Abu Dhabi launches vaccine hub

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July 21, 2025

The Abu Dhabi Department of Health has (DoH) launched operations at the region’s vaccine distribution hub.

Operated by Rafed, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the hub was developed in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Investment Office, GSK, AD Ports Group, Etihad Cargo, and KEZAD Group. It designed to improve vaccine access across the region. It leverages Abu Dhabi’s strategic location, advanced cold-chain logistics infrastructure, and a regulatory environment.

Its opening follows an agreement signed between DoH and drugs firm GSK during Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week in 2024 to establish regional vaccine distribution capabilities in the emirate. The facility becomes GSK’s first vaccine distribution centre in the Middle East and the fourth worldwide.

The hub’s activation also marks one of the first major operational milestones under HELM – Abu Dhabi’s Life Science Cluster, which was officially launched in April 2025 during Abu Dhabi Global Health Week. HELM brings together government, industry, and academia to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position in precision health, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and biopharma logistics.

DoH undersecretary Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, said: “More than a logistics milestone, this reflects our long-term vision to position Abu Dhabi as a trusted partner in global health where innovation and resilience translate into timely access and measurable public health impact. Through this hub, we are making vaccines more accessible to communities across borders and strengthening the UAE’s leadership in preventive, future-ready healthcare.”

The facility will manage a portfolio of more than 20 vaccines, supporting immunisation strategies across multiple markets. Designed for scalability, the hub can accommodate emerging vaccine technologies and increased regional demand.

GSK Gulf vice president and general manager, Boyd Chongphaisal, commented: “Through our strategic partnership with DoH and local stakeholders, we are combining scientific excellence with operational strength to ensure timely, efficient delivery of vaccines across the region. This initiative is a testament to Abu Dhabi’s position in the global value chain, strengthening its role in global health and innovation.”

Rafed, the operator of the facility, has deployed advanced cold-chain and smart distribution technologies that preserve vaccine integrity and ensure end-to-end visibility throughout the logistics process. The hub is fully integrated with Etihad Cargo’s PharmaLife network, which connects Abu Dhabi to more than 100 international destinations and offers time-sensitive, temperature-controlled freight services tailored for pharmaceutical products.

Its chief executive, Mohammad Mustafa Saeed, added: “The launch of this regional vaccine distribution hub is a tangible expression of our strategy to strengthen health systems, improve access, and build resilience across borders. By deploying advanced cold-chain and smart distribution technologies, we are enabling real-time, end-to-end visibility. We remain focused on supporting governments and health partners with confidence and reliability to achieve better health outcomes for communities from Abu Dhabi across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.”

The facility is expected to distribute millions of doses annually, shortening delivery timelines across the region and improving the integrity of vaccine supply.

Etihad chief cargo officer, Stanislas Brun, said: “Our network and specialised PharmaLife product play a critical role in transporting temperature-sensitive vaccines reliably and efficiently across the region. We are proud to support Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a global leader in life sciences and supply chain excellence.”

ACS keeps the beers flowing in Mexico

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Chris Lewis

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July 18, 2025

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Air Charter Service’s Mexican office helped avert a brewery shutdown in June when it flew in half a ton of beer hops from Washington State.

was contacted by a leading alcoholic beverage manufacturer in Mexico, who was facing a brewery shut down and needed just over half a ton of beer hops transported from Washington State to Mexico City, a journey of more than two and a half thousand miles, within the next 24 hours.
Marco Circosta, ACS Mexico chief executive said that the broker was contacted by a freight forwarder customer in Mexico whose client urgently needed a delivery of hops to avoid a production line shut down. The hops needed to be in Mexico within 24 hours so ACS quickly got to work sourcing an aircraft and found a Falcon 20 available nearby and easily loadable, as it had a side cargo door that could fit the 561-kilogram load in on just one pallet.
However, a complication was that, as the cargo was not traveling under refrigeration, so customs, loading and offloading processes had to be expedited From initial phone call to completion of the charter was just under 20 hours.

Walden to sell healthcare interests to Yusen Logistics

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Chris Lewis

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July 18, 2025

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Walden Group has entered negotiations to sell its Walden Health activities to NYK’s forwarding arm, Yusen Logistics.

