"Economic nonsense and social destruction": 21 jobs threatened by the takeover of the Port-Fréjus shipyard

Twenty-one of the twenty-five employees at the Port-Fréjus Shipyard (CNPF) will be laid off this summer. The contract with the holder of this public service delegation (DSP), which ends on August 2, will not be renewed. And, according to information gathered by Var-matin , only four employees will be retained at the site, which will see its activity reduced to its bare minimum.

Opposition member Emmanuel Bonnemain is sounding the alarm following the decision to take over management of the careening area, taken by the board of directors of SPL Ports de Fréjus on March 21.

René-Pierre Magne, manager of the company operating the CNPF, is upset and deplores this decision, which he says he learned about in a letter received on April 15.

"Reducing activity to the careening? An economic aberration!"

"In 2011, when we took over the site after Monaco Marine left, customers had abandoned this shipyard, which at the time had a turnover of one and a half million euros and employed nine people. Fifteen years later, our turnover is four and a half million euros and we have recruited sixteen people. Unsurprisingly, in December 2024, the Port representatives congratulated us on these results and invited us to apply for the new call for tenders. We therefore did not expect this turnaround at all."

According to the manager, the city was only recently planning to conduct a call for tenders for a five-year operating period, while a series of works are carried out, particularly on the dikes. In addition to the disappointment of seeing his activity forced to stop abruptly, René-Pierre Magne regrets "an economic aberration. Reducing activity to careening and lifting is not viable. This represents some 700,000 euros in turnover per year while we are currently keeping the port alive. And what image will boaters retain of the town in the absence of preparation, mechanical and engine maintenance, renovation, or even painting services? Especially since the shipyard is designed for it!"

The conflict could also have legal repercussions for the city. "They are offering to take back the equipment I invested in for free as return material. I contest this, particularly because I had to buy back part of these investments from Monaco Marine. We are also contesting the dismissal of 21 employees. For the time being, we are in amicable discussions, but if no solution is found, we will take the matter to court," warns René-Pierre Magne.

But before getting to that point, officials at the Port-Fréjus Shipyard would like to raise awareness among elected officials. On May 7, a petition in "support of CNPF employees" was posted online on the website change.org. It had garnered nearly 200 signatures at the time of writing.

"The brutality of this measure is shocking," says Bonnemain.

For his part, Emmanuel Bonnemain, leader of "Our party is Fréjus", is surprised by "the brutality of this decision which puts an end to an activity essential to the Port and the local economy. I am all the more surprised by this as the operating rights of the SPL are currently being renegotiated with the municipality, since its own contract expires in August 2025" .

Furthermore, the minority elected official observes that "this decision, which has serious consequences on a social level, could have financial consequences for the SPL, which will not only have to answer to any claims by employees but also possibly to those of the ousted operator in respect of the equipment it financed. Faced with such a decision, taken without consultation or sufficient anticipation, it is legitimate to be concerned about the human, economic and legal impacts it could have. The brutality of this measure calls into question the way in which jobs, local stakeholders and the economic balance of the port and, more generally, the entire economic fabric of Fréjus are currently considered. It is essential that any decision of this magnitude be conducted with transparency, with respect for past commitments and the preservation of collective interests."

Despite our attempt to obtain testimony from the president of SPL Ports de Fréjus, he did not respond to this request.