- Emirates SkyCargo has completed over one million pharma shipments through its Emirates SkyCargo Dubai hub comprising over 16,500 sq m of GDP certified handling and storage area.
- This volume is equivalent to over 800,000 tonnes of pharma cargo, and on average, Emirates SkyCargo transports between 1.5 and 2 million kilograms of pharmaceutical products every week on its flights.
- The carrier is also celebrating 10 years since the launch of Pharma, its specialised product, GDP certified, for the transportation of pharmaceuticals.
Emirates SkyCargo has surpassed one million pharmaceutical shipments handled through its Dubai hub, marking a decade of investment in GDP-certified infrastructure, specialised cool-chain capabilities and temperature-controlled logistics for the global healthcare industry.
The milestone comes 10 years after Emirates SkyCargo launched its specialised Emirates Pharma product and dedicated GDP-certified pharmaceutical handling infrastructure in Dubai in September 2016. Since then, the carrier has transported more than one million pharmaceutical shipments, equivalent to more than 800,000 tonnes of pharma cargo, connecting manufacturers, healthcare providers and patients across six continents.
Emirates SkyCargo currently transports an average of 1.5 million to 2 million kilograms of pharmaceutical products every week on its flights, highlighting the scale of its role in global healthcare supply chains.
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Dubai hub expands pharmaceutical handling capabilities
The carrier’s pharmaceutical operation is supported by more than 16,500 square metres of GDP-certified handling and storage facilities across Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The infrastructure is complemented by a dedicated fleet of more than 55 Cool Dollies. These mobile, temperature-controlled units are designed to protect pharmaceutical shipments while they are transferred between aircraft and cargo terminals, as well as during quick ramp transfers between aircraft.
The dedicated facilities were developed to provide a controlled environment for pharmaceutical cargo and support the strict temperature and handling requirements associated with time- and temperature-sensitive medicines.
Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, said the carrier’s pharmaceutical operation has been built through sustained investment in processes, infrastructure, people and partnerships across the healthcare logistics ecosystem.
Connecting major pharmaceutical markets
Emirates SkyCargo uses Dubai as a central connection point between major pharmaceutical manufacturing centres and healthcare markets worldwide.
Key origin markets include India, Germany, Belgium, the UK, the US and Switzerland, with the carrier leveraging its widebody network and dedicated pharmaceutical infrastructure to move temperature-sensitive products across global trade lanes.
The carrier has also developed dedicated solutions for increasingly specialised healthcare logistics. In 2023, Emirates SkyCargo introduced Emirates Vital and Emirates Medical Devices, expanding its healthcare portfolio to include critical shipments such as human organs, tissues, cell and gene therapies, clinical trial materials and medical equipment.
Its pharmaceutical network had expanded to 43 pharma stations worldwide by 2025, while dedicated 2–8°C temperature corridors were established across selected pharmaceutical hubs.
Pharma Corridors strengthen end-to-end control
A key development in the carrier’s pharmaceutical strategy was the launch of Emirates Pharma Corridors in 2018.
The programme connects high-volume pharmaceutical hubs and involves collaboration with airports and ground-handling partners to maintain product integrity throughout the journey. This approach extends pharmaceutical handling standards beyond the Dubai hub and into the wider logistics chain.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates SkyCargo also played a significant role in global vaccine logistics. The carrier established a dedicated GDP-certified vaccine hub in Dubai and subsequently transported more than one billion vaccine doses as part of the global pandemic response.
Thermal protection becomes part of the pharma strategy
Emirates SkyCargo has also invested in thermal protection solutions, including the use of thermal blankets to provide additional protection for pharmaceutical shipments.
According to the carrier, it is the only global air cargo carrier to deploy thermal blankets across all pharmaceutical shipments without exception. In 2026, Emirates SkyCargo expanded its supplier base for the blankets, with the aim of improving availability in key markets, reducing transportation costs and shortening lead times.
The development reflects the growing emphasis on protecting pharmaceutical cargo throughout the complete transportation chain rather than focusing solely on conditions inside aircraft and terminals.
Preparing for the next generation of healthcare logistics
As Emirates SkyCargo enters the second decade of its dedicated pharmaceutical operation, the carrier says its focus will increasingly extend beyond conventional pharmaceuticals to more specialised healthcare products, including biologics, cell and gene therapies and precision medicines.
The milestone also reinforces Dubai’s role as a major global transit point for temperature-sensitive healthcare products, supported by Emirates SkyCargo’s widebody network, specialised infrastructure and pharmaceutical handling capabilities.
With pharmaceutical supply chains becoming increasingly complex and products requiring more stringent temperature, security and handling controls, the carrier is positioning its Dubai operation around continued infrastructure investment, specialised products and collaboration with pharmaceutical manufacturers, forwarders, ground handlers and other supply-chain partners.
