Korean Air Transports South Korea's First COVID-19 Vaccine Raw Materials

Transport of 800kg of Raw Materials from Incheon to Amsterdam, Netherlands

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Korean Air has transported raw materials for the COVID-19 vaccine for the first time in Korea. With the completion of vaccine development by global pharmaceutical companies and the start of vaccinations in some advanced countries, expectations for related transportation demand are also rising.

Korean Air announced on the 9th that it transported about 800 kg of COVID-19 vaccine raw materials (including container and dry ice) produced by a domestic company from Incheon International Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands via flight KE925 on the 8th.

Since COVID-19 vaccines require maintaining ultra-low temperatures below minus 60 degrees Celsius, freezing below minus 20 degrees Celsius, or refrigeration between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius depending on the product, a cold chain logistics system is essential.

The COVID-19 vaccine raw materials transported by Korean Air the previous day also required ultra-low temperature transport below minus 60 degrees Celsius and were loaded into a special pharmaceutical transport container prepared by the shipper. This special container uses 208 kg of dry ice and can maintain a temperature below minus 60 degrees Celsius for about 120 hours without a separate power supply.

Since September, Korean Air has formed a COVID-19 vaccine transportation task force (TF) team composed of cargo sales and special cargo transportation experts to prepare for frozen vaccine transport. In particular, since the total amount of dry ice that can be loaded varies strictly by aircraft type, Korean Air conducted technical consultations with aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has proactively supported by re-examining and adjusting dry ice loading standards by aircraft type to increase the amount of vaccine transport per flight.

Korean Air previously obtained the international standard certification (CEIV Pharma) from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in June last year, proving its expertise and excellence in pharmaceutical air transport. Since the COVID-19 outbreak this year, it has been transporting domestically produced COVID-19 diagnostic kits and steadily expanding supply for medical and quarantine material transport through cargo-only passenger aircraft and seat removal inside passenger aircraft.

A Korean Air official stated, "We will thoroughly prepare to secure necessary aircraft schedules and supply in advance to cope with the expected surge in COVID-19 vaccine transportation and provide the best service throughout the entire cold chain logistics process."

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