COVID-19 Vaccines Transported Worldwide via Korean Air Cargo Planes... Dedicated Transport Team Established

Formation of a Dedicated Task Force for COVID-19 Vaccine Transport Composed of Specialized Cargo Transport Experts
Preparing for the Surge in Air Transport Following Vaccine Development
Equipped with 'Pharmaceutical Transport Qualification' (CEIV Pharma) and Specialized Facilities Required for Vaccine Transport

A special container with temperature control being loaded onto a Korean Air cargo plane.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] Korean Air has begun preparations to safely transport COVID-19 vaccines worldwide following their development.

Korean Air announced on the 7th that it recently formed a dedicated task force (TF) within its Cargo Business Division to prepare all necessary measures for vaccine transportation in anticipation of the surge in air cargo demand following the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Approximately 10 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines are needed globally, and due to the need to maintain vaccine quality and urgency, air transportation is essential. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently predicted that about 8,000 Boeing 747 freighters would be required to transport the vaccines worldwide.

The TF, composed of Korean Air cargo sales and special cargo transportation experts, is preparing all necessary measures for vaccine transportation, including ▲checking storage temperatures according to vaccine types and analyzing and securing required equipment and facilities for transport ▲inspecting necessary facilities at vaccine departure, arrival, and transit points and expanding dedicated spaces ▲revising safety and security procedures and strengthening monitoring to prepare for abnormal situations ▲and employee training.

Vaccines must be transported and stored at temperatures between 2°C and 8°C. Some types require maintaining temperatures below -70°C, which demands the airline’s expertise and know-how. Korean Air stated, "As of last year, pharmaceuticals and fresh food accounted for 10% of our total annual cargo volume, reflecting our extensive transportation experience and know-how."

In June last year, Korean Air obtained the CEIV Pharma qualification from IATA for pharmaceutical transportation. This is an international standard certification that proves the expertise of pharmaceutical air cargo carriers, issued after global transportation experts evaluate over 280 items including transportation procedures, storage facilities, equipment, and regulations.

Currently, Korean Air has a 1,292㎡ refrigerated and frozen warehouse at its cargo terminal in Incheon Airport capable of accommodating about 100 tons of temperature-controlled cargo. To ensure smooth vaccine transportation, Korean Air plans to additionally secure a 1,872㎡ fresh cargo storage facility at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 2 next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.