UAE - Mubasher: Dubai has launched a vaccine logistics alliance to support the distribution of two billion doses of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in 2021 around the world.

The vaccine logistics alliance comprises Emirates SkyCargo, Dubai Airports, DP World, and International Humanitarian City to distribute vaccines by air, land, and sea, according to a press release on Sunday.

In support of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) COVAX initiative, the alliance will focus on emerging markets that have been hit hard by the pandemic and face challenges in transport and logistics.

Under the initiative, DP World logistics operations will collect the vaccines from manufacturing sites such as Europe, the US, and India and deliver them to airports, seaports, and dryports for transportation.

DP World will also use its warehousing and distribution hubs to store the vaccines for time and temperature-sensitive distribution to hospitals and clinics.

Emirates SkyCargo will benefit from its more than 15,000 square metres of cool chain space for pharmaceuticals, in addition to its COVID-19 vaccine logistics which helped in transferring vaccines on its flights during December.

Moreover, Dubai Airports will offer additional space at dedicated facilities at Dubai International (DXB) to store the COVID-19 vaccines

Commenting on the alliance, the President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: "Each alliance partner brings to the table a specific and complementary set of strengths and capabilities in vaccine distribution, allowing us to build a 360-degree solution that harnesses the combined logistical and infrastructural advantages of Dubai as a hub."