Etihad Cargo and logistics firm EFL Global have completed the transport of an antiretroviral drug shipment from India to Brazil, while the airline has also seen its pharma volumes increase rapidly.
The shipment weighed more than 55,000kg and was transported on behalf of a manufacturer headquartered in Hyderabad and delivered to São-Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil utilising B777 capacity.
The shipment transited through Abu Dhabi International Airport and Milan’s Malpensa International Airport en-route to São Paulo, with real-time tracking monitoring the shipment.
“The sheer size of the consignment and the need for stringent product integrity over such a long distance had seen other carriers turn down the shipment. Utilising Etihad Cargo’s pharmaceutical logistics capabilities and EFL’s extensive industry expertise, the shipment was successfully delivered, maintaining strict controls across the entire journey,” said Martin Drew, Senior Vice President- Sales and Cargo, Etihad Aviation Group.
Etihad Cargo said that in the past year its pharmaceutical shipments have increased by 50%.
Driven largely from a demand for both CRT (+15 to +25°C) and COL (+2 to +8°C) segments, Etihad Cargo has also received strong growth for ERT (+2 to +25°C) shipments, launched at the end of last year.
The carrier currently operates across more than 1,050 IATA CEIV Pharma/GDP certified trade lanes.
