de-perrot-history

Roger de Perrot, a citizen of Neuchâtel, was born in 1893 and studied naval architecture (B.Sc) at the university of Durham in the north-east of England. After his studies he emigrated to the United States with the intention to commence a career as a naval consultant. For 4 ½ years he worked in the shipyards of Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. and New York Shipbuilding Co. then he returned again to Europe. From 1922 he worked in France, first about 6 years for the well-known Chantiers de la Loire, owning shipbuilding yards in Nantes and St. Nazaire, then as an independent naval consultant. In 1940 he returned to Switzerland and established himself as shipping consultant in his home town of Neuchâtel. Roger de Perrot had six children, one of them, Francois de Perrot took the same career as a naval architect.

After the World War II Roger de Perrot, probably due to his good contacts to France was able to secure the wreck of the LANGANGER, a Norwegian tanker sunk during the war in the harbour of Port-de-Bouc. With Armand Bourquin he founded the simple company Roger de Perrod & A. Bourquin with their office at Rue St. Nicolas 1, Neuchâtel. Roger de Perrot invested all his money and dedicated all his time into this shipping enterprise.

His partner, the industrialist Armand Bourquin (1880 to 1967) from Couvet, a small town outside of Neuchâtel was the owner of Bourquin S.A. Couvet, a company producing cardboard products since 1905. The wealthy Armand Bourquin financed the venture, but did not take part in operational matters. The Bourquin S.A. still exists today as part of the Bourquin Group, owning various enterprises in the packaging industry. The Schweizerische Schiffshypothekenbank (Swiss Ships Mortgage Bank) in Basel, belonging to the Schweizerische Kreditanstalt (today Credit Suisse) granted a loan of 1,5 Mio. Swiss francs.

We do not know from whom he purchased the wreck, but it is assumed from the French government. The Norwegian owners most likely filed a claim for reimbursement from their insurance company and the German and/or French government.

On 23.12.1946 the wreck changed hands to Roger de Perrod & A. Bourquin and the salvage operation began in January 1947. Once refloating was completed the wreck was towed to a shipyard in Marseille, but it was not until February 1950, that the tanker, now named NEUCHATEL, commenced trading.

In May 1948 the Lloyd's Register created some anxiety in the Swiss government, when they reported the LANGANGER sailing under Swiss flag for Roger de Perrod & A. Bourquin. In a letter of Mr. de Perrot to the Swiss Maritime Office he expressed his surprise and he stated, that the juridical status of the LANGANGER was still as a wreck and no any application for a registration under any flag was submitted.

Already for the registration of the tanker the Swiss Government had a legal problem, as the two partners wished to register the ship in the name of a "simple company" (Roger de Perrod & A. Bourquin), instead of a joint stock company. The reason apparently being, that Mr. de Perrot feared to be pushed aside in a joint stock company. Eventually the two partners were registered as part owners and Mr. de Perrot additionally as Manager (in legal German language called "Ausrüster") of the ship.

Roger de Perrot wished a Swiss charterer for his vessel, but the commercial department and the KTA (war transport office) of the federal government in Bern and various possible private companies declined his offer. He was forced to find a charterer abroad and finally concluded a long time charter with Socony-Vacuum Francaise in Paris (the later Mobil Oil Corporation) to carry crude oil to France.

Although the charter with Socony-Vaccum generated a steady income and substantial debts could be repaid, it appears the venture never was a great financial success. It appears, already in late 1951 the two partners had different opinions and Mr. Bourquin looked for ways to back out. On 16.03.1953 he declared in a statement to relinquish his part ownership and to give Mr. de Perrot the right to own the vessel by himself.

Again the federal council had to decide to grant Roger de Perrot the right to fly the Swiss flag as the sole owner and manager. In a letter to the federal council, dated 15.04.1953 the EPD (federal political department) stated, that they had no objection in regard to Mr. de Perrot's ability to manage the ship, but were concerned about the financial aspects after Armand Bourquin separated from the company. The equity capital of Mr. de Perrot (his taxed fortune was only about 270'000.- francs) was far below the required minimum and the loan from the bank was increased to 3,0 Mio francs. Further, mortgage bonds of 3,4 Mio francs in favour of Mr. Bourquin were registered on the vessel. The book value of the NEUCHATEL was estimated to be about 5,9 Mio francs and she was insured for 7,5 Mio francs. However, apparently for political considerations it was decided to keep the tanker under Swiss flag. The point was the ability to carry liquid fuels for Switzerland in time of war, the NEUCHATEL was the only tanker in good condition, the other one the SAN MORITZ was old and in a very poor condition.

In summer 1953 Roger de Perrot took over the NEUCHATEL as the sole owner. Despite a good charterer, it appears he could not keep the vessel financially and eventually he sold the tanker to a German company. She was deleted from the Swiss registry on 01.10.1954, a sad end to a man's dream. Certainly for Roger de Perrot the NEUCHATEL was more then only a financial undertaking, it was an important part of his life.

After the NEUCHATEL was sold, Roger de Perrot carried out various building supervisions on new vessels and in 1959 he offered his services as a naval consultant to the Iraki government. However we do not know, if his application was successful.

SwissShips, HPS, April 2015