Emirates SkyCargo sees a successful transportation of pharmaceuticals this summer
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates has securely transported a large volume of temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals and perishables through Dubai to other parts of its global network this summer.
In total, the air cargo carrier moved over 150,000 tons of perishables and 27,000 tonnes of pharmaceuticals through Dubai between the beginning of April and mid-August 2019. Over the last three years, Emirates SkyCargo has managed to consolidate the position of its Dubai hub as an efficient and rapid transit point for cargo originating from and destined to a variety of cities across six continents. It has also transformed the perception of Dubai in the minds of global cargo customers from a transit stop to be avoided in summer because of high temperatures to a preferred state of the art point of connection to markets around the world.
Emirates SkyCargo has invested in developing modern and ‘fit for purpose’ infrastructure at its Emirates SkyCentral DXB and DWC cargo terminals for cargo from passenger and freighter aircraft respectively. This includes extensive cool chain facilities and dedicated storage space for pharmaceutical cargo. With a combined capacity of over two million tonnes of cargo per annum, the terminals see movement of close to 5,000 shipments and over 6 million kilos of cargo per day including during the summer season.
Since 2017, there has been an increase of seven per cent in the volume of pharma cargo transported during the summer months and an increase of 14 per cent in the overall volume of pharmaceuticals transported throughout the year. This summer season alone, over 190,000 kilos of pharma travelled every day through Dubai on Emirates SkyCargo. These include lifesaving vaccines, medication for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that travel across the world through Dubai to reach patients in time for their treatment.
The carrier’s operations in Dubai, including its state of the art dedicated pharma facility at DXB, its freighter terminal at DWC and the connecting bonded trucking corridor between the two airports are certified for EU GDP norms. Emirates SkyCargo received its first GDP certification for its Dubai operations in 2016 and has successfully managed to get its recertification every year since.
Emirates SkyCargo has also enhanced the protection for pharmaceutical cargo from origin to destination by working with local ground handlers as part of its pharma corridors initiative. Earlier this year, the air cargo carrier inaugurated a new ‘purpose built’ pharma facility at Chicago airport. Chicago is one of Emirates SkyCargo’s most important pharma stations globally for both exports and imports.
Every day, around 1,100 tons of food and other perishable products originating from different parts of the world move through Emirates SkyCargo’s terminals in Dubai. This summer, there was an increase of close to 6,000 tons in the total quantity of perishables passing through Dubai compared to 2017. Close to 35 per cent of perishables arriving at Dubai are destined for the UAE with the rest travelling on to reach global consumers.