Since it was founded in 1951, Walden has grown from a French domestic to a pan-European operator itself acquiring Movianto from Owens and Minor in 2020. However, it said that as the healthcare logistics market becomes increasingly global, the sale would allow Walden Health to expand its footprint beyond Europe, while building on Yusen Logistics Group’s global infrastructure and digital capabilities to enhance service quality and resilience.

Walden Group would meanwhile continue to invest in its Mobility division, including and Relais Colis Ciblex express delivery services.

Walden Health has operations in 12 European countries, serving pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, and healthcare providers with some 5,400 employees.

Yusen Logistics Group chairman and chief executive, Hiroki Harada, said the move was: A significant step in our journey to become a leading healthcare logistics player and we look forward to welcoming Walden Health into our group. We have been expanding healthcare logistics for the past years by enhancing our capability worldwide to provide customers with various logistics services. We believe combination between Walden Health’s high professionalism with longstanding reputation and our global network can make our healthcare logistics service truly unique.”

Chairman of Walden Group, Stephane Baudry, added: “Thanks to Yusen Logistics Group, Walden Health will develop into a truly global player, capable of offering end-to-end services to clients, building on a strong innovative DNA focused on improving patient care with an unwavering commitment to quality. I am delighted to see the strong cultural and strategic fit of the two organizations and truly believe that Walden Health is set for continued success.”

Taking the stress out of life science shipping

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Chris Lewis

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July 18, 2025

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Arca BioLogistics has completed an update of its management portal for the life sciences sector Arca Live.

It allows users to book shipments in minutes, track progress in real time, monitor GPS and temperature data, access documentation, and manage compliance from a single platform and has been developed in collaboration with UK provider of transport and logistics technology solutions, Cen Global.

Arca BioLogistics director of operations, Tom Webb said: “Many of our customers are research professionals or clinical scientists who simply don’t have a background in logistics. With the latest development of Arca Live, we set out to remove that barrier completely. Ultimately, this is about making sure our life science clients are able to focus solely on the science behind what they do, not the shipping element, while we handle the complexity of the logistics process behind the scenes on their behalf.

“Cen Global played a significant role in bringing this concept to fruition by translating complex logistics processes into a platform that feels simple and user-friendly for our users.”

The company has also partnered with a user experience specialist to ensure the platform is not only functional but also intuitive and easy to use without the need for training. Customers highlighted that many competing logistics portals were overly complex, time-consuming, and built with logistics professionals, rather than end users, in mind.

In its latest update, Arca BioLogistics has introduced Google Address Validation, product catalogue integration, as well as a step-by-step guided process for generating accurate customs invoices, and a faster quotation and booking experience for customers.

Lufthansa Cargo joins the silicon sisters of Saxony

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Chris Lewis

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July 18, 2025

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Lufthansa Cargo has become the first airline to join the Silicon Saxony association of companies in the microelectronics, semiconductor, and IT industries, the largest of its kind in Europe. Based in Dresden, Germany an important location for semiconductor manufacturing, it brings together over 600 players, ranging from international technology groups and innovative start-ups to research institutes.

Lufthansa Cargo will contribute its expertise as one of the world’s leading cargo airlines and deepening its cooperation with key players in the industry. It will play an active part in working groups, industry events, and specialist forums helps to gain an even better understanding of industry requirements and to further develop specialized air freight solutions in a targeted manner.

Head of industry development at Lufthansa Cargo, Carolin Gerstenmaier, explained: “The semiconductor industry is characterized by highly sensitive, time-critical supply chains. Our customers expect reliable, flexible logistics solutions – and this is precisely where we want to continuously develop through active exchange. With our expertise in international air freight, we want to help make logistics processes along the value chain even more resilient and efficient.”

Managing director of Silicon Saxony, Frank Bösenberg, added: “We are delighted to welcome Lufthansa Cargo, one of the world’s leading companies in the air freight sector, as a new member of the Silicon Saxony high-tech network. This partnership will enable us to strengthen our focus on transport and logistics. Reliable and efficient logistics are a decisive competitive factor for the globally interconnected semiconductor industry. The exchange with Lufthansa Cargo opens up new perspectives on intelligent supply chains and resilient infrastructures. Together, we want to work on further improving Saxony’s international position as a technology location and further improving the conditions for research, development, and production.”

