La Méridionale
Formerly
  • Compagnie méridionale de navigation (1931–2011)
IndustryMaritime Transport
(passengers and freight)
Founded1931 (1931)
FounderHenri et Félix Rastit
Headquarters
Marseille
,
France
RevenueIncrease €109 million
Owner
  • Independent (1931–92)
  • STEF (1992–2023)
  • CMA CGM (2023–present)
Number of employees
500 employees
Websitelameridionale.fr

La Méridionale is a French shipping company that provides passage to Corsica. After being managed by STEF, the passenger ferry operator was acquired in May 2023 by the CMA CGM Group.[1][2]

The company's three vessels serve the Corsican ports of Bastia, Ajaccio and Propriano, and Porto Torres in Sardinia. The fleet is exclusively composed of mixed vessels (freight and passengers).

History

The entity currently known as La Méridionale began its history with the formation of the Compagnie méridionale de navigation, the oldest carrier serving Corsica.[3] This company emerged when the children of the Giannoni and Rastit families got married in 1931, which resulted in the creation of links with the region.[4]

At first, the company transported petroleum products and general cargo. In 1970 it adopted the Roll-on/roll-off style and strengthened the Corsica-Continent links.

At the beginning of 1990, La Méridionale was the leading French shipping company in the Mediterranean and France's second largest operator of passenger ships at the national level.[3] After joining the STEF group in 1992, it outfitted the Kalliste the following year and obtained both ISM and ISO 9002 certifications.

In November 2001, it renewed its public service concession with SNCM between Marseille and Corsica.[3] A decade later, following the arrival of the ship Piana and existing ships Girolata, Kalliste and Scandola were repainted, La Compagnie méridionale de navigation (known as CMN) changed its logo to La Méridionale.

At the end of 2016, the Girolata was repainted and work was carried out to install a ballast water treatment system[5] - the same modifications were made to the Kalliste the following year. On 1 January 2017, La Méridionale began weekly service between Propriano (Corsica) and Porto Torres (Sardinia).[6]

In May 2023, the STEF group sold the shipping company to the CMA CGM group.

Ship Flag Built Entered Service Gross tonnage Length Beam Passengers Vehicles Service speed Current status
Piana France 2011 2011 42,180 GT 180 m 30,5 m 750 200 27 knots In service
Girolata France 1995 2002 28,417 GT 177,30 m 27 m 816 200 24 knots In service
Kalliste France 1993 1993 30,718 GT 165 m 29 m 550 160 19 knots In service
Pelagos France 1997 2020 21,856 GT 186 m 25 m 340 200 21.5 knots In service

Lines and current fleet

La Méridionale's vessels make round trips between Marseille and Bastia (Piana), Ajaccio (Girolata), Propriano (Kalliste) and Sardinia (Kalliste). Sea crossings are made at night, with one departure every evening. La Méridionale has three mixed vessels (passengers and freight) operated under the French flag:

Corsica - Continent:

Lines Duration Vessel Frequency
Marseille ↔ Bastia 12 hours on average Piana Daily
Marseille ↔ Ajaccio 12 hours on average Girolata Daily
Marseille ↔ Propriano 15 hours on average Kalliste Daily

Other companies

References

  1. ↑ "CMA CGM Buys La Méridionale and Plans LNG/Methanol Ferries". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  2. ↑ "CMA CGM Group completed the acquisition of La Méridionale". InfraPPP. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  3. 1 2 3 "La Méridionale, la plus ancienne compagnie" [La Méridionale, the Oldest Company] (in French). corsematin.com. 5 April 2010.
  4. ↑ "La Méridionale (CMN)" (in French). noos.fr. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "La Méridionale change de look et traite ses ballasts" [La Méridionale changes its look and upgrades its ballasts]. www.lemarin.fr (in French). Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  6. ↑ "Le retour de la CMN entre Propiano et Porto Torres" [The Return of CMN between Propiano and Porto Torres]. 2016-12-22. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
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