Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Aviation Group, and EFL (Expolanka Freight), the global supply chain company, have carried a vital consignment of vaccines from India to Egypt.

Leveraging Etihad Cargo’s IATA CEIV certification for pharmaceutical logistics and capability to facilitate temperature-sensitive cargo shipments between +25⁰C and -80⁰C, and EFL’s CEIV and GDP compliance, the two entities collaborated to carry a consignment of 12,475,000 Tetanus and Diphtheria vaccine doses produced in India, the largest vaccine manufacturing origin according to WHO.

Maintaining the shipment integrity, EFL handed over the shipment to Etihad Cargo’s care in Mumbai, with the UAE’s national carrier transiting the consignment through its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport en route to Cairo, maintaining the required +2⁰C to +8⁰C temperature ranges.

“This shipment underlines Etihad Cargo’s capability to transport temperature-sensitive cargo across the network and reinforces Etihad Cargo standing as an IATA CEIV Pharma-certified carrier,” explained Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales and Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group. “Working with partners such as EFL, Etihad Cargo leverages a collective of expertise and extensive network capabilities to provide essential logistical solutions to where they are needed most.”

“Supply chain resilience stems from having the right formula of partners, products and solutions, as well as a deep alignment on shared values and complimenting capabilities,” said Senthilnathan Shanmugam, Group CEO, EFL. “With Etihad Cargo, we are able to deliver on our commitments and strive towards a safe and secure world for all.”

With more than three decades of experience and an extensive network across Asia, Africa, Middle East and the Americas, EFL’s highly specialised solutions cater to numerous industry verticals including pharmaceuticals. Utilising modern passive and active storage solutions, data tracking and real-time monitoring across the entire journey, and last-mile capabilities to overcome infrastructure and skill dependencies. EFL is dedicated to delivering a highly efficient and modernised operation that brands and manufacturers can adopt seamlessly, creating significant efficiencies throughout their supply chain.

In the past year, Etihad Cargo has increased its pharmaceutical shipments by 50 per cent via its industry leading PharmaLife product. In addition to supporting global customers, the IATA CEIV-certified product has facilitated Etihad Cargo’s support of the Hope Consortium’s efforts to serve global demand for COVID-19 vaccines.