Humanitarian hubs and depots around the world
The UN Word Food Programme (WFP) has chosen Guangzhou in southern China and not the Alibaba metropolis Hangzhou (see ITJ 19-20/2020, p 14) as the place to set up one of its eight global humanitarian hubs.
These locations form a hubs-and-spokes system that will route medical cargo and health workers to the front lines, with flights between global and regional hubs, and a fleet of smaller planes standing ready to move cargo and personnel into priority countries.
The UNHRD (United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot) in Brindisi in southern Italy, one of six of its kind, has been in operation for 20 years. It features a 6,600 sqm warehouse including a cooling area and 3,600 sqm of uncovered storage space.
The local airport in Apulia, a region less affected by Covid-19, handled only 33 t of freight between January and March 2020. Nevertheless, this is a 3,200% increase compared to Q1/2019. (ah)