A hub for vaccines
Emirates SkyCargo is setting up the first airfreight handling centre specially designed for Covid-19 vaccines. Emirates’ freight division is set to re-open its SkyCentral cargo terminal at DWC airport and use it as a hub for vaccines – once they’re ready.
Just don’t underestimate the power of a double hub. In June ten years ago the first phase of the new Dubai World Central airport (DWC) commenced operations, handling an Emirates SkyCargo Boeing B777F. Freight activities still dominate business 40 km southwest of historic Dubai international airport (DXB) – but business declined severely from March this year onwards. Now the hub’s managers are looking to the future again – to the time when humanity wants to get a grip on the new coronavirus.
A key project for the emirate
His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive officer of Emirates, pointed out that "Dubai is very well-positioned to serve as a hub and distribution centre for Covid-19 vaccines for the rest of the world. We have the right logistics infrastructure and geographic location; we can reach more than two thirds of the world population within an eight-hour flight radius."
The uncle of the current ruler of the Emirate said that "in the course of the past few years, our continuous investment in the field of temperature-sensitive medicines has enabled us to succeed in positioning Dubai as the preferred year-round handling centre for the valuable freight of the world’s major pharmaceuticals players. Establishing a special hub for Covid-19 vaccines is a key project in which we can fully deploy our network, our reach and our expertise to have a positive impact on the lives of many millions of people all across the globe."
Space for around 10 million rations
The hub will enable the airline to consolidate goods from production centres worldwide and to prepare them for subsequent regional and global distribution. The terminal in the desert covers more than 4000 m2 of GDP-certified pharmaceuticals warehousing space, which could store a total of approximately 10 million doses in a temperature-controlled environment (2–8°C).
The infrastructure includes one of the world’s largest fleets of cool dollies, which are deployed in outside areas, in order to protect temperature-sensitive goods from heat on the apron. Over and above this, temperature-controlled truck docks and the immediate proximity of the cargo terminal to the gates also guarantee rapid and efficient handling processes.
Ever since Emirates SkyCargo introduced its ‘Emirates Pharma’ special product in 2016, and developed its specialised GDP-certified infrastructure both in Dubai as well as at other important airports in its worldwide network, it has transported more than 250,000 t of pharmaceuticals. In the past few months the airline has been working on re-establishing its global airfreight connectivity. It again served 75 destinations by May, 100 by July and almost 135 in October.
