Ukraine: a ship loaded with 1,000 tonnes of French aid leaves Marseille this Wednesday

Europe 1 with AFP (Photos Stéphane Place/Europe 1) 3:58 p.m., September 28, 2022

The ship with more than 1,000 tonnes of aid for Ukraine on board left the port of Marseille on Wednesday afternoon.

It constitutes the most important humanitarian transport brought by France since the beginning of the Russian invasion, announced Tuesday the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The operation was announced on August 24 by French President Emmanuel Macron on the occasion of the Ukrainian national holiday.

Credits: Stéphane Place/Europe 1

"We are mobilizing today and we will be mobilizing tomorrow to help the military resistance of Ukraine and the Ukrainians, and also to help rebuild tomorrow," proclaimed the head of state in a video message announcing the next departure of a ship from the port of Marseille "to deliver food, medical equipment and emergency rehabilitation".

"Strengthening of the support provided by France"

During a trip to Ukraine on Tuesday, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna once again informed President Vladimir Zelensky and his counterpart Dmytro Kuleba of a "strengthening of the support provided by France, both in terms of the supply of defense equipment and the fight against impunity and in financial and humanitarian terms, like this operation called "a boat for Ukraine".

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The Minister will be present on Wednesday in Marseille to witness the departure of the Aknoul, a Ro-Ro ship chartered free of charge by the shipowner CMA-CGM for this special operation, as part of a partnership signed in January 2020 between the foundation of the shipping company and the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

A ship already mobilized after the explosion in Beirut

A total of 12 operations have already been carried out in this context.

In the summer of 2020, the Aknoul was notably mobilized to deliver French humanitarian aid after the explosion in the port of Beirut which had bruised the Lebanese capital.

This Tuesday, some 1,000 tonnes of equipment were loaded on board the ship which usually serves the Mediterranean from Spain to the Maghreb, Damien Denizot, spokesperson for the foundation, told AFP.

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The boat is carrying civil security equipment including 15 fire and rescue vehicles, eight watercraft, rescue and clearing equipment, bridges in spare parts but also mine clearance equipment, 25 tonnes of medical equipment and 60,000 rations food, said the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Expected arrival on October 4

The arrival of the ship is scheduled for October 4 at the Romanian port of Constanta on the Black Sea.

The cargo will then be transported to the humanitarian hub of Suceava (Romania), not far from the border with Ukraine, where it will be transported by road.

Part of the aid is intended for the reconstruction of the city of Cherniguiv, north of kyiv, 70% destroyed, according to its mayor, after suffering for a month from the bombardments of the Russian air force and artillery before the withdrawal of troops from the Kremlin at the end of March.

The cities of Kharkiv (eastern Ukraine), Odessa (southern Ukraine) among others will also benefit from this French aid.