The High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) has rejected a retraining project of the former Minister Delegate for Transport Jean-Baptiste Djebbari at the shipowner CMA-CGM, pointing to "substantial ethical risks", according to a notice published on Tuesday.

The ex-minister, who had already obtained the green light from the HATVP to sit on the board of directors of a start-up specializing in the construction of hydrogen vehicles, Hopium, wanted this time to become executive vice-president in charge of the space division that the CMA-CGM plans to create.

"With regard to the powers thus entrusted to the Minister Delegate for Transport, which are directly linked to the activities of the CMA CGM group, and given the importance of the latter, a leading operator in the field of maritime transport, the risk of questioning the independent and impartial functioning of the administration would be substantial if Mr. Djebbari joined this group”, details the High Authority.

She adds that the former minister has met the Chairman and CEO, or other senior executives of the CMA CGM group, at least eight times over the past three years and that as such, a "legitimate doubt" could exist on the conditions of exercise of his functions of minister if he were to take the post.

Last week, the Marseille shipowner announced a long-term partnership with Air France in air freight, at the end of which CMA CGM could take up to 9% of the air transport group.