Nicolas Vial, official painter of the Navy, was in charge of the design of the stamp. He painted a ship of the SNSM, the SNS 076, which is going to rescue another ship in difficulty. This canoe is placed on top of a wave in a raging sea, with the white of the foam underlining a grey-black sea sky.
The painter is already the author of about fifteen stamps. His creation for the 70 e anniversary of the D-Day landings received the 2014 Most Beautiful Stamp Award.
A LISA vignette in the colours of the SNSM, created by Vivi Navaro and representing the boat SNS 064, a lighthouse, a compass rose and geographical coordinates will also be published, but only available in Brest and Vannes.
The SNSM stamp will be sold at the price of 0.85 euros in preview in some cities on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 May 2017 :
- BREST (29)
Post office, from 9 am to 6 pm, rue de Siam, 29200 Brest.
- ILE-AUX-MOINES (56)
Le Port, Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 May from 10 h to 18 h and Thursday 25 May 10 h to 19 h, 56780 Ile-aux-Moines.
- LA ROCHELLE (17)
Vedette 144, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Quai d'honneur, Bassin des chalutiers (near the Aquarium), 17 000 La Rochelle.
- LE HAVRE (76)
SNSM station from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Southern Marina Pier, 125 Bd Clemenceau, 76 600 Le Havre.
- MARSEILLE (13)
Tourist Office, 9 am to 5 pm, 11, La Canebière, 13001 Marseille.
- VALVES (56)
From 11 am to 8 pm, 1 Bis Boulevard Thiers, 56000 Vannes.
- PARIS (75)
Le Carré d'Encre, from 10 am to 5 pm, 13 bis rue des Mathurins, 75009 Paris.
From May 26th, it will be sold in some post offices and on the website of the Post Office, at the Carré d'Encre by subscription or by mail to Phil@poste Service Clients Z.I Avenue Benoît Frachon, BP 10106 Boulazac, 24051 PERIGUEUX CEDEX 09.
Design: Nicolas VIAL - Layout: Bruno GHIRINGHELLI
Printing: Rotogravure
Stamp size: 40.85 mm x 30 mm
Circulation: 1,000,440 copies
Face value: EUR 0,85
Ensuring the rescue of boaters
The SNSM was born from the merger of two former "companies" created on 19 e century, the Société centrale de sauvetage des naufragés and the Société des hospitaliers sauvetage bretons. These two associations structured the principle of solidarity between seafarers for the benefit of all maritime professions. In 1967, these two entities became one, a date when maritime activities were undergoing profound changes, thanks to the significant development of nautical leisure activities and pleasure boating.
Since then, solidarity has been at the heart of the volunteer commitment of sea rescuers. There are now 7000 to have joined the association, 4400 of whom are on board and permanently ready to intervene on the orders of the maritime authorities, for the benefit of people in difficulty at sea.
They are distributed among 218 lifeboat stations on the coast, including overseas, and benefit from 400 boats of all types. Alongside them, 1300 young "rescue swimmers" trained by the SNSM are made available to municipalities each year to ensure safety on the beaches.
Every year, sea rescuers rescue around 8,000 people and intervene on behalf of 22,000 people on the beaches.
The SNSM, an association recognised as a public utility in 1970, carries out more than half of the rescue operations in coastal areas. Supported in part by the State and local authorities, it operates mainly thanks to the support of private donors and patrons.
