Emirates SkyCargo has stepped up its commitment to securely transport temperature sensitive pharmaceutical shipments with the introduction of pharma corridors offering additional protection across selected stations in its network for pharmaceutical cargo.
Emirates SkyCargo is working with ground handling partners and other stakeholders at multiple cities across its global network in order to ensure that handling operations for pharmaceuticals at these stations are uniform and comply with Emirates SkyCargo’s stringent norms for pharma transport as well as with either EU Good Distribution Practices (GDP) or IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) pharma guidelines. Emirates SkyCargo will therefore be able to provide a supplementary protection of product integrity during transport of temperature sensitive pharmaceutical cargo through these cities.
In 2016, Emirates SkyCargo’s operations at its hub in Dubai including its dual cargo terminals at Dubai International Airport, Dubai World Central and the interconnecting trucking operations were certified as compliant to EU GDP guidelines by Bureau Veritas, Germany. Operating the largest GDP certified multi-airport hub in the world, Emirates SkyCargo offers round the year secure transportation of pharmaceutical cargo at its hub in Dubai. The introduction of pharma corridors with a focus on non-hub handling activities allows it to go one step further for the protection for pharma cargo.
The first 12 stations in Emirates SkyCargo’s pharma corridors are spread across three continents and include Amsterdam, Brussels, Bengaluru, Cairo, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Milan, Rome, Shanghai and Singapore.
The rollout of pharma corridors was led by pharma specialists in the Emirates SkyCargo team working in coordination with cargo service delivery teams and ground handlers locally at stations. In addition to enhanced training provided to staff handling pharmaceutical cargo at the stations, the team also undertook a number of engagement and qualification visits in order to prepare for the rollout. Further cities are expected to be added over the course of the year.
