Emirates SkyCargo, a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, saix the firm has invested $200 million in equipment and facilities to ensure pharmaceutical cargo receives top priority and reaches its destination without interruption or damage.
Divisional Vice President Badr Abbas announced this on the second day of the Air Cargo and Transport Logistics Africa conference, where over 4,000 aviation stakeholders from 150 countries gathered to discuss advancements in air cargo logistics.
Speaking at the event in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, Abbas emphasized the critical importance of pharmaceutical cargo due to its impact on human health.
He stated that Emirates SkyCargo prioritizes such shipments, ensuring they are delivered exactly as received.
To demonstrate the airline’s commitment to health-related cargo, Abbas revealed that Emirates has invested in 15,000 square meters of GDP-certified facilities in Dubai, which he described as the largest and most advanced in the world.
He stated that, due to Emirates’ market leadership and investment in pharmaceutical logistics, the airline transports two million kilograms of pharmaceutical cargo every week.
He said, “Pharmaceuticals are shipments and lifesaving. And we have invested around $200m to ensure they are handled with utmost care.
“Our state-of-the-art 15,000 square meters of GDP-certified facilities in Dubai are the largest and the most advanced globally, equipped with temperature-controlled storage, cool dollies, and some custom innovations like water-resistant covers.
“So, all that is within our facility. At Emirates SkyCargo, we are a proud market leader, transporting over 2 million kilograms of pharmaceutical cargo every week.”
He further said, “So our network of 44 Pharma corridors connects the world with consistently high cold chain standards, ensuring that lifesaving treatments reach those in need reliably and efficiently. And also from these 44 Pharma corridors, four corridors are in Africa, and one of them is in Kenya.”
He added that, as part of the airline’s commitment to preparedness, Emirates had already established a large facility with advanced equipment for the efficient handling and preservation of pharmaceutical cargo—unknowingly anticipating the COVID-19 pandemic.
