Emirates SkyCargo is ramping up its capability to transport temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments by introducing pharma corridors that offer additional protection across selected stations in its network.

According to Emirates, the first pharma corridor stations are Amsterdam, Brussels, Bengaluru, Cairo, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Milan, Rome, Shanghai and Singapore.

The carrier has been working with ground-handling partners and other stakeholders to ensure that handling operations for pharmaceuticals at these stations are uniform and comply with SkyCargo’s norms for pharma transport as well as with either the EU’s Good Distribution Practices or the International Air Transport Association’s Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics guidelines. Emirates SkyCargo will now be able to provide a supplementary level of protection of product integrity when transporting pharmaceutical cargo through these cities.

“As a customer-focused organization, we have been listening to feedback from stakeholders in the global pharmaceutical industry,” said Nabil Sultan, divisional senior vice president of cargo at Emirates. “We realized that it was essential to work with our partners on the ground at the various stations in order to ensure that pharmaceutical cargo travels under the best conditions not only through our state-of-the-art facilities in Dubai and when onboard our modern aircraft, but right from the point the cargo gets dropped off at the origin airport until it is collected at the destination airport. We are also actively exploring the rollout of dedicated pharma flights across our network. Emirates SkyCargo constantly strives to offer the best solutions for our customers.”

In addition to enhanced training provided to staff handling pharmaceutical cargo at the stations, the SkyCargo team also undertook a number of engagement and qualification visits in order to prepare for the rollout. The carrier expects to add more cities over the course of the year.

Emirates SkyCargo’s pharma offering now includes the use of White Cover thermal blankets, White Containers and a fleet of over 50 cool dollies in order to guarantee that lifesaving medicines travelling through its network are not compromised.

The carrier also obtained the GDP certification in September 2016 for its dual-hub operation in Dubai, consisting of two cargo terminals at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport and the trucking operations connecting the two airports.