Airport Logistics

This summer, Emirates SkyCargo is carrying thousands of tons of temperature-sensitive commodities to all corners of the globe through its international hub of Dubai. Whether fresh flowers from Nairobi headed to Amsterdam, fish from Cape Town to Spain, or Zimbabwe fruits and vegetables bound for London supermarkets, Emirates SkyCargo’s cool chain services ensure these are delivered to customers in good condition despite the challenging temperatures.

In 2013, the freight division of Emirates transported more than 313,000 tonnes of time and temperature sensitive goods on its freighters and in the belly hold of its passenger aircraft across its network via Dubai, underlining the quality of its Cool Chain service and role it plays in bringing much needed products to people around the world. 

Perishable products such as fruit, vegetables, flowers and fresh meat from Africa and chilled meat from Australia, as well as pharmaceuticals from India, and many other commodities from various countries around the world, are shipped everyday on Emirates SkyCargo, through its Cool Chain products and services, which are specifically designed to move time and temperature sensitive goods according to varying customer needs.

“We take pride in providing special controlled facilities to ensure temperature-sensitive products remain at a constant cool temperature both in the air and on the ground even during the hot summer months wherever we operate. Our intricate process boosts the life of perishable commodities by preserving the cool chain throughout the journey." said Moaza Al Falahi, Emirates Vice President Cargo Product Development and Local Affairs.

“Using innovative products such as active temperature controlled containers, warehouses, cool dollies and white covers, we’re at the forefront in preserving the most sensitive and highest quality of goods wherever the pickup or delivery destinations are in the world,” she added. 

Emirates SkyCargo’s range of advanced protective techniques and solutions in transporting perishable products include: Cool Chain Premium, Cool Chain Advanced and Cool Chain Basic, each of which is designed to meet specific requirements of customers. 

Cool Chain Premium is designed to move vital health care products, and offers active temperature controlled containers, prioritized ground handling, temperature control in the cargo hold in all aircraft, cool dollies used on request for tarmac transportation, temperature controlled handling and storage, as well as online temperature monitoring and the services of an Envirotainer provider. 

Also developed to transfer pharmaceutical goods, Cool Chain Advanced offers similar features to Cool Chain Premium, with the exception of a qualified Envirotainer provider, online temperature monitoring and a few other services. Cool Chain Basic offers mainly temperature controlled handling and storage and expedited delivery to guarantee freshness of products on arrival.

Emirates SkyCargo’s perishable handling capacity has expanded with the recent opening of the freighter terminal at Dubai World Central’s (DWC) Al Maktoum International Airport where it has an advanced storage system and a perishable area designed to handle about 140,000 tonnes of cargo per annum. It features three large areas each with different temperature ranges between 0-25°C. Since commencement of operations at DWC, Emirates SkyCargo has transported more than 55,246 tonnes of temperature sensitive goods. 

In addition to belly hold cargo services to more than 130 destinations around the world using cargo hold capacity in Emirates’ fleet of 224 aircraft, Emirates SkyCargo has a fleet of 13 freighters, comprising 11 Boeing 777 Fs and two Boeing 747-400 ERFs, which operate to more than 50 destinations around the world. Emirates’ Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft is capable of carrying 103 tonnes of cargo, with its main deck being the widest of any aircraft, enabling it to uplift outsized cargo and carry larger consignments.