Dubai forms Vaccine Logistics Alliance to expedite global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines
Dubai launched the Vaccine Logistics Alliance to speed up distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world through the emirate.
The Alliance consists of Emirates, DP World, Dubai Airports, and International Humanitarian City.
Emirates SkyCargo has over 15,000 square metres of cool chain space for pharmaceuticals across its terminals in Dubai.
February 01, 2021: Dubai launched the Vaccine Logistics Alliance to speed up distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world through the emirate, under the directives of vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
In support of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) COVAX initiative and its efforts to equitably distribute two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021, the Dubai Vaccines Logistics Alliance combines the expertise and global reach of Emirates airline with DP World’s worldwide network of ports and logistics operations, along with the infrastructure of Dubai Airports and International Humanitarian City to distribute vaccines worldwide. The distribution will particularly focus on emerging markets, where populations have been hard-hit by the pandemic, and pharmaceutical transport and logistics are challenging.
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The alliance is working with a broader set of stakeholders including pharmaceutical manufacturers, forwarders, government agencies and other entities for transportation of vaccines.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said, “We currently stand at the cusp of a historic moment with the rollout of vaccines for countering Covid-19, a pandemic that has disrupted the lives of people around the world. The UAE is leading the world in terms of rolling out the vaccine, and in line with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to facilitate a global solution for the wellbeing of communities, the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance brings together key organisations to expedite the worldwide transport of urgently needed vaccines through Dubai.”
International Humanitarian City, the world’s largest hub for humanitarian logistics based in Dubai will be a vital partner in the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance bringing its vast expertise in humanitarian logistics for aid materials such as food and medicine in markets with limited infrastructure. IHC and Emirates SkyCargo have already partnered on many humanitarian cargo flights and earlier in 2020, also signed a MoU for closer collaboration for humanitarian assistance flights.
DP World logistics operations will facilitate the collection of vaccines from manufacturing sites in places like Europe, the US and India and deliver them to airports, seaports and dryports for onward transportation. DP World will deploy its track-and-trace technology, such as Cargoes Flow, to give real-time information on the location of shipments, and continual temperature control and monitoring. DP World’s ports and terminals, including Jebel Ali in Dubai, will be used to ship, store and distribute medical devices, such as syringes and wipes.
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On Wednesday, DP World and UNICEF also announced a wide-ranging partnership to support the global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and related immunisation supplies in low- and lower-middle-income countries. The new partnership with a multi-million dollar value - is the largest to date to support UNICEF’s lead role in procuring and supplying 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines and auxiliary vaccination supplies on behalf of the COVAX facility.
“We recently activated the world’s largest airside hub dedicated to the storage and global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines at Dubai South. With our modern wide-body aircraft fleet, our network reaching more than 135 cities across six continents including major pharma hubs, and our expertise in handling pharma shipments, we are well placed to work with our partners in the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance in order to make sure that the Covid-19 vaccines are reaching every corner of the globe, especially cities in emerging markets,” said Nabil Sultan, Emirates divisional senior vice president, cargo.
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Emirates SkyCargo has over 15,000 square metres of cool chain space for pharmaceuticals across its terminals in Dubai and has already had a head start for Covid-19 vaccine logistics, having already moved Covid-19 vaccines on its flights during the month of December.
Dubai Airports, operator of Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), will be contributing to the efforts of the newly formed Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance by providing additional space at dedicated facilities at Dubai International (DXB). The repurposed cargo facilities will act as storage for Covid-19 vaccines that will be transported through its interlinked operations at DXB and DWC. Working closely with Emirates SkyCargo and Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Airports will ensure that the additional capacity for vaccine storage meets all the stringent regulatory guidelines for transportation of Covid-19 vaccines, and that related processes are streamlined with stakeholders and business partners.
