humanitarian aid

US DOT approves emergency cargo flights to Cuba

Front view of an twin turboprop cargo plane.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted temporary approval to small cargo airlines in South Florida to fly emergency aid to Cuba, where large protests have erupted in recent days in response to a long-simmering economic crisis worsened by the COVID pandemic.

The department said IBC Airways and Skyway Enterprises could each operate 20 flights from Miami to Havana through late September carrying humanitarian aid and diplomatic cargo for the U.S. Embassy.

Last August, the Trump...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-dot-approves-emergency-cargo-flights-to-cuba

UNICEF plans COVID vaccine transport to low-income countries

The front end, nose of a a grey plane with white underbelly, shot from the side with a blue van parked facing the plane after arriving at airport.

UNICEF says airlift will be required for about 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021and is working with the airfreight community to implement transport to more than 92 nations.

The speed and scale of a global emergency vaccine program dwarfs anything attempted before, with the challenge compounded by the fact that some vaccine candidates require two doses several weeks apart and need to be stored at sub-arctic temperatures. Emerging economies often don’t have extensive cold-chain...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/unicef-plans-covid-vaccine-transport-to-low-income-countries

Maersk’s rainbow containers deliver post-hurricane aid

Maersk’s two new rainbow-colored containers delivered more than 36,000 pounds of bottled water, nonperishable food and emergency supplies collected for distribution to people affected by Hurricane Laura in the Lake Charles, Louisiana, area.

Maersk said the Pride containers reflect the company’s dedication to diversity and inclusion. In addition to the use of the containers, Maersk and APM Terminals donated all services connected with the relief effort, including collection, consolidation and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maersks-rainbow-containers-deliver-post-hurricane-aid

Emirates gears up freighters for Beirut relief

A pallet of emergency supplies with a sign in Arabic sitting on the tarmac next to an Emirates plane on a sunny day. Emirates is flying supplies to Beirut to help the city recover from the explosion.

Dubai-based Emirates has launched a flotilla of cargo planes to Lebanon loaded with emergency relief supplies for residents of Beirut, where a chemical blast killed 172 people, wounded thousands and leveled large parts of the city.

The airlines’ SkyCargo division said it plans to send more than 50 freighter flights to the devastated country.

Emirates is asking people to donate cash or pledge their Skywards Miles for food, medical supplies and other items and will coordinate with nongovernmental...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/emirates-gears-up-freighters-for-beirut-relief

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