Etihad Cargo has launched Pharma Champions, a development programme which aims to boost its pharmaceutical transportation expertise and customer service.

Pharma Champions has been developed to align with Etihad Cargo’s long-term plans and cool chain masterplan, which was launched in 2020 to form the foundation of the carrier’s shared vision with Abu Dhabi to further establish the emirate as a global pharmaceutical and life sciences hub.

Pharma Champions was developed in full compliance with IATA CEIV Pharma guidelines and enhances Etihad Cargo’s capabilities to deliver consistent standards while transporting critical cargo via the carrier’s PharmaLife product.

PharmaLife is Etihad Cargo’s award-winning pharmaceutical shipment solution that has achieved significant year-on-year growth. In the last 12 months, the carrier states it has recorded a 49 per cent increase in pharmaceutical and life sciences products tonnage compared to the previous year.

Developed by Etihad Cargo’s business development, learning and development, and operations support teams, Pharma Champions enhances local expertise, benefiting the carrier’s customers and partners with improved service levels.

The programme comprises online and onsite training, a visit to Etihad Cargo’s dedicated pharmaceutical hub, and the development of a dedicated PharmaLife action plan.

Tim Isik, vice president commercial at Etihad Cargo, said: “In addition to giving participants – Etihad Cargo’s Pharma Champions – a more in-depth understanding of PharmaLife’s key features, the programme facilitates the development of a tailored PharmaLife action plan that will enable the champions to provide customer service excellence, enhanced customer response times and expertise within their regions.

“These Pharma Champions are an integral part of Etihad Cargo’s cool chain strategy and operations for the coming years and will act as focal contact points in the carrier’s key PharmaLife markets. This will enable Etihad Cargo to enhance regional knowledge hubs, mitigating the challenges of operating across multiple time zones and ensuring the carrier can respond to customer enquiries more quickly and efficiently.”

Etihad Cargo states that Pharma Champions is its latest step to expand the carrier’s specialised pharmaceutical transportation capabilities and complements the addition of new features launched in recent months, such as the introduction of new dedicated thermal blankets in Etihad Cargo’s key pharma markets.

The carrier also states it has invested in infrastructure to support Abu Dhabi’s vision to become a global pharmaceutical and life sciences hub, including the commissioning of a state-of-the-art 3,300 square metre cool chain facility at Abu Dhabi Airport that will double Etihad Cargo’s cool chain capacity to carry and accommodate an additional 50,000 tonnes of cool chain commodities.