Cargo Breaking News
Hyderabad Airport has announced that GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) is all set to provide the necessary infrastructure for unbroken cool-chain for the global vaccine shipments to maintain the vaccine integrity. The COVID-19 vaccines require specialised handling, hence the procedures are being developed in coordination with manufacturers and supply-chain players to mitigate any risk during the process of transportation of vaccines right from the manufacturers’ facility to the final destination.
GHAC has a well-established Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place for acceptance, screening and handling of vaccines as per required temperature conditions. The Pharma zone of the terminal is a WHO-GSDP (World Health Organization – Good Storage and Distribution Practices) certified facility.
As the vaccines are highly sensitive shipments, GHAC will leverage its efficiency in handling Pharma from last 12 years of operations to maintain unbroken cool- chain. The terminal offers one of India’s largest fleet of the modern temp-controlled Cool Containers viz. Envirotainer, VaQtec, etc. GHAC recently launched Cool Dolly- a mobile refrigeration unit for airside transportation of temperature sensitive Pharma and Vaccine shipments.
Cool zones/containers have temperature data loggers and humidity sensors to ensure better monitoring and control while handling the sensitive vaccine shipments.
GHAC terminal has a large sized Dual view tunnel X-ray Screening Machine to maintain the integrity of vaccines cool containers while screening.
It is already handling various traditional vaccine shipments for global exports and imports. The GHAC Pharma Zone is well equipped in providing seamless processing of critical vaccines.
Critical processes like – acceptance, weighing, customs examination, screening, palletization and transportation to aircraft are also performed under temperature-controlled conditions.
As per the industry insights, most of India’s vaccine export will be to Africa, Latin America and Asian Destinations. Ingredients may be obtained from Europe and few other regions. Hyderabad is all set to emerge as a major port once the key manufacturers succeed with the various human trials which are in progress.
GHAC is in talks with various stakeholders towards meeting specific requirements of export and import of COVID-19 vaccines, including the challenge of having multiple range of cold and ultra-cold minus temperatures.
Currently, GHAC is in the process of expanding specific landside and airside facilities to further handle the spurt in pharma & vaccine shipments from Hyderabad. Also, plans are in place to increase the storage capacity for various vaccine types and related accessories and supplies. GHAC is also working with Cool Container providers for maintaining large stock at its station. It is also upgrading the current capacity of Cool Container storage and charging locations to handle the surge in Cool Containers movement.
For quick mechanised handling of vaccine boxes and to avoid any breakage/leakage of shipments, dock levelers are in place at the truck dock area for multiple vehicle compatibility. The entire pharma zone is also equipped with temperature and humidity sensors with alarm alerts along with CCTV surveillance to check any temperature excursion in real time. Temperature recording and monitoring is being done with data loggers in exclusive cold storage for temperature sensitive cargo like vaccines/pharma.
GHAC is working in sync with freight forwarders and trade members to improve efficiency to handle more volumes with faster turnaround. It is undertaking expansion of the Truck Dock and Pharma Zone to increase its handling capacity for temperature sensitive pharma and vaccine shipments. This upgrade will also reduce the cargo acceptance and processing time and enhance operational efficiencies.
