At the edge of the wreck, SeaFrance yesterday presented a rescue plan providing for the removal of 725 of 1580 jobs in the company of French Channel ferry. Former Sealink currently backup procedure, had, initially, 482 scheduled departures. "We needed a gain of productivity is very important because the company lost 15 million euros in first four months of 2010," said Vincent Launay, Director General of SeaFrance. The situation, already tense because of strong competition and also the British Channel Tunnel, has further deteriorated after the strike in four days held during the Easter weekend. SeaFrance had lost 1.25 million at that time.
Capital contribution
The new effort called the company will probably be the last. The savings deposits are increasingly difficult to identify.Indeed, SeaFrance is no longer operating a single line (Calais-Dover) and uses more than four boats, three ferries.
"We will optimize the use of staff time based on business days, seasons, rotation, said Vincent Launay, in the service sector we do not have all the shops and all restaurants are open, then there are only a few dozen people on board. "
The company SeaFrance had placed under the supervision of the Commercial Court of Paris in April. It will soon be requesting the conversion of the backup procedure in receivership.
The situation is very delicate in April, the debt amounted to 185 million for 0.07 million of equity. Last year the company lost 36 million to 170 million turnover.
Now the future of SeaFrance through a capital contribution of its 100% shareholder, SNCF. "It would take about 190 million," says one with SeaFrance. The importance of the recovery plan is also justified by the need to convince the European competition of efforts by SeaFrance to extricate himself.