Alibaba to start Covid-Cooperation with Ethiopian Airlines

Alibaba Holdings (NYSE: BABA) Cainiao has partnered with Ethiopian Airlines to launch a cold chain for shipping temperature sensitive COVID-19 vaccines from China to other countries around the world. Ethiopian Airlines will fly twice a week from Shenzhen Airport to other countries via Addis Ababa and Dubai. According to Alibaba, the first cross-border medical cold chain facility in China is located in Shenzhen. The air cargo will have refrigerated cabins for the transport of the vaccines and the cabins will have real-time temperature control systems. Interestingly, the freight terminal in Addis Ababa has been equipped with storage facilities that can keep temperatures down to minus 23 degrees Celsius in order to ensure a smooth cold chain supply. China has indicated it will share its SARS-CoV-2 vaccines with countries with which it has close ties. Although China is not yet ready for international use of the vaccines, it is still building the infrastructure to facilitate mass distribution. A spokesman for Cainiao said that once the vaccines are ready, the company will have the ability to ship them around the world. The Cainiao spokesman added that the company is in talks with coronavirus vaccine manufacturers in China as well as with international organizations about partnerships for vaccine logistics. Cainiao said the shipments would be shipped worldwide within 72 hours. Alibaba logistics company has become a unicorn and is a respected logistics company that can deliver the shipment to any region within a day. The partnership with Ethiopian Airlines increases the company's delivery capacities, which saves countries on the African continent in particular a vaccine. Currently, Cainiao operates in over 200 countries and has International Air Transport Association approval to transport COVID-19 vaccines that must be stored at low temperatures. James Zhao, Cainiao's international supply chain general manager, said the introduction of cold chain air freight has strengthened the company's global logistics capabilities. This enables Cainiao to offer a one-stop solution for the distribution of medical products, including vaccines for the coronavirus, around the world.