Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed toured the vaccine storage warehouse at Abu Dhabi Port, which can store up to 120 million vials of Covid-19 vaccines at any one time.
The chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health visited the ultra-modern facility, which is the logistics hub for the Hope Consortium in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi.
The 19,000 square metre warehouse is one of the world’s largest vaccine storage facilities, and the single largest in the region, with an overall capacity of nearly 40,000 pallets.
The facility can cater for medicines that need to be kept chilled, with cold storage area containing 25,000 pallets and an air-conditioned chamber with space for 15,000 pallets.
It also includes dedicated freezing rooms that allow for the safe delivery and storage of ultra-cold vaccines that require storage at down to -80 °C temperature.
Sheikh Abdulla praised the vital role that Abu Dhabi Ports is playing in supporting the Hope Consortium mission.
“Under the guidance of the UAE’s wise leadership and the wise investment in world-class infrastructure, Abu Dhabi has proven its ability to overcome all challenges, beat the impossible and spread hope,” he said.
A 19,000 square metre temperature-controlled warehouse facility in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi houses more than 1 million vials of the Sinopharm vaccine. 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 did not stop at being one of the leading cities with vaccinated population against COVID-19, it also actively contributed to development of such vaccines, through being home to some of the largest clinical trials globally and now with one of the largest capacities globally to handle the specialised task of transport, storage and distribution of the much needed vaccines worldwide.”
The warehouse can handle and store all different types of Covid-19 vaccines that are currently available, plus their associated pharmaceutical consumables.
A global partnership for world health
The Hope Consortium is an Abu-Dhabi led collective of industry partners working together to overcome the challenges the world faces to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine.
It represents a complete supply chain solution and can already handle 6 billion doses this year, rising to 18 billion by end of the year.
The consortium has already handled and helped in the distribution of millions of vaccine locally and globally to over 190 countries.
Captain Mohamed Al Shamisi, group chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports and chairman of the Operations Steering Committee for the Hope Consortium, said Abu Dhabi’s strategic location is key to ensuring the vaccines are delivered safely and efficiently.
“Combined with a unique collaboration with globally leading healthcare, pharmaceutical, humanitarian and logistical organisations, we are well-positioned, under the guidance of our leadership, to deliver hope and help nations worldwide combat the pandemic,” he said.
Updated: April 1, 2021 07:19 PM
