Americares joins the CMA CGM Foundation’s Containers of Hope program

Jan 30, 2024

Americares has joined CMA CGM Foundation’s Containers of Hope program, which will transport humanitarian aid for the health-focused relief and development organization for one year.

Under this new partnership, the Foundation will leverage the CMA CGM Group’s assets in maritime, air and logistics solutions to transport up to 100 Americares containers of essential medicine and medical supplies in 2024. The donated aid shipments—20-foot equivalent sea containers (TEUS)—will support Americares mission to save lives and improve health for people affected by poverty or disaster.

The freight will support Americares emergency response program as well as its ongoing medicine security work in locations served by the CMA CGM Group such as Cambodia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Liberia and Tanzania.

Workers in Americares Global Distribution Center in Connecticut prepare 6 tons of medical aid for the Dominican Republic—one of the organization’s first donated shipments through the Containers of Hope program. Photo courtesy of Americares.

The Foundation will mobilize the CMA CGM Group’s expert staff members to support Americares international supply chain and work alongside Americares logistics staff to coordinate the donated shipments.

“Our new partnership with the CMA CGM Foundation will expand access to life-changing medicines and medical supplies for disaster survivors and children and adults in poverty,” said Americares President and CEO Christine Squires. “We expect to increase humanitarian aid shipments to the 4,000 hospitals and health centers Americares supports worldwide as a result.”

Americares first shipment through the Containers of Hope program is on the way to Ghana, where Americares partners with a local organization to support 250 hospitals, clinics and health centers. The shipment contains more than 15 tons of medical aid, including antibiotics, intravenous fluids and medical supplies. In addition, Americares has aid shipments headed to the Dominican Republic, Lebanon and Liberia thanks to the Containers of Hope program.

“These first shipments are an example of our Foundation’s commitment to humanitarian efforts. We are pleased to put the CMA CGM Group's assets at the service of Americares and help improve the health of those affected by poverty or disaster,” said CMA CGM Foundation President Tanya Saadé Zeenny.

Americares previously benefited from donated freight from CMA CGM subsidiary, American President Lines (APL), receiving free transport for more than 250 containers from 2012 to 2021.