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Cover Story<br />
NAFL REVIEW<br />
E<br />
mirates has unveiled its new<br />
4,000 square meter cool<br />
storage facility at Dubai<br />
International Airport, signaling<br />
its intent to seriously break into the $13<br />
t r i l l i o n g l o b a l l i f e s c i e n c e s a n d<br />
pharmaceutical industry projected to further<br />
grow annually by 25 percent.<br />
Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum,<br />
President of Dubai Civil Aviation and<br />
Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and<br />
Group, told the media at the September 18<br />
launching of Emirates SkyCargo's new<br />
purpose-built facility dedicated exclusively<br />
Ahmed said, noting that the UAE is a major<br />
hub for the global logistics industry.<br />
SkyPharma also features temperature<br />
controlled zones (2 to 8<br />
degree Celsius and 15- 25 degree<br />
C e l s i u s ) , 8 8 t e m p e r a t u r e -<br />
controlled individual positions in<br />
the automated ULD (aircraft<br />
pallet) handling system and five<br />
temperature-controlled acceptance<br />
and delivery truck docks, the<br />
airline said in a press release.<br />
between them.<br />
The carrier also operates the largest GDP<br />
certified area in the world offering a total<br />
area of 8,600 sqm of combined handling<br />
space dedicated for pharmaceutical<br />
products at Dubai International Airport and<br />
Dubai World Central, the airline said.<br />
Chaouk told Air Cargo Update the GDP<br />
certification means Emirates is complying<br />
with the international regulations in<br />
transporting only reliable and genuine<br />
pharmaceuticals, thus, helping in the<br />
ongoing drive against counterfeit drugs.<br />
to the timely and secure transport of<br />
temperature sensitive pharmaceutical<br />
shipments, the project is a long-term<br />
investment with good intentions.<br />
“We have to think about the future,” Sheikh<br />
Ahmed said about the company's<br />
investment to SkyPharma, part of the Dh600<br />
million expansion of Emirates cargo facility<br />
named SkyCentral at Dubai's airport. “It's<br />
not about today. It's not about this year.”<br />
The opening of the new facility, which was<br />
directed by Vice President and Prime<br />
Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His<br />
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al<br />
Maktoum, is envisioned to further<br />
encourage more companies to connect<br />
pharmaceutical markets via Dubai<br />
International Airport, a major transportation<br />
hub between the East and the West, Sheikh<br />
Quality Care<br />
Bureau Veritas, a trusted world leader in<br />
testing and certification founded in 1828,<br />
awarded Emirates SkyCargo with the<br />
certification of compliance under the EU<br />
Good Distribution Practice Guidelines (GDP)<br />
for medicinal products for human.<br />
Ahmad Chaouk, vice president/deputy<br />
regional chief executive for Middle East<br />
Region of Bureau Veritas, said EmiratesSky<br />
Cargo, the largest international airline cargo<br />
operator in the world, got the certification<br />
following an audit recommen-dation by a<br />
team from Germany.<br />
This makes Emirates SkyCargo the first<br />
cargo airline in the world that has obtained<br />
GDP certification for its hub operations<br />
covering two airports and the 24/7 bonded<br />
trucking service that connects cargo<br />
“Emirates was already transporting<br />
pharmaceutical products. The GDP means<br />
its traceability system is in line with the<br />
European Union and complying with<br />
international regulations, thus, help curb the<br />
distribution of counterfeit drugs which are<br />
dangerous,” Chaouk said in an interview.<br />
Apart from its state-of-the-art facilities,<br />
SkyPharma also boasts of innovations like<br />
the White Container, which is coated on the<br />
inside with thermal insulators to counteract<br />
high temperatures in Dubai and preserve<br />
sensitive cargo, the Emirates SkyCargo Cool<br />
Dolly—a special piece of equipment that<br />
transports cargo from the aircraft to cool<br />
storage areas while maintaining temperatures<br />
of as low as -20 degrees<br />
centigrade, among others.<br />
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