Qatar Airways Cargo adds Colombo, Dublin to pharma network

With Colombo just added to Qatar Airways Cargo’s Pharma Network, and Dublin set to come online June 12, the carrier’s pharmaceutical transport network will soon reach 73 destinations globally.

The soon-to-commence Dublin route will be serviced by 787 flights, connecting Doha to “one of the leading global hubs for the pharmaceutical industry,” with nine of the top ten largest pharmaceutical companies operating in Ireland.

In Colombo, the carrier is betting on the country’s Export Processing Zone, which opened last year, to turn Sri Lanka from a net importer of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products to an exporter.

Qatar Airways Cargo will offer its specialist pharmaceuticals transport solution, called “QR Pharma,” on the routes, which has proven effective in mitigating the extreme temperatures at its home base in Qatar. Sri Lanka, with its own extreme temperatures and underdeveloped infrastructure, is a strong candidate for self-contained transportation solutions, such as QR Pharma.