Emirates SkyCargo keeping global supply chain operational despite pandemic challenges

 Dubai : Faced with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global industries and on people's wellbeing, Emirates SkyCargo, freighter division of Emirates air redoubled its commitment to keep global supply chain operational.
When Emirates' worldwide passenger operations were suspended in late March 2020 in the face of the pandemic, Emirates SkyCargo lost a significant proportion of its global cargo capacity. However, the cargo carrier acted quickly to rebuild its global operations and within 100 days from March 25,  2020, had managed to reconnect 100 global destinations across six continents with scheduled cargo flights on a weekly basis.
In an unprecedented move to face an extraordinary situation, in late March 2020, Emirates SkyCargo started using Emirates' Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for cargo-only flights with around 40-50 tonnes of cargo loaded in the bellyhold of the aircraft. The flights were used to deliver PPE, test kits and other essential cargo.
In yet another historic moment in April 2020, Emirates SkyCargo started loading PPE and other select commodities on the seats in Economy Class and in the overhead bins inside the aircraft cabin to make more room for essential cargo.
Faced with a surge in demand for the movement of PPE, medical supplies, food and other essential commodities, Emirates modified 10 Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to remove passenger seats from Economy Class entirely to facilitate additional cargo volume of up to 132 cubic metres in the aircraft. Since June 2020, Emirates has worked on converting additional Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to meet the global demand for air cargo capacity.
In October, Emirates SkyCargo started operating its Airbus A380 aircraft for select cargo charter flights to meet customer demand for additional cargo capacity. 
Recognising the scale of the logistics effort required to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to people around the world, in October 2020, Emirates SkyCargo announced that it was setting up the world's largest dedicated airside hub for COVID-19 vaccines at its cargo terminal at Dubai South and that it was establishing a rapid response team to handle and expedite any requests for transportation of vaccines. Together with Emirates' dedicated pharma facility at Dubai International Airport, Emirates SkyCargo has over 15,000 sq metres of storage and handling space dedicated for pharmaceuticals and vaccines in Dubai.
Emirates SkyCargo crossed a historical milestone when it flew in the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines destined to the UAE for the Dubai Health Authority on 22 December from Brussels.
In August 2020, Emirates SkyCargo participated in the initiative to create an airbridge between Dubai and Lebanon by dedicating air cargo capacity for relief material to be transported to Beirut. 
In September 2020, Emirates SkyCargo launched twice weekly freighter flights to Guadalajara, Mexico, a new destination for the carrier.
The e-commerce delivery platform developed by Emirates SkyCargo and available for UAE residents to shop from US websites has successfully completed its first year of operations in 2020.
During pandemic Emirates SkyCargo continued with its charter and scheduled freighter services from Dhaka  facilitating  Bangladesh's export to Europe and America.