Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, achieved record year-on-year growth in the company’s dedicated cold chain products – PharmaLife and FreshForward – in 2023. The company recorded the highest volumes of medicines transported in Etihad Cargo’s history, achieving a 37 per cent increase in shipments compared to 2022. The carrier also transported 10 percent more fresh and perishable cargo, making 2023 the third year and the year Next, Etihad Cargo achieved growth for both products despite challenging market conditions. This important achievement reflects Etihad Cargo’s firm commitment to excellence in the field of pharmaceutical and perishables logistics services, strengthening its position as a leading global air cargo operator.
Etihad Cargo continues to invest in and add features to its cold chain product portfolio, including PharmaLife for shipping pharmaceuticals, healthcare and life sciences products and FreshForward for shipping perishable fresh products, including fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish and meat. And flowers. The carrier holds the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certification in pharmaceutical and fresh logistics services. The continued commitment to safety and quality has enabled Etihad Cargo to achieve a 99.1 percent compliance rate for pharmaceutical shipments as well as increase cold chain volume over the past three years.
What contributed to the increase in cold chain volumes transported by Etihad Cargo in 2023 was the opening of the company’s dedicated pharmaceutical center, which doubled the cold chain storage and handling capacity. The 3,300 square meter facility includes the latest technology and features, including RFS loading docks with leveling, isolation and floorwork for faster and more efficient loading with more stringent temperature controls, increased storage space, and additional construction and breakdown areas to improve workflow. Production work. And upgrading cold chain facilities for our drug handling and storage operations. Since launching the new pharmaceutical center in July 2023, Etihad Cargo has immediately achieved an increase in pharmaceutical volumes, recording a 39 percent increase in July, a 40 percent increase in August, and a 41 percent increase in September.
Etihad Cargo also renovated its perishable materials processing and storage facilities. The transport company operates a dedicated, 3,000 square meter, temperature-controlled perishables warehouse, providing smoother transfers to Etihad Freight’s FreshForward truck fleet, making the overall perishables journey easier and safer.
Leonard Rodriguez, Acting General Manager at Etihad Cargo, said: “Etihad Cargo is fully aligned with Abu Dhabi’s vision to become a global hub for logistics, pharmaceuticals and perishables. The carrier’s commitment to quality coupled with continuous product and infrastructure improvements has enabled Etihad Cargo to achieve significant growth and contribute In creating a more resilient and robust global cold chain.
Etihad Cargo’s PharmaLife network is expanding beyond the carrier’s hub in Abu Dhabi, covering more than 62 destinations. To strengthen links between Abu Dhabi and the rest of the world, Etihad Cargo has developed more than 1,330 IATA CEIV Pharma/Good Distribution Practices (GDP) certified trade lanes, ensuring product safety. Etihad Cargo is actively collaborating with key airline partners to establish more IATA CEIV approved pharmaceutical trade lanes to expand the carrier’s network through dedicated PharmaLife agreements.
Since the launch of Pharma Corridor 2.0 between Abu Dhabi and Brussels, Etihad Cargo has provided the highest levels of assurance in handling quality to pharmaceutical shippers and freight forwarders by establishing pharmaceutical corridors between airports with cargo handling communities certified under the IATA CEIV Pharma programme. In 2023, the carrier recorded a 10.3 per cent increase in transport volumes through the first corridor of its kind, and has shipped more than 70 per cent more volumes of pharmaceutical and life sciences cargo since the establishment of the corridor. The continued growth of the Abu Dhabi to Brussels route was a major factor contributing to Etihad Cargo achieving the highest PharmaLife tonnage recorded since the company’s founding.
“The creation of the Pharma Corridor 2.0 and the expanded global PharmaLife network has enabled Etihad Cargo to bring much-needed transparency, track-and-traceability to the sector, benefiting not only customers but also the global pharmaceutical supply chain,” Rodriguez said. The unique way that Etihad Cargo has pioneered the carrier is to provide complete transparency on the status of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments, recording quality, time, temperature, deviations and possible actions. Etihad Cargo is now working on… Exploring further opportunities to create additional corridors between Abu Dhabi and other key markets to bring these benefits to more areas vital to pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply and by leveraging the success achieved by Pharma Corridor, Etihad Cargo launched the Fresh Corridor 2.0 service between Abu Dhabi and the Netherlands, resulting in increased growth. By 42 percent in fresh quantities transported.
Etihad Cargo also provided additional cold chain capacity to its partners and customers by adding new stations and increasing frequencies to its global network, which has grown to serve more than 70 destinations. Etihad Cargo’s expanding freight network, along with the company’s passenger network, supports the growing demand for carrying capacity for Etihad Cargo’s premium products, including PharmaLife and FreshForward. In Asia, the company has added a fourth gateway destination in China – Ezhou – in 2023 and is providing more cargo capacity via new passenger routes to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, operating seven flights per week to each destination. Seven new passenger flights to Chennai take the total number of weekly flights to 21, supported by twice-weekly freighter services.
“Etihad Cargo partners have benefited from the company’s expanded operations in key regions and increased flights across trade routes vital to flows of medicines and perishables,” Rodriguez concluded. “For example, India accounts for 30 to 40 percent of global production of generic medicines and supplies medicines to more than From 200 countries. The country is working to consolidate its position as a healthcare hub, which is increasing demand for PharmaLife, and Etihad Cargo is committed to supporting emerging and growing markets through new product features, technology and specialized expertise In 2023, Etihad Cargo initiated new pharmaceutical promotional campaigns and naturally focused on India. Etihad Airways’ Pharma Champions program is working to provide local expertise to Etihad Cargo’s customers in India, as well as strengthening its connections to key markets in India, including North America and Europe. In less than one year, Etihad Shipping succeeded in doubling its sales volume of PharmaLife products outside India.
Etihad Cargo recently announced that it will implement enhanced screening requirements for US-bound shipments from select stations, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore. The enhanced shipment screening requirements will benefit Etihad Cargo partners and customers by reducing transit times in Abu Dhabi, reducing handling and repacking at transit points, and through express transport (QRT) and through unit (TRU) shipments. Shipments from Australia, China, the European Union, Israel, Japan, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom to the United States will also benefit from enhanced screening requirements.
