With Singapore Airlines I imagine enjoying a very positive feel good tick in the box yesterday for being seen to deliver the first Pfizer vaccines to Australia, Korean Air, one of the world’s largest air freight companies and one of the world’s top 20 airlines, says it has signed an agreement with UNICEF, which is responsible for the global supply of vaccines as part of its effort for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, for the global transportation of COVID-19 vaccine and medical equipment to provide around 145 countries in the first half of the year.
UNICEF says cooperation from airlines like Korean Air with global supply chains, capabilities and expertise is essential to transporting the vaccines around the world, with UNICEF selecting 16 airlines, including Korean Air, to work with UNICEF based on strict standards such as a global network, cargo capacity and experience shipping specialized cargo such as medical items.
Last September, Korean Air launched a task force to ensure that vaccines could be safely transported by the airline considering the unique requirements for temperature and storage, with some types requiring temperatures as low as -60 degrees Celsius, refrigeration below -20 degrees Celsius, or temperature maintenance between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.
With the signing of the agreement with UNICEF, Korean Air says that it will continue its leadership role in transporting COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies, with the airline committed to participate in these humanitarian and relief shipments as long as necessary.
UNICEF is a United Nations agency was established in 1946 to provide aid to children around the world and as the world’s largest medical distribution organization, UNICEF has procured and distributed more than 2 billion vaccines, medicines and medical supplies annually worldwide for the past 20 years.
A report by John Alwyn-Jones
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