French shipowners are urging their government to come up with a "Marshall Plan" to save the domestic industry from the coronavirus crisis.
Likening the fight against Covid-19 to a war, outgoing president of shipowners association Armateurs de France, Jean-Marc Roue, said in his farewell address that he would have liked to dwell on the triumphs and difficulties of his three "intense and emotional" years in the job.
Instead the Brittany Ferries boss said: "As I write these few lines, a global health crisis is hitting the planet."
Many crew continue to work courageously, but some businesses will not recover, he added.
"So it is to the President of the Republic that I turn to one last time. I appeal to him to quickly anticipate the needs that will be ours," Roue said.
"I appeal to the government to save the French seafarer. I appeal to the state to, right now, plan a Marshall Plan for French shipping."
He added: "Let's plan, together, and very quickly."
German appeal
On Tuesday, German shipowners appealed to state export bank KfW Group - itself set up as part of the post-World War 2 US Marshall Plan for Europe - to help shipowners out.
Roue is standing down on Tuesday after his term ends.
Looking back on his time in the Armateurs de France role, Roue said that it started with the election of Macron and the accession to power of "this new generation, in the ministries, in the cabinets, and of course in the National Assembly."
"For many, these women and men had little, if any, knowledge of our sector," he added.
"Our first mission was therefore to evangelise this renewed political staff. In a few words, but in a lot of action, we had to re-weave this network of expertise and support necessary to preserve the interests of French shipping."
Battles with government
He said: "I would have liked to speak to you at greater length about this battle of employers' exemptions that shortsighted budget officials tried to suppress."
Roue praised prime minister Edouard Philippe for knowing how to "take the time to listen to me before arbitrating without reservation in our favour.
"He saved the French sailor!" he added.
Roue said he would also have liked to dwell on working with shipowner Philippe Louis-Dreyfus to propose to the IMO a short-term reduction in the carbon footprint of maritime transport by regulating the speed of vessels.
And he also mentioned CMA CGM boss Rodolphe Saade, who has started a renewal of its fleet by ordering nine boxships powered by LNG.
"I myself launched the construction of Europe’s largest LNG ferry, the Honfleur, the only French vessel to benefit from the Juncker Investment Fund for Europe," Roue said.
But he also has regrets about battles left unfinished, including the defence of the seafarers' pension scheme.
