La Méridionale abandons Morocco: Marseille loses a historic link with Tangier
The shipping company La Méridionale is ceasing its links between Marseille and Morocco to refocus on Corsica. This restructuring, marked by the sale of a ship to Corsica Linea, raises concerns among unions about the future of trans-Mediterranean routes.
La Méridionale officially transferred its ship Capu di Muru to Corsica Linea on March 5th. This vessel, initially destined for scrapping in a Turkish shipyard, will ultimately return to service on April 20th after a three-week technical stopover in Marseille. These works will modernize the passenger facilities and install a shore power connection.
Faced with serious financial difficulties, the company is opting for a strategic withdrawal. According to an internal note, the management is now prioritizing the Corsican service with its ships Piana, Girolata and Massalia. This decision, endorsed by the shareholder CMA-CGM, marks the definitive abandonment of the line to Morocco, which the company considers to be structurally loss-making.
This reorganization is causing a stir within the CGT Marins union. General Secretary Frédéric Alpozzo deplores a "strategic error" and regrets the lack of a common organization of French companies in North Africa. For the union, this withdrawal leaves the field open to "low-cost" operators who are already making significant progress from the port of Sète.
