Maritime France, a framework for successful investments

A favorable economical environment for maritime investments

The development of the RIF since 2005 has been part of a public policy marked by stability. Thus, for shipowners, choosing the French flag brings regulatory stability and fiscal stability.
In parallel, France has maintained and developed assets to strengthen its maritime attractiveness:

  • superior training programs for dual purpose merchant navy officers (ENSM and other approved academies) ;
  • French banking institutions (BNP Paribas and Crédit agricole) 1st and 5th in the international ranking of lenders granting loans for shipping finance;
  • 3rd State in terms of number of ratified conventions, France has played a very active role in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since its creation, as a member of the Council re-elected without interruption, under the category "States with large interest in international maritime trade".

The strengths of French law and legal services are numerous.

Legal certainty

French law is readable, clear, accessible and stable (codified legal rules, hierarchy of legal documents, case law reports).

Other advantages :

  • wide range of legal proof mechanisms;
  • judicial expertise, a reliable technical tool favorable to amicable settlements;
  • arbitration law allowing optimal efficiency of court sentence;
  • mature private international law and maritime law (integration of international maritime conventions);
  • recognition of French court decisions throughout the EU territory;
  • effective instruments to fight corruption;
  • respect for the confidentiality of exchanges between lawyers (negotiations excluding litigation).

Flexibility and efficiency

French law allows flexibility and adaptability of the rules on a case-by-case basis.

France can rely on an international network of experts and specialized independent lawyers, with diversified and tailor-made service offerings.

The paris Meditation and Arbitration Center (CMAP) is a useful tool due to the diversity of its expertise (possibility of resorting to arbitrators of all sensitivities and all sectors), its speed and the fair balance it guarantees between the freedom of the parties and the constraints necessary for the proper conduct of the arbitration.

International Chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal (CICAP): international jurisdiction of judges, trials in English, expanded procedural techniques.

Control of legal costs and therefore the cost of a commercial contract

In France, the public justice service is free, procedural fees are fixed and there are many possibilities for transactional and amicable settlements.

The arbitrators, lawyers and experts act according to a philosophy of service provided, with reasonable, known and controlled prices (this prevents inflation of procedural costs).

France, a maritime power

Thanks to its numerous overseas territories, France is present on 5 of the 6 continents: Europe, Africa, America, Antarctica and Oceania.

France Maritime relies internationally on the French diplomatic network. With 168 embassies, the French consular network is the 3rd in the world. It is a flagship asset that very few states benefit from.

A maritime power by its geography (2nd exclusive economic zone EEZ in the world), France can also rely on its infrastructures: 66 commercial ports, including 11 large maritime ports (GPM) managed by the State, permanent airport capacities connecting metropolitan France to its overseas territories and the rest of the world, 9 maritime and rescue coordination centers (MRCC) in France and overseas, 23 submarine telecommunications lines which leave and arrive in France (1st rank in Europe), a center for receiving COSPAS-SARSAT alerts (FMCC Toulouse), a medical remote assistance center for seafarers (MMCC Toulouse), etc.
These assets, amplified by its political and institutional stability, make France a first choice for maritime investments.

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