CMA-CGM temporarily suspends Port of au Prince call due to tensions in Haiti

The call to Port of au Prince will be temporarily stopped amid rising tensions in the Haitian capital. The French shipping giant CMA-CGM announced the suspension of Port au-Prince calls.

19th of March 2024

In picture: Port au Prince. (Credits: St Vincent Times, Facebook)

The call to Port of au Prince will be temporarily stopped amid rising tensions in the Haitian capital. The French shipping giant CMA-CGM announced the suspension of Port au-Prince calls.

Significant operational changes are being made by the major players in the maritime and cruise industries to escalate the security issues in Haiti. 

Due to the conflict in Haiti, the security situation is at its worst, causing the French shipping company to call only at the Lafito terminal until further notice. The CMA CGM will be booked for the Lafito terminal only.

Considering this, the Port will function effectively and serve as an option for shipments to and from Haiti. The Port Lafito is located 20 km from Port au Prince and is served by the weekly service CAGEMA 2. It is being operated with ships owned by CMA CGM.

According to the reports, CMA CGM will continue calling at Cap Haitian for the northern part of Haiti. The company further apologized for the inconvenience caused due to the temporarily suspension of Port au Prince and hopes for understanding and cooperation. 

In a meanwhile, Royal Caribbean has halted sailings to the popular cruise destination Labadie, prioritizing the safety of passengers and crew amid the deepening crisis in the country.

These adjustments underscore the global community’s concern as Haiti grapples with the political and humanitarian conflict. There is an immediate need of stability and security in the nation. 

Additionally, the conditions are still unstable in Haiti as the aid agencies and other facilities have been raided by gang members. These facilities consisted of UNICEF containers full of neonatal and child survival supplies and maternal care, which were meant for new born babies and their mothers. 

Gangs even looted the essential supplies for early childhood development, water and education tools, which resulted in the vulnerable and pitiful conditions of the people in Haiti. The weaker section of the community suffered a lot due to the shortage of necessary medical aid.