Frankfurt Airport is ready to become the transport hub for the millions of COVID-19 vaccines. The German airport staff are gearing up to handle the unprecedented logistical challenge, The Local Germany has learned.
Frankfurt airport used to be Europe’s largest hub for transporting pharmaceutical goods. Amid the coronacrisis, the place could become a perfect option for transporting of million COVID-19 vaccines across the globe.
The German airport will be key to the success of inoculating millions of people against the coronavirus, said Karin Krestan, Lufthansa Cargo’s director of operation.
“The stress is increasing now that we’re entering the ‘hot’ phase,” she added.
The temperature-controlled “Cargo Cool Center” terminal of Frankfurt airport is ready for the unprecedented challenge. The processes have been established, the staff is very confident and personnel feels well prepared.
In fact, Max Philipp Conrady, head of freight infrastructure at Fraport, said that Frankfurt hub has been ready since August.
Frankfurt airport terminal will keep COVID-19 vaccines cool and safe
Airport’s cargo terminal has been working around the clock since the pandemic began. The airport is delivering medicine, surgical gowns and masks and supporting global supply chains as passenger numbers collapsed and airlines grounded planes.
The advantage is the vast temperature-controlled hangar, a few kilometres from the main passenger terminal. This spacious terminal handled 120,000 tons of vaccines, drugs and other pharmaceutical products in 2019.
The hangar has 12,000 square metres of temperature-controlled warehouses, essential for storing medicines. About 8,000 square metres, around the size of a football field, handles Lufthansa cargo alone, Ms Krestan explained.
To keep the boxes with drugs cool and safe, the warehouse’s hum as ventilation systems pumps conditioned air and staff buzz around on forklifts. Now, boxes packed with measles vaccines stand ready for departure. When COVID-19 vaccine approved, the million of antivirus doses will start their journeys across the globe.
