International NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Emirates SkyCargo unveils
new purpose-built pharma facility
and 15–25˚C), 88 temperature controlled
individual positions in the automated ULD
(aircraft pallet) handling system, and five
temperature controlled acceptance and
delivery truck docks.
GDP certification
Emirates SkyCargo has also been awarded
the certification of compliance under
the EU Good Distribution Practice (GDP)
guidelines for medicinal products for
human use by Bureau Veritas, following
an audit conducted by the certification
agency’s team from Germany. Bureau
Veritas is well known around the world for
their high standards, subject knowledge
and experience. The certification validates
the carrier’s adherence to the strict
guidelines on the transport and handling
of pharmaceutical products, and covers
all Emirates SkyCargo handling activities for
pharmaceutical products at its hub in Dubai.
Emirates SkyCargo is the first cargo
airline in the world that has obtained GDP
certification for its hub operations, covering
two airports and the 24/7 bonded trucking
service that connects cargo between
them. The carrier also operates the largest
GDP-certified area in the world, offering
8 600m2 of combined handling space
dedicated for pharmaceutical products
at Dubai International Airport and Dubai
World Central.
The GDP guidelines outlined by the
European Commission have been
designed to ensure that the quality and
the integrity of pharmaceutical products
are maintained during transportation. As
part of its audit process, Bureau Veritas
scrutinised all aspects of the handling and
storage of pharmaceutical shipments
through Emirates SkyCargo’s dual hubs
in Dubai to ensure compliance with GDP
guidelines on a number of subjects, including
quality management, product integrity,
security, and training on staff handling of
pharmaceutical products.
The new Emirates SkyPharma facility
at Dubai International Airport works in
conjunction with Emirates SkyCentral DWC,
the carrier’s freighter hub in Dubai World
Central, which offers 4 600m2 of dedicated
area for pharmaceutical cargo. Both
facilities complement the range of innovative
COLD LINK AFRICA • November | December 2016
cold chain products and solutions offered
by Emirates SkyCargo, including the Cool
Dolly, the White Container, and the White
Cover Advanced, all of which are designed
to prevent temperature fluctuations or
spikes from occurring during any part of the
transportation process.
In 2015, Emirates SkyCargo shipped
close to 11 000 tonnes of pharmaceutical
products across its global network through
its hub in Dubai. The top pharmaceutical
products shipped include critical
medication for diabetes and cancer, active
pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), blood
derivatives and vaccines.
CLA
Emirates SkyCargo has unveiled a new
facility for pharmaceutical products at
Dubai International Airport.
Emirates
E
mirates SkyPharma, Emirates
SkyCargo’s new purpose-built facility
dedicated exclusively to the timely
and secure transport of temperature
sensitive pharmaceutical shipments at
Dubai International Airport, was officially
inaugurated recently by Sheikh Ahmed bin
Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief
executive of Emirates Airline and Group.
“Pharmaceuticals are one of the most
important products we transport because
of the impact on people’s lives and
communities across the world,” said Nabil
Sultan, Emirates’ divisional senior vicepresident Cargo.
“As a leader in the global air cargo
industry, we decided that it was not only
important for us to build state-of-the-art
cool chain facilities for the transport of
pharma products, but also to go the extra
mile and ensure the compliance of our
operations against the highest international
standards. Our customers can continue to
rest easy knowing that shipping their highvalue and temperature-sensitive goods with
Emirates SkyCargo are both a safe and an
efficient choice for their business and end
customers.”
The new purpose-built Emirates
SkyPharma facility — part of the new
11 000m2 extension of Emirates SkyCentral
terminal at Dubai International Airport
— offers 4 000m2 of space dedicated to
pharmaceutical cargo. It also features
temperature-controlled zones (2–8˚C
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