French shipping line CMA CGM has launched its “A Humanitarian Ship for Lebanon” campaign in order to contribute to international and French relieve efforts in Beirut.

The campaign will see the transportation of medical equipment and essential goods and products to support the Lebanese population, following the devastating explosions that hit Beirut.

For the campaign to work CMA CGM will deviate a vessel from
its usual service towards the Port of Beirut.

One of the CMA CGM Group’s ro-ro vessels will be deviated to
travel from Marseille to Beirut in the very near future – the dates are to be
determined.

In a statement the company said roll-on/roll-off or ro-ro
vessels are perfectly suited to the needs of humanitarian transportation. They
can carry containers, motor vehicles (fire engines, ambulances, civil
engineering vehicles) and pallets. The CMA CGM Group is bearing all shipping
and port operation costs and providing a storage facility in Marseille until
the vessel departs.

The CMA CGM Group is mobilising its teams to centralise,
consolidate and transport the humanitarian supplies of participating
organizations which have a clearly identified and vetted structure to receive
them on Lebanese soil.

The CMA CGM Group is setting up an operational unit in
Marseille and Beirut to review requests and organise delivery as quickly as
possible.