Olympic and Paralympic Day: the CMA CGM Foundation commits to bringing young people in Marseille closer to water sports

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the schooner Ahoy, Eric Bellion's emblematic flagship and tool to raise awareness of the sea’s riches, was stuck in Los Angeles harbor for several months.

The CMA CGM Foundation decided to repatriate the vessel free of charge, enabling it to both continue raising awareness among the youth, and introduce as many people as possible to sailing. To this end, the Foundation mobilized the CMA CGM Group's industrial resources and expertise to transport Ahoy to Le Havre.

An educational program for young people in Marseille

Ahoy’s repatriation is the first milestone in a long-term partnership between the CMA CGM Foundation and skipper Eric Bellion.

With Marseille set to host the Olympic sailing events in 2024, the schooner will become the medium for an educational program to discover sailing, in a city where young people are often disconnected from their maritime environment.

The President of the CMA CGM Foundation, Tanya Saadé Zeenny, and Eric Bellion met on the Olympism and Paralympism Day to launch this program for young people of Marseille who never got the chance to sail.

A unique sailing experience for 100 young people 

Fully repaired after its repatriation, Ahoy is now in Marseille, where it will be used to organize sea outings for 100 young people in partnership with local NGOs “Marseille Capitale de la Mer” and “Ecole de la Deuxième Chance de Marseille.”

The young beneficiaries are part of the "uniform professions" or "sports activities" streams of the Ecole de la Deuxième Chance de Marseille. The program also involves some of Marseille Capitale de la Mer’s partner high schools, as part of the Brevet d'initiation à la mer (BIMER) program. Selected students will deepen their academic knowledge and marine skills by learning sailing maneuvers and becoming aware of ecology and the marine ecosystem.