Navigation on Lake Geneva: Who will pay the 25 million to refloat the “Simplon”?

Sailing on Lake Geneva –

Who will pay the 25 million to refloat the “Simplon”?

After the publication of a harsh report on the accident which occurred in the spring, the question of financing the repair arises. Interview with Maurice Decoppet, historic president of the Association of Friends of Lake Geneva Steamboats.

BotTalk

• A harsh report on the “Simplon” accident has been published.
• Maurice Decoppet is involved in the rehabilitation studies.
• Restoration of the ship will cost around 25 million francs.
• The “Simplon” should be repaired before the “Helvétie” by 2026.

How do you judge the report published Friday?

I do not wish to comment on it further: this is also the position of the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le Lac Léman (CGN), which made it public in complete transparency. All I can say is that this investigation was carried out in complete independence, indicating the sequence of events and the degrees of responsibility. What now seems important to me is to separate this from the future fate of Simplon. It is now clear that it needs to be repaired and renovated as soon as possible. Decisions of principle are made.

Wasn’t that always obvious?

No. In the months following the accident, there were quite a few people telling us that they would no longer spend a franc for an organization that had similarly damaged our precious heritage. We had to let the storm pass. Since then, the climate has improved. The report should further contribute to this. I believe that there is once again a majority of potential donors, major patrons and political authorities who intend to get this project underway as soon as possible.

How much will this project cost?

We are talking about around 25 million francs. This is an estimate, still quite summary, based on an extrapolation of the complete restoration of the Rhônecompleted in 2022. There is a phenomenon of inflation, but it is low: the costs are mainly linked to the size of the boat.

When will we have more precise estimates?

The first thing to keep in mind is that the CGN needs the Simplon to ensure a correct tourist schedule with Belle Époque boats. It’s not just about emotion. The second, a consequence of the first, is that technical and financing studies must be launched as quickly as possible. The ABVL undertook to pre-finance the preliminary project, which was to take approximately eighteen months: this involves the technical study, until the launch of submissions. But, at the same time, we must put together the financing plan, for which I remain confident.

Who will pay these 25 million?

There are more than 10,000 shareholders, public and private, in CGN. The addition of the Cantons of Vaud, Geneva and Valais brings together 57% of the actions. The ABVL owns 22%, the rest is divided into smaller shares. But we do not organize the financial distribution key, for renovation projects, in proportion to this shareholding. For example, there is a “Marthaler doctrine”, named after the former Vaud state councilor who advocated, unwritten, a sort of alternation: one time it was more the private sector that paid, and the next, public authorities. But the circumstances, in view of this event, are very particular. We can also imagine asking for participation from the Federal Office of Culture, there will be money provided by insurance companies, major institutional and private patrons, our thousands of donors. It is still too early to say today how this will be distributed exactly.

When will the “Simplon” on the lake be available?

No one wants to indicate deadlines that are too restrictive to put additional pressure on a matter where there is already a lot. What is clear is that theHelvetia, which must also be renovated, but whose file concerning propulsion is still far from being decided, will wait. THE Simplon will come first. Once the studies are finalized, and of course the financing is assured, say around the end of 2026, we will have to see when the CGN refit basin, in Ouchy, currently used for the final adjustments of the new Naviexpress, will be available. Only then can we imagine a date, as soon as possible, for the return of Simplon on Lake Geneva.