Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Aviation Group, and global supply chain company EFL Global, have successfully carried a vital consignment of antiretroviral drugs from India to Brazil.

The shipment, which weighed more than 55,000kg, was transported on behalf of a leading manufacturer head quartered in Hyderabad and delivered to São-Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil.

“The sheer size of the consignment and the need for stringent product integrity over such a long distance had seen other carriers turn down the shipment. Utilising Etihad Cargo’s pharmaceutical logistics capabilities and EFL’s extensive industry expertise, the shipment was successfully delivered, maintaining strict controls across the entire journey,” explained Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Sales and Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group. “The cargo was carried from origin to destination in the same flight, with no vessel change in order to preserve the consignment’s condition.”

Etihad Cargo leveraged its 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.

Maintaining the shipment’s integrity, EFL handed the consignment to Etihad Cargo in Hyderabad, with the UAE’s national carrier transiting the shipment through Abu Dhabi International Airport and Milan’s Malpensa International Airport en-route to São Paulo. Etihad Cargo and EFL collaborated to ensure data tracking and real-time status monitoring throughout the journey.

“Customers trust our capability to move lifesaving medications across continents in the best way possible. And we take this responsibility very seriously,” explained
Rooso Ramachandran, Chief Commercial Officer of EFL Global – India. “Being a global supply chain service provider, we are heavily invested in having the right partnerships and compliance in place to uphold our promise. Each step of the operation is stringently planned with the best possible resources that ensure a seamless delivery, regardless of the complexities.”

In the past year, Etihad Cargo has increased 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 Abu Dhabi’s HOPE Consortium’s efforts to serve global demand for COVID-19 vaccines.

Etihad Cargo currently operates across more than 1,050 IATA CEIV Pharma/GDP certified trade lanes which ensure the integrity of products during transportation. Driven largely from a demand for both CRT (+15 to +25°C) and COL (+2 to +8°C) segments, Etihad Cargo has also received strong growth for ERT (+2 to +25°C) shipments, launched at the end of last year. 

“Etihad Cargo now has industry-leading expertise in the global transportation of temperature controlled and time-sensitive pharmaceutical products, including vaccines, operating to stringent manufacturers' requirements,” explained Drew. “The IATA CEIV certification has reaffirmed Etihad Cargo’s strength in this sector and boosted partner trust to deliver a quality product solution across 54 pharma stations with dedicated experts available for advice.”