GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo enhancing Covid vaccine handling capability

Hyderabad is set to be the single largest concentration of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacities globally

Hyderabad: GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC), a WHO-GSDP (World Health Organisation-Good Storage and Distribution Practices) certified company, has handled over 100 tonnes of Covid vaccines that were distributed from Hyderabad to various parts of the country, since January 2021. It is equipped to serve both outbound and inbound vaccine shipments. To meet the future requirements, the company is building capacities and capabilities.

The Hyderabad region is set to be the single largest concentration of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacities globally, with an estimated 3.6 billion doses of various makes of vaccines expected to be produced by facilities in the region over the next 18-24 months.

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The company recently handled the large import shipment of the Sputnik V vaccines from Russia, which required specialised handling and procedures to meet the stringent time and temperature (-20 deg. C) constraints.

Capacity enhancements

In order to address the surge in movement of Covid vaccines at Hyderabad, GHAC has been expanding its landside and airside facilities and streamlining processes, the company said.

The existing Pharma zone facility is also being expanded to almost double the area. GHAC also increased the capacities of all temperature zones viz. 15-25 degrees, 2-8 degrees and -20 degrees Celsius. The entire zone is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors with alarm alerts along with CCTV surveillance to check temperature excursions in real-time.

GHAC is introducing ‘Cold Super Store’ as part of the extended pharma zone to mitigate any temperature excursions during unloading of pharma shipments. It had launched a custom-built large Cool Dolly, a mobile refrigerated unit for airside transportation of large pallets till aircraft, maintaining the cold chain.

It is working with all the air cargo stakeholders while having a dedicated task force and specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place for acceptance, screening, and handling of vaccines. Upgrade of these facilities will result in better cargo acceptance and processing time and thereby enhancing operational efficiencies.

Technology ties

GHAC recently partnered with Dubai Airports for launch of “HYDXB-VAXCOR”, to address the logistical challenge of moving vaccines between Dubai and India through Hyderabad airport as a hub. This enables priority handling, seamless movement, expanded uplift capacity through anchor carriers and visibility for status/temperature data.

GHAC’s e-Reception systems ensure hassle free entry and exit of the refrigerated trucks on the landside. For ensuring smooth last mile delivery, the company has been facilitating the movement of cargo to different parts of the country with its trucking partners who provide Road Feeder Service.

The company has also integrated Vaccine Ledger, a next-gen blockchain solution to deliver enhanced track and trace solution and real-time monitoring of vaccine shipments from Hyderabad, with the help of StaTwig.

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