AirBridgeCargo demonstrates capability to transport vaccines
09 / 12 / 2020
Source: Volga-Dnepr Group
Last month, AirBridgeCargo (ABC) Airlines teamed up with UPS and Marken to transport Covid-19 vaccines, destined for use in clinical trials, from Beijing-based pharma firm CanSino.
The 6,000 doses of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine collectively weighed around 400 kg and were packaged in Cr3do Xtreme temperature-controlled containers before being stacked and loaded into standard AKE container and transported on an AirBridgeCargo Boeing 747 freighter.
The vaccines were stored at 2 to 8 degrees Celcius throughout their journey.
Casper Pan, head of healthcare Asia Pacific at ABC and a member of Volga-Dnepr Group’s vaccine task force — established last month, commented: “It is the defining moment for our company and global healthcare team. After months of preparations, we are actually stepping into the Covid-19 vaccine transportation phase to deliver these sophisticated pharmaceutical products the whole world relies on as a source which will help all of us to get back to normal.
“Thanks to the dedication and commitment of our Asia Pacific and global healthcare team, the first transportation went smoothly and we are ready to leverage the stable flows.”
Yulia Celetaria, healthcare director at Volga-Dnepr Group, added: “We would like to thank our customer, UPS, who has been masterminding the transportation with us, going step by step to guarantee that the vaccine efficacy is 100% maintained. We hope for further cooperation through our joint shipments, workshops and follow-up online meetings.”
ABC, which received IATA CEIV Pharma re-certification last year, said it has been strengthening its pharma capabilities by regularly transporting other types of vaccines under required conditions, as well as carrying out shipments of medical equipment that is essential for vaccine production.
