INSIGHT
COLD CHAIN DURING COVID-19
Shereen Nassar, global director of Logistics Studies and director of MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management programmes, Heriot-Watt University Dubai asks what can we learn from the pandemic?
W
hile the COVID-19 vaccine was warmly welcomed, it brought with it even more complex logistical requirements, the most crucial of which was the need for a reliable cold supply chain. Coupled with the sheer size of the operations and a sense of urgency, the fulfillment of these muchneeded vaccines turned into a colossal task to manage. For example, in September 2020, DHL estimated that to reach global coverage over the next two years, nearly 200,000 pallet shipments and 15,000 flights were required. In addition, the final distribution required almost 15 million cooling boxes along with the corresponding amounts of dry ice or cooling bricks. 26 AUGUST 2021
Government initiatives can significantly impact the pharmaceuticals industry by facilitating the implementation of cold chain monitoring solutions throughout the value chain. Accordingly, biopharmaceutical thirdparty logistics companies can minimise supply disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been globally classified into essential services. This helps them to operate and sustain revenue growth. Both government initiatives and rising demand for local logistics are expected to strengthen the market growth over the coming years. The pharmaceutical market is fast-growing and dominated by Europe and North America due to their high global market share and a high number of imports and exports of pharmaceutical products. They are also leading the implementation of
The UAE has done an incredible job of managing the crisis and supporting other countries during this time”
advanced warehousing and transportation technologies in the supply chain. If we look at the UAE’s supply chain industry overall, it is ranked first in terms of being a logistics-friendly country––in the region. Additionally, the pharmaceutical sector in the MENA region has witnessed tremendous growth over the last few years and is forecasted to reach around USD 60 billion by 2025. Particularly for the COVID-19 vaccine supply, UAE has done an incredible job of managing the crisis and supporting other countries during this time. Dr Shereen Nassar, global director of Logistics Studies and the director of the MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management Programme – Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, believes the UAE’s logistics industry has demonstrated meconstructionnews.com