Hellmann sets up own arm in Colombia

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Chris Lewis

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July 16, 2025

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Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has opened a fully-owned subsidiary in Colombia as part of its network expansion in the Americas. The German-owned forwarding and logistics company has been active in Colombia for almost 30 years through local partner companies. Earlier this year its acquired its perishables partner HPL Apollo, including the HPL entity in Colombia. Following this the company has formally established its own subsidiary specializing in general cargo and other verticals including airfreight, seafreight, customs brokerage, and contract logistics supported by an experienced team of supply chain professionals, using Colombia as a strategic hub for both inbound and outbound flows.

Chief executive Jens Drewes, said: “Following the takeover of HPL Apollo in the US and the inclusion of its Colombian operations, establishing a fully integrated own country organization in Colombia marks another milestone in our global expansion strategy. The Americas is a key market for us, and this development strengthens our presence and enhances our ability to serve customers across this strategically important region.”

Regional chief executive, Americas, Peter Huwel, added: “After seven successful years of collaboration with our local partner ABC Cargo Logistics, we are proud to take the next step by establishing our own Hellmann operations in Colombia. This launch strengthens our ability to deliver the high-quality, integrated logistics solutions our customers expect from Hellmann, while positioning us to drive continued growth across the region.”

FedEx moves to new Manchester hub

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Chris Lewis

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July 16, 2025

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Federal Express has relocated its Manchester, UK operation to a new logistics hub half a mile from the international airport. The 38,000sq ft facility features an advanced automated sorting system and X-ray machines, which will increase throughput, speed, and customer service.

The Northwest corridor accounts for 22.5% of the UK’s total freight GDP, says FedEx.

Managing director, UK Air Operations Steve Johnson, said: “The opening of our enhanced facility in Manchester is a significant milestone for FedEx and our valued customers as we continue to advance our freight capabilities in the UK. With the rising demand for cargo aviation and the rapid growth of e-commerce, we recognise the need to reconfigure our network to prioritise both speed and efficiency.’

‘’We are committed to setting our customers up for success in what continues to be a dynamic period for trade and logistics. We have seen first-hand the positive impact our investment in technological capabilities has had at our Stansted Airport facility for small and medium sized enterprises. Our goal is to ensure businesses in the Northwest experience the same benefits.”

Longest ever shipment for Prestwick

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Chris Lewis

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July 16, 2025

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Chapman Freeborn, the air charter arm of Avia Solutions Group, recently completed shipment of the longest piece of cargo at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (PIK).

The shipment included a 67-foot-long, 24-tonne component, transported on three 20-foot connecting pallets, along with two additional 40-foot components for the oil and gas industry, transported aboard a B747F nose loader from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The shipment arrived at Prestwick following a stopover at Liège Airport, where it underwent a security screening. In Glasgow, the cargo was unloaded in just 30 minutes using three main deck loaders and two cranes.

Cargo Charter Broker at Chapman Freeborn, Adam Duckworth, said: “This operation required close coordination between our UK team and the airline, working alongside the CAA to ensure the cargo arrived on schedule. The handling agent’s team, Prestwick Cargo Services, did an exceptional job coordinating the offloading operation.”

Emirates Courier Express goes Down Under

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Chris Lewis

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July 16, 2025

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Emirates has expanded its Emirates Courier Express solution to Australia. It will fly directly into Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney on 70 flights per week using the existing passenger schedule and serving the whole country.

Breaking the traditional hub-and-spoke model, Emirates Courier Express provides direct connectivity, via Dubai, significantly reducing time in transit and handling. Emirates Courier Express is equipped to transport all verticals, from consumer goods to products that require specialist handling, such as critical medical equipment.

It can also be directly integrated into customers’ existing software with tracking and real-time updates.

The International Trade Administration reports that only 6% of international shoppers currently buy from Australia. Challenges with delivery and logistics play a key role, as fluctuating costs and long timelines deter consumers from placing orders. Despite that the inbound small parcel volume to Australia has increased by 45% in the last two years, and a record number of households are shopping online.

New chief for DHL Global Forwarding

By

Chris Lewis

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July 15, 2025

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Deutsche Post has appointed Oscar de Bok as chief executive officer of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. De Bok, succeeding Tim Scharwath, who is retiring. Oscar de Bok has been a member of the management board since 2019 and is currently chief executive of DHL Supply Chain, a role that will be taken up by Hendrik Venter, currently responsible for Supply Chain Mainland Europe, Middle East, and Africa.