MENA Pharmaceutical Logistics: Alternative Solutions for Ongoing Disruptions

The numbers tell the story: commercial activity through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped 90% below pre-conflict levels, and global air-cargo capacity in the Gulf region fell 79% in early March alone. For pharmaceutical companies, this isn't just logistics data – it's a patient access crisis waiting to happen.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region – covering key pharmaceutical markets including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and other regional destinations – serves as a critical transit hub for global pharmaceutical distribution.

According to recent analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations, Dubai alone could lose processing of more than 10,000 tons of pharmaceutical air freight this month. That's a significant volume when you consider that temperature-controlled medicines – particularly oncology treatments and biologics – typically maintain only 3-month inventory buffers in Gulf markets.

The Real Impact on Pharmaceutical Supply

Industry executives are seeing the effects firsthand. Air freight costs have spiked 400% within 48 hours of recent disruptions, affecting the majority of Indian pharmaceutical exports that typically transit through affected regions. Major airports including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha – critical hubs for pharmaceutical distribution – have faced closures and severe restrictions.

The challenge isn't just about finding alternative routes. As one logistics executive noted, "Alternative cold-chain corridors cannot be set up overnight and are not always available." Temperature-controlled shipments risk missing connections unless proper storage and handling are secured at each point along rerouted paths.

What We're Seeing in Practice

At COREX, our logistics team has been actively rerouting pharmaceutical shipments since February. One recent case involved a temperature-sensitive clinical trial supply originally planned through Emirates to a Middle Eastern destination. Within hours of airspace restrictions, we pivoted to routing through Turkey as an alternative hub, maintaining cold chain integrity throughout an extended transit time.

Similar situations have required us to recalculate routes for various pharmaceutical cargo, including biologics requiring ultra-low temperature transport. The key has been having backup carrier relationships and alternative hub partnerships already established – you can't build these relationships during a crisis.

Alternative Routing Strategies That Work

Based on current industry data and our own experience, several alternative corridors are proving viable:

• Jeddah and Riyadh have become critical alternatives, with pharmaceutical companies successfully rerouting Europe-to-Asia cargo through these facilities.
• Istanbul has emerged as a key backup hub, though extended routing adds 2-4 hours flight time and increases capacity constraints.
• For Europe-to-Asia pharmaceutical cargo that typically transits Dubai or Doha, companies are redirecting through Singapore and Chinese hubs, despite longer transit times requiring extended cold chain management.

The Temperature Challenge

Temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals face particular risks during route changes. Recent disruptions show that medicines requiring strict refrigeration – especially oncology monoclonal antibodies with short shelf lives – are most vulnerable to delivery delays that can force treatment regimen restarts.

Our approach has been maintaining redundant temperature monitoring throughout extended transits and using dry ice backup systems for longer routing that alternative corridors require. It's more complex and costly, but essential for maintaining product integrity.

When Your Supply Chain Needs Alternatives

The current situation highlights why pharmaceutical companies need logistics partners with established alternative networks. If your company is facing:

• Critical shipment delays due to regional route restrictions
• Temperature-sensitive medicines requiring emergency rerouting
• Clinical trial timelines threatened by cargo hub closures
• Inventory shortages from disrupted standard shipping lanes

The solution isn't waiting for conditions to improve – it's having partners who can pivot to working alternatives immediately.

Our team continues monitoring the situation closely and adjusting routes as conditions evolve. Contact COREX to discuss how alternative routing can keep your pharmaceutical supply chain moving when standard logistics aren’t an option.

Back to the list