Emirates opens GDP compliant pharma terminal in Dubai

Emirates SkyCargo is aiming for a bigger slice of the growing pharmaceuticals market with the official opening of its specialist terminal for handling temperature-controlled medical products in Dubai.
Nabil Sultan, Emirates divisional senior vice president, cargo, said that the Middle East Gulf carrier hoped to increase its pharma volumes, from a low base, in line with a global life sciences market that was growing in excess of 20% per year.
Emirates SkyPharma, the new purpose-built facility at Dubai International Airport (DXB), offers 4,000 sq m of space dedicated to pharma life sciences cargo.
It features temperature controlled zones (2-8 degree Celsius and 15-25 degree Celsius), 88 temperature controlled individual positions in the automated unit load device (ULD) handling system and five temperature controlled acceptance and delivery truck docks. 
Emirates SkyCargo has also been awarded the certification of compliance under the European Union (EU) Good Distribution Practice guidelines (GDP) for medicinal products for human use by Bureau Veritas following an audit conducted by the certification agency’s team from Germany.
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.
“Pharmaceuticals are one of the most important products we transport because of the impact on people’s lives and communities across the world,” said Sultan.
“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 to also  go the extra mile and ensure the compliance of our operations against the highest international standards.“
The new facility was officially inaugurated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group.
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 a total area of 8,600 sq m of combined handling space dedicated for pharmaceutical products at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central.
The Air Cargo News Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals Air Cargo Conference will take place in London this year at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport at Terminal 4 on November 22 and 23.