In a move designed to enhance the UAE’s COVID-19 vaccine supply chain, and in keeping with its strategic long-term objective to expand its overall capabilities, Abu Dhabi Ports has announced the acquisition of 11 new specialised refrigerated vehicles by its subsidiary, MICCO Logistics.
The acquisition, which is part of a broader strategy to expand and diversify MICCO’s growing vehicle fleet, boosts its local final-mile vaccine delivery capability to over 1.1 million vaccine doses per day.
The addition supports the work of the Hope Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public-private partnership developed to respond to one of the greatest logistical challenges in history by delivering large quantities of COVID-19 vaccines locally and globally from its hub in Abu Dhabi.
Expansion of the fleet extends Abu Dhabi Ports’ scope of services, as well as its range of supply-chain solutions for last-mile delivery certified by licence from the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH).
Supporting the Consortium’s mission, the vehicles are connected to “mUnity,” Maqta Gateway’s digital blockchain-enabled solution, which tracks the journey of vaccines through the supply chain in real-time, ensuring safe, transparent and efficient product delivery to any location.
Robert Sutton, Head of Logistics Cluster, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “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.
“By working closely with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), we are ensuring that MICCO is equipped with the most advanced chilled vehicles currently available on the market, elevating our emirate’s logistics capabilities for years to come.”
Equipped with complete data loggers and advanced temperature monitoring, the brand-new fleet will be capable of carrying vaccines, medical equipment, or pharmaceutical products from Abu Dhabi Ports’ 19,000 sqm cold and ultra-cold storage facility located at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) to healthcare centres across the UAE.
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The fleet has been fitted with cooling equipment to support handling of vaccines requiring a temperature range of 2°C to 8°C, as well as -80°C with the addition of specialised packaging.
Clifford D’souza, Executive Vice President & COO, MICCO Logistics, said: “This significant investment serves to boost MICCO’s overall capability to transport vaccines and other sensitive pharmaceuticals to all corners of the UAE safely and efficiently, and across a wide-range of temperature bands.
“Our ability to incorporate advanced digital systems that provide for monitoring and tracking in real-time, assures our customers, including hospitals, clinics, vaccine centres, and testing centres, full product transparency and integrity.
"Through these solutions, we are positively reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s supply chain and its capability to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our age.”
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