The Hope Consortium, a Covid-19 vaccine storage and delivery centre in Abu Dhabi, teamed up with eight more international logistics companies to expand its reach and distribution range.
The centre aims to deliver billions of vaccine doses around the world by the end of the year to help achieve global immunisation against the virus.
On Thursday, the consortium signed agreements with eight freight forwarding companies. These are: Bollore Logistics, Ceva Logistics, DB Schenker, DHL, FedEx Express, Micco Logistics, RSA Global and UPS. This will help increase its global access while maintaining the integrity of vaccines during transport.
The consortium had already agreed to work with Agility Logistics, Aramex, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics and Kuehne+Nagel.
The Hope Consortium aims to play an essential role in dealing with the key logistical challenges of ensuring vaccines are successfully delivered around the world.
The centre will ensure vaccines are stored at the correct temperature, sourced and distributed depending on demand and correctly tracked.
The facilities in Abu Dhabi can store up to 70 million vaccines, which require standard refrigeration temperatures of 2°C to 8°C, including those produced by Sinopharm and Oxford/AstraZeneca. These are expected to supply the bulk of Africa's vaccine needs.
It also has the capacity to handle between three million and five million vaccines requiring ultra-cold storage, down to minus 80°C, through a “freezer farm” consisting of 50 units in its facility in Abu Dhabi.
The units have numerous compartments, allowing the storage of vaccines at several ultra-cold temperatures.
The consortium is chiefly managed by Department of Health Abu Dhabi, with four other partners involved. These are: Abu Dhabi Ports, Etihad Cargo, Rafed – which is part of ADQ – and SkyCell.
This month, Robert Sutton, head of the logistics cluster at Abu Dhabi Ports, told The National that they had already handled more than three million vaccines.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
