An Open Letter

From:

Joel Batteaux

, Mayor of Sant-Nazaire, France

To: The Editors-in-Chief of the International Press

We should remind ourselves: When talking about some of the most complex sea-going vessels, particularly when referring to cruise ships, Chantiers de l’Atlantique (ALSTOM Marine) is possibly the best shipbuilding yard in the world today.

The market for cruise liners and LNG tankers can be expected to flourish for many years to come.

The current problems of the ALSTOM group in general could be taken to justify the hesitancy of certain shipping companies, clients of our yards, in placing their orders.

Contrary to certain comments made by the European Commission, ALSTOM Marine is in no way “structurally uneconomic”.

For several months now,

Saint-Nazaire

has been living a delicate period of uncertainty, but absolutely none of us have ever abandoned hope for the future of the shipbuilding

industry.

The all-too-recent tragedy has deeply wounded us all. Certain people, who previously had difficulty in finding words to extol the merits of shipbuilding in

Saint-Nazaire

, now seem to have absolutely no problem with flooding the press with imprecise and inaccurate comments.

Certain people have hinted that the tragic events of the 15th November were directly linked to the Queen Mary 2.

But this is completely untrue; it could have happened on any of the other vessels the inhabitants of

Saint-Nazaire

might have liked to visit. The same enterprise, the same gangway and the same risks would have been involved. Other employees, other visitors, could have been affected. However, I ask you. Should we abandon trying to show the French population the wonders of our great works, whether it be shipbuilding, aeronautics or other industries?

Even worse, certain commentators have referred to superstitions dating back to the old wooden ships, creating a poetic, romantic, yet completely outdated and extremely distressing impression.

And last but not least, certain of them have been preoccupied with the “image” of the shipbuilding industry as a whole, and have been preaching doom and gloom.

Saint-Nazaire

is one of the great centres of French Industrial Excellence, with, not only the shipyards, but also AIRBUS, who are building sections of the A380 here.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press. You all work in the media business, a business like any other.

I am sure that you wouldn’t stand for such flippant comments about your workplace, and perhaps, part of your very ‘raison d’?tre’, your lifeblood. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Chantiers de l’Atlantique is the workplace, and, from time to time, the ‘raison d’?tre’ and lifeblood of tens of thousands of people.

No business could ever survive for long on the misfortune of others.

I have, at your disposal, thousands of comments, messages of support, of pride, written by your readers and listeners, throughout France.

I hope that we in

Saint-Nazaire

can count upon you to take this letter as an expression of our bereavement and sorrow, and, at the same time, an expression of our commitment to the future, a commitment shared by the entire population of our region.

Joel Batteaux

Saint-Nazaire

17th November 2003

Editor?s Note:

We take the unusual step of publishing this letter, in its entirety and without editing, in view of the obvious heartfelt emotions that both the situation at ALSTOM Marine and the tragic circumstances of the accident at Chantiers de l’Atlantique have evoked.

Whilst the views expressed are entirely those of M. Batteaux, we also take this opportunity to express our support and sympathy to those concerned.

Richard Burton Editor