Since its creation in 1928, the "Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation" has developed continuously to become La Méridionale, a shipping company recognized for the attention it pays to its customers, the quality of its services delivered on board, its ecological commitment and its ability to innovate.
Our business
La Méridionale operates a daily freight and passenger transport service between Corsica and the mainlandt, thus ensuring Territorial Continuity as part of its Public Service role.
In 2020, the shipping company opened a regular route between Marseille and Tangier. It operates 4 crossings to Morocco per week.
La Méridionale key figures
La Méridionale comprises:
- 4 RoPax vessels sailing to Corsica and Morocco from Marseille
- 12 weekly crossings between Marseille and Corsica and 4 weekly crossings between Marseille and Morocco
- 1 sales agency in Ajaccio
- 2 port agencies recognized for their expertise: the Société d'Acconage Porto-Vecchiaise in Porto-Vecchio and Comanav in Morocco
- 500 travel agencies that form a distribution network throughout Europe
- ± 650 people, at sea and on land, serving customers
- Almost 280,000 passengers by 2024
A company that embraces human values
La Méridionale is part of the CMA CGM Group, a family-owned company anchored in Marseille and a global player in maritime, land, air and logistics solutions.
Customer satisfaction at the heart of our commitments
The satisfaction of our passengers and freight customers is our constant concern.
Our teams are committed to doing everything in their power to ensure that your crossing lives up to your expectations.
To maintain impeccable services, La Méridionale constantly analyzes customer satisfaction and makes all the necessary changes to improve its services to meet their expectations. This "customer-centric" approach is showing promising results: 91% satisfied customers in 2024* and 7 Travellers' Choice awards in a row from Tripadvisor.
*satisfaction survey carried out on 5,143 participants from 2024 1st january to 31st december on the Ajaccio line
Tangible initiatives for the environment
La Méridionale is a shipping company committed to reducing the environmental footprint from its activities as much as possible.
As a leading specialist in this field, La Méridionale has initiated and deployed the following technological innovations:
- CENAQ - Electrical shore-to-ship power (SSP) of ships at berth
- Particulate filter made from sodium bicarbonate
It is actively involved in protecting cetaceans in the Mediterranean through the REPCET system and played a proactive role in its development.
The shipping company's efforts to protect the Mediterranean and the environment have been honoured. In 2013 and in 2018, La Méridionale was awarded the French shipowners association (Armateurs de France) Blue Charter Trophy and it also won the Sustainable Tourism Prize in 2019 (Palme du Tourisme Durable).
A responsible fleet
Electrical connection of ships at berth (CENAQ)
Particle filter
Responsible catering
Protection of cetaceans (REPCET)
Ballast water treatment
Green Marine Europe certified company
Dates that have marked La Méridionale
The history of our shipping company reflects our commitment and values. La Méridionale is Marseille's historic shipping company, it celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2011 and since its creation, it has never stopped adapting and innovating.
Our story
- 1931: Two brothers, Henri and Félix Rastit married the daughters of shipowner Giannoni de Cassano in Balagne and founded the COMPAGNIE MÉRIDIONALE DE NAVIGATION (CMN).
- 1937: The CMN ships petroleum products to Corsica, followed by general cargo on conventional ships.
- 1970: The service to Corsica now uses ro-ro ships (Roll-on - Roll-off) with horizontal handling. This technique is still used today.
- 1976: The recognized quality of CMN's services earns it the right to participate in the public service of territorial continuity between continental France and the Island of Beauty where it ensures the carriage of freight to Corsica.
New routes and passenger services
- 1988: At the request of the Corsican Transport Board (Office des Transports de la Corse), the Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation converted its ro-ro ships to carry passengers and their vehicles.
- 1989: Opening of Marseille-Sardinia crossings, as an extension to the Propriano service. This route contributes to the development of the Gulf of Valinco and the Gulf of Sardinia, improving economic trade between the two islands.
- 1992: La Méridionale joins the STEF Group, which will become its sole shareholder in 2009.
- 1996: The Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation is the first French shipping company in the Mediterranean and the second in France, operating passenger ships, to be granted the double international quality certification I.S.M and I.S.O 9002.
- 1998: The CMN becomes "La Méridionale".
Development and commitment to the environment
- 2009: DNV, the world’s leading classification society, grants La Méridionale ISO 14001: 2004 certification for its Environmental Management System (EMS).
- 2011: La Méridionale becomes the first shipping company to equip its entire fleet with the REPCET cetacean tracking system.
- 2016: La Méridionale is the first company in the Mediterranean to adopt CENAQ - its electrical shore-to-ship power of ships at berth during its stopovers in Marseille (CENAQ).
- 2017: La Méridionale was voted "service leader" by a panel of 20,000 consumers who participated in a survey led by "Capital" magazine.
- 2019: La Méridionale is the first shipowner in the world to test and install a particle filter on a vessel (the Piana).
- 2020: Launch of the Marseille-Tangier line and entry into the fleet of a fourth ship, the Pelagos.
- 2022: Inauguration of the particle filter deployed on all the Piana's engines. A world first for maritime transport and the environment.
- 2023: on May 31, La Méridionale joins the CMA CGM Group in the specialized shipping division.
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Our destinations
Ajaccio
Porto-Vecchio
Tangier
Marseille
