Cool chain dollies
Some carriers and airports have developed specially designed dollies that can enclose pallets and ULDs in a stable temperature environment while they are being handled on the ground in between flights.
It’s no surprise that many of the advances in this field have come from the Middle East, where ambient temperatures can routinely hover at around 50°C on airport aprons, where improperly handled ULDs can be ruined with just a few minutes of direct sun without adequate protection.
Emirates has developed “Cool Dolly,” measuring 22 feet long, that can safely transport pharma materials from plane to cool-chain facility or act as a temporary storage area in between trans-shipments. The dolly can be maintained at -20°C +20°C for up to three hours. Other variants have been used recently at Etihad ground operations, LATAM Airlines and at Brussels airport (pictured).