[040718.EN.SEA] Tributes Pour in For CMA CGM Group Founding President Jacques Saade

THE death CMA CGM Group founding president Jacques Saade has roused an emotional response within the group, the maritime transportation industry and beyond. An exceptional tribute was paid to him on June 29 at his funeral.

All head office employees in Marseilles were invited to attend the funeral at La Major Cathedral. Attending were French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne and numerous local, national and international officials.

Beforehand, hundreds of company associates gathered in front of the funeral cortege during a benediction outside the CMA CGM Tower in the presence of the Saade family. The cortege was warmly applauded as it passed.

In addition, the 30,000 associates of the group observed a minute of silence in the 755 agencies based in 160 countries in which the CMA CGM Group operates.

In honour of its founding president, five of the group’s vessels anchored in the Bay of Marseilles in front of the Cathedral and all the group’s vessels worldwide sounded their horns at midday in tribute to the visionary entrepreneur who made the group a global leader in maritime transport.

To pay tribute to the leading role Mr Saade played in the transformation of maritime transport and France’s maritime economy, all ships present in French ports also sounded their horns as a sign of respect.

Lebanese Minister Michel Pharaon, representing Lebanese President General Michel Aoun, posthumously awarded Mr Saade the Lebanese Merit Honour Medal, the highest distinction in Lebanon.

Source : HKSG.