were submitted, following the receivership of the Corsican company on November 28, 2014:
Christian Garin, ex-director of the port of Marseille, associated with Arista Shipping (Ferry de France), who proposes to save 878 employees and to take over part of the management committee.
Patrick Rocca, director of the Corsican transport group Rocca, who proposes to save 873 employees and to take over the entire management committee.
Baja Ferries, a Mexican shipowner headed by Daniel Berrebi, which proposes to save 852 employees, but no member of the management committee.
Corsica Maritima, today CM Holding, which is a group of island companies and which proposes to take over 802 employees and part of the management committee.
On the other hand, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region wrote on Monday to the commercial court in Marseille. In its letter, it indicates that it is ready to commit itself alongside a buyer to take over SNCM "within the framework of a global offer preserving the uniqueness of the company, and covering the widest possible social and industrial perimeter between PACA, Corsica and the Maghreb within a viable economic framework
