Dubai hub crosses one million pharma shipments milestone Emirates SkyCargo’s decade of dedicated investment in infrastructure, temperature-controlled handling and specialized pharma logistics
The milestone marks 10 years since Emirates SkyCargo launched its GDP-certified pharmaceutical product and cool-chain infrastructure at its Dubai hub, covering Emirates SkyCentral cargo terminals at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).
The pharma hub was opened in 2016 for the transfer of pharmaceutical products and has been certified with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) which guaranties the quality and temperature-controlled handling of the cargo on its way.
Since its inception, Emirates SkyCargo has moved over a million pharmaceutical shipments, representing more than 800,000 tons of pharma cargo. The network connects pharmaceutical manufacturers, healthcare providers and patients across six continents.
Today, Emirates SkyCargo’s Dubai hub at DXB and DWC has more than 16,500 sq m of GDP-certified storage and handling capacity. It also has a dedicated fleet of more than 55 cool dollies for pharma cargo
Cool Dollies are temperature controlled mobile containers, designed to maintain the required temperature of shipments on the way from the aircraft hold to the terminal. They can also be used for Quick Ramp Transfers, where the cargo is directly transferred from one plane to another.
Emirates SkyCargo’s pharma product has been setting the benchmark for air transportation of pharmaceuticals over the last decade. This was no coincidence, no luck. “It’s the culmination of years of investment in our processes, our capabilities, our people and our infrastructure. It’s also about working closely with pharma shippers, freight forwarders, airports, ground-handlers, multi-modal transport providers and other cool-chain ecosystem players to build bespoke solutions that fit the needs of the industry. We also keep our offerings updated with latest developments. “Our ultimate goal is to make sure these lifesaving medicines and treatments are carried in the best possible conditions as they impact the lives of people around the globe,” said Badr Abbas, Divisional Senior Vise President, Emirates SkyCargo.
Emirates SkyCargo transports between 1.5 and 2 million kilograms of pharmaceutical products on its flights every week.
Carriers are an essential part of the global pharmaceutical supply chain, moving products from the world’s leading life sciences manufacturing centers to healthcare providers worldwide. Emirates SkyCargo’s top origin markets for pharmaceuticals are the UK, USA, India, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland.
“With a global network, high frequency wide body aircraft capacity and dedicated pharma infrastructure in Dubai, Emirates SkyCargo is well positioned to offer dedicated pharma cargo connectivity to and from international destinations.
The carrier has also been a pioneer in the development and use of thermal protection solutions for pharma shipments such as thermal blankets designed to provide end-to-end protection for pharma cargo. Emirates SkyCargo is the only global air cargo carrier that blankets all pharma shipments with thermal blankets, without exception.”
In 2026 Emirates SkyCargo enhanced the availability of thermal blankets by working with a number of suppliers. This has increased availability in key markets and reduced transportation costs and lead times for customers globally.
This is because of the development of the Emirates Pharma Corridors that were developed in 2018 to link high volume pharmaceutical hubs. Emirates SkyCargo has liaised closely with local airports and ground handling partners to maintain product integrity from point of origin to destination.
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