Abu Dhabi's Hope Consortium purchases new transport fleet to expand daily vaccine delivery to 1.1 million

The logistics hub secured 11 new refrigerated vehicles to boost supply of crucial vaccines

A 19,000 square metre temperature-controlled warehouse facility in Khalifa Industrial Zone, Abu Dhabi, is key to the global fight against Covid-19. Courtesy: Abu Dhabi Ports

Abu Dhabi’s Hope Consortium has the capacity to deliver enough Covid-19 vaccines for almost everyone on the planet. Reuters

A shipment of UAE aid to tackle Covid-19 in Cuba is loaded on to an Etihad cargo aircraft. Wam

The Hope Consortium stores and distributes Covid-19 vaccines across the world. Courtesy: Hope Consortium

Abu Dhabi's Hope Consortium purchased 11 temperature-controlled trucks to boost its daily vaccine dose delivery capacity to more than 1.1 million.

The move is part of a long-term strategy by the task force to expand its transport fleet and ensure crucial vaccines are delivered swiftly across the Emirates.

The refrigerated fleet was secured by Abu Dhabi Ports, part of the Hope Consortium.

The vehicles will be connected to hi-tech software that allows the journey of the vaccines to be tracked in real-time.

“The investment in advanced technology places Abu Dhabi in a strong position to not only offer extended services to its healthcare sector partners, but also fulfil the goal of the Hope Consortium to end the pandemic and help chart a sustainable pathway to recovery," said Robert Sutton, head of logistics  for Abu Dhabi Ports.

"Abu Dhabi Ports is committed to diversifying and extending its logistical solutions to accommodate all types of vaccines on the market through our specialised final-mile fleet."

Equipped with complete data loggers and advanced temperature monitoring, the fleet will be capable of carrying vaccines, medical equipment or pharmaceutical products from Abu Dhabi Ports’ 19,000 square metre cold and ultra-cold storage facility located at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) to healthcare centres across the UAE.

The vehicles were fitted with cooling equipment to support the vaccines requiring temperatures ranging from 8°C to -80°C.

Last month, the Hope Consortium expanded a vast freezer farm set up to store Covid-19 vaccines at ultra-cold temperatures.

Abu Dhabi Ports took delivery of an additional 32 freezers at its Kizad storage facility, raising the number of units to 53.

The massive warehouse was already central to the mission of the Hope Consortium, an industry collective established to transport Covid-19 vaccines around the world.

Other members of the consortium include the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, Etihad Cargo and SkyCell, the Swiss company that makes the freezers.