MAJOR DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMPAGNIE GENERALE MARITIME

1973 : Creation of the Compagnie Générale Maritime by decree on the 21^st December 1973, of which 99,4 % of the capital is held by the State.

1974 : April 5^th, transfer of shares held in the Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes™ and the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique™.

1975 : Transfer of the Messageries Maritimes™ headquarters from Boulevard de la Madeleine in Paris to Tour Winterthur in La Défense (the headquarters of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique™ having previously been transferred from rue Auber to the Tour Atlantique in 1971).
Inauguration in October of the first general CGM agency in Dunkerque.

1976 : After a transitional stage characterised by a gradual rapprochement of the two companies, and in particular the unification of their commercial policies through the "CGM et Cie", a merger took place at the end of 1976 between the Transat™ and the Messageries within the CGM.
Change of name from Compagnie Générale Transméditerranéenne (CGTM) to Société Nationale Maritime Corse Méditerranée (SNCM) accompanied by an increase and a transfer of shares.
The Caribia Express entered into service, first container ship of the CAROL consortium (Caribbean Overseas Line), which launched a container service between Northern Europe, the Caribbean and the East Coast of Central America.

1977 : Completion of the merger between "Transat™" and the Messageries Maritimes™ by the decree on the 21^st February. The Société Financière et Maritime de Participations (SFMP) received the non maritime assets (buildings, equity shares and investment securities) of the two merged companies on February 23^rd.
Opening of the Australia New Zealand Europe Container Service (ANZECS) between Europe, Australia and New Zealand bringing together the European companies including the Compagnie Générale Maritime.

1978 : Launching of the first multipurpose refrigerated container-ship, Fort Royal which was assigned to the French West Indies line.

1979 : Loading of the first European launcher Ariane in Le Havre on the Carimaré.

1980 : Opening of a new weekly service between Europe and the Gulf of the United States under the name of the Gulf Europe Express.

1981 : Creation of the Capricorne consortium for the Indian Ocean service which brings together the CGM, the Navale et Commerciale Havraise Péninsulaire (NCHP) and the German shipping line Hapag Lloyd.

1982-1992 : Diversification of the groups activities. The CGM possesses subsidiaries or participations in the following domains : aquaculture, storage, freight-consignment, hotel business, real estate, handling, trade, ship repairing, catering, banking sector, company services, tourism, transit.

1983 : Transport of the circus Pinder/Jean Richard on board the Fort Royal particularly the menagerie (elephants, lions, panthers, monkeys...)

1984 : Development of commercial actions, in particular with the creation of the DATEC (Direction des Activités Terrestres et Commerciales) with two divisions, marketing and sales with the aim of personalising services to customers and improving the market coverage.

1985 : Creation of the Financière de l'Atlantique S.A. which replaced the Société Financière et Maritime de Participations (SFMP).
Bringing into service of the Atlantic Cartier.

1986 : Entry of the CGM into the COBRA consortium for the Indian subcontinent service with OCL, Hapag Lloyd, Nedlloyd and CMB.

1987 : Implementation of quality circles.

1989 : Policy of disinvestment in the bulk sector particularly illustrated by the transfer of the companies stakes in Gazocéan.
Implementation of a new commercial strategy based in particular on a separate marketing in the main countries served.

1990 : Meeting of the CGM and the Compagnie Lettone de Navigation in a pool for the France-USSR service.
Implementation of the Round-the-world line with a first stopover in Colombo.

1991 : Transfer of headquarters from La Défense to Suresnes, quai Galliéni.
The CGM leaves the Atlantic Container Line consortium and the Australia New Zealand Europe Container Service.

1992 : Constant fall in profits since 1986. The Board of Directors decide to withdraw from the North Atlantic market with the exception of the Round-the-world line which continues to serve Savannah.
Dissolution of Scandutch, creation of a new service between Europe and the Far East.
Launching of CGM Normandie, first "over Panamax" container ship .

1992-1994 : Action plan for the CGM with a view to reducing debts and improving the competitivity of the company. The main lines of this plan are :
- the reorganisation of the company, the spearhead being the subsidiary plan (3 subsidiary "lines" CGM Sud, CGM Orient, CGM Tour du Monde and 4 subsidiary "agencies" CGM Le Havre, CGM Bordeaux, CGM Dunkerque and CGM Marseille),
- concentration of activity on shipping transport which leads to the transfer of subsidiaries such as the Financière de l'Atlantique or Messigaz.
These action plans were renewed for the period 1994-1996.

1993 : Launching of Euromar, container service between Europe and Morocco.

1995 : Marion Dufresne (II) is delivered

1996 : Privatisation of the CGM for the sale by mutual agreement to the Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement (CMA). The CMA-CGM group consolidates its place as first French shipping transporter and hoists itself to 4^th place in the European ranks and 13^th in the world rankings.

1997 : Dissolution of the Capricorne consortium for the Indian Ocean service. CGM reopens its own service.
Entry into the fleet of the CMA’s first ships in sole ownership, 4000 TEUs, the Ville de Virgo and Ville d'Antarès on the French Asia Line service, linking Europe to the Far East.
The members of EPIC (CMA and Andrew WEIR), service which links the North of Europe, the Red Sea and the Indian subcontinent are joined by P&O NEDLLOYD, CONTSHIP and CMBT.
Launching of a new service ENSA between the East Coast of the United States and South America in partnership with LIBRA and TNX.
Agreement between the CGM, MARFRET and CONTSHIP in the form of a system of a Vessel Share Agreement (VSA) on the ‘Tour du Monde’ service.
Opening of new stopovers : Auckland (New Zealand), New-York, Norfolk, Savannah (United States).
Creation of the CMA’s GALEX service in partnership with NSCSA, which links South East Asia with the Arabian Gulf.
Union of Ybarra CGM Sud with the PAULISTA, SEAGULL and GRIMALDI shipping companies, on the service which links the West Mediterranean with the West Coast of South America.
The CGM leaves EUROSAL to join the CONDOR group on the Europe West Coast of South America line.
Launching of a new service in direct exploitation towards the Baltic countries and Russia, grouping together the CMA and CGM’s business.
Opening of a stopover in Tallinn.
End of GIE EURESA, which up until now dealt with activity between Europe and the West Coast of South America, and signing of an agreement with the Brazilian armament, TRANSROLL.

1998 : Creation of the GIE CMA-CGM Agences France which brings together the 6 French agencies of the group : Paris, Dunkerque, Bordeaux, Montoir, Le Havre and Marseille.
Launching of a new service on the Indian Ocean, in co-operation with DELMAS, DAL and SCL.
Signing of a partnership agreement between CMA and the Italian shipping company, ITALIA DI NAVIGAZIONE on the US-MED line.
The 4000 TEUs Ville de Tanya enters into the fleet on the French Asia Line.
Launching of two services with the Swiss shipping company NORASIA on the Europe/Middle East/Far East services departing from the Mediterranean and Asia.
The north of China-Japan are linked by the CMA departing from the Mediterranean.