Societe Nationale Corse-Mediterranee (SNCM), the French ferry company, has reportedly abandoned the damaged cruise ferry Napoleon Bonaparte to underwriters for €60 million. The ship has been laid up since October 2012, when it was seriously damaged after it had broken its moorings in the port of Marseille during a storm, hit a pier and partially sunk.

The ship that has a gross tonnage of about 43,000 was built in 1996 and it has high class passenger accommodation. However, the engine room, electrical systems and various other technical areas of the ship were badly damaged by the ingress of water. It is assumed that the underwriters, the identity of which was not disclosed, would sell the ship for scrap.