The Marseille shipowner CMA CGM which announced in June discounts of €500 on container transport prices in the direction of large retailers in particular, has decided to extend this measure.
The reduction will ultimately be 750 euros per container for all of its customers who import from Asia to France, and no longer just large retailers. The reduction of 500 euros for overseas imports also increases to 750 euros. Finally a new measure is announced: a reduction of 100 euros for all exports from France.
Auditioned Wednesday by the senators, the CEO of the Marseilles shipowner Rodolphe Saadé had hammered “we are a patriot company” and specified that “two out of three goods transported by container ships are not transported by CMA CGM, the other companies must face their responsibilities“.
This new series of measures comes after discussions with Bercy but also with the CPME, spokesperson for many VSEs and SMEs whose economic model has been greatly shaken up by the surge in maritime freight rates multiplied by 10 since 2019. To the point that some economic actors have decided to forgo imports when possible. Maritime freight rates are currently experiencing a slight stabilization, and ships have more availability on board.
The company, which made $16 billion in profits in 2021, is also in the crosshairs of critics of large groups that have made “super profits“which should be taxed more in their eyes. Rodolphe Saadé also defended himself on this point before the senators on Wednesday, recalling that if shipowners are taxed on the tonnage of products transported, a regime that is favorable to them”it is a community tax introduced in 2003 to give European companies an advantage over their Asian competitors. To change that would be to give a bonus to our Asian competitors. Is this what we want?“