`HYDXB-VAXCOR': Hyderabad Airport, GMR Air Cargo, Dubai Airports sign MoU for vaccine air freight corridor

The MoU was signed by Pradeep Panicker, CEO of Hyderabad International Airport, Saurabh Kumar, CEO-GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo, and Eugene Barry, EVP-Commercial, Dubai Airports Corporation in a virtual ceremony organized last week.

As per the MoU, GMR-HYD and Dubai Airports will be according priority to the temperature-sensitive Vaccine shipments moving between GMR Hyderabad and Dubai Airports for further connections to various Continents as part of `HYDXB-VAXCOR' ('Hyderabad to Dubai global Vaccine Corridor) and build this service offering as a key differentiator and value proposition for the Vaccine Customers and Logistics Stakeholders.

This agreement will lead to the roll-out of customized and simplified processes and infrastructural support to streamline the journey of Covid-19 Vaccine right from the manufacturing unit to the airport and hub logistics to delivery to end-customers.

As part of this joint initiative, Dubai Airport has identified GMR-HYD as a key strategic Air Cargo Partner to leverage its Global Distribution Eco-system. GMR-HYD will leverage Dubai Airport as a key Strategic Collaborator towards facilitating the Global Vaccine Supply Chain with provision of Value Added Services for Vaccine Exporters and Imported from both the countries.

The partnership also entails Technology Collaboration, under which both the entities will explore and work together on an Integrated IT Solution that will provide End-to-End Visibility including Shipment Temperature and Status Tracking for the Customers while Cargo is in Transit between HYD and DXB and during its onwards journey to various global destinations.

"In the current global context, there is a need for meticulous planning & collaborations to ensure safe and efficient air transportation of Covid-19 Vaccines. Accordingly, we have partnered with Dubai Airports to jointly offer "HYDXB-VAXCOR" for global distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines. We are also significantly upgrading our handling capacities for Covid-19 Vaccine shipments requiring Cold to Ultra-cold temperature ranges and becoming India's largest Air Cargo center both for Export/Imports and Domestic distribution of the Vaccine," said Mr. Pradeep Panicker, CEO, Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airport said a major surge in demand for the efficient, safe and reliable global distribution of high volumes of Covid-19 vaccines is expected in the coming months and as the world's preeminent hub of choice.

"We wanted to be ready to respond to and accommodate that demand. Our partnership with GMR-Hyderabad is timed perfectly just as the global race to develop the vaccines enters the final stage. This corridor is the result of our proactive strategy to be ready with innovative, collaborative, and agile shipping solutions for the industry," he said.

GMR-HYD is uniquely located in the proximity of several major Vaccine Producers and is an established hub for Export of India manufactured Vaccines to target markets in Europe, Africa, the US, and Asia.

It is uniquely positioned to handle Temperature Sensitive Vaccine Cargo and ensure seamless Distribution across the World through Major Hubs such as Dubai Airports. GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo is a WHO-GSDP (World Health Organisation- Good Storage and Distribution Practices) Certified major Gateway Location in India for handling Pharma and Vaccine Shipments. It has India's first dedicated Pharma Zone, large-sized Tunnel X-ray Machine and one of the major stocking stations for various Cool Containers like Envirotainer, va-Q-tec, CSafe, DoKaSch which are key to the safe transportation of Covid Vaccines.

GMR-HYD is expanding its Facilities and Streamlining Processes both on Landside and Airside to meet the unique requirements of handling Covid-19 Vaccine. It has already launched a large, custom-built Cool Dolly, a Mobile Refrigerated Unit for airside transportation till Aircraft maintaining the Cold-Chain, this year, which is scalable.

GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) operates a world-class air cargo terminal at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Shamshabad, Hyderabad (Telangana State) with a cargo handling capacity of 150,000 MT per annum. The major Export and Import commodities handled here consist of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, perishables (Agri & marine products), engineering & aerospace goods, garments, electronics, and special cargo among others.