DGCA issues guidelines for transportation of Covid-19 vaccine

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday issued guidelines to all aircraft operators who plan to transport COVID-19 vaccines packed in dry ice to various parts of the country. Dry ice transforms into carbon dioxide gas at temperatures higher than -78 degrees Celsius under normal atmospheric pressure and therefore it is classified as “dangerous goods” by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), it said. “All operators while engaging in transportation of COVID-19 vaccines packed with dry ice shall establish the maximum quantity of dry ice that can be loaded in a given cargo hold or in the main deck (passenger cabin) when a passenger version is deployed for all cargo operations,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) noted. All scheduled operators who have been currently authorized to carry dangerous goods may carry Covid-19 vaccines packed in dry ice, meeting the regulatory requirements, the guidelines state. 

“Non-scheduled operators, including aircraft engaged in general aviation that are required to participate in the carriage of Covid-19 vaccines packed in dry ice, shall seek specific approval before commencing such operations. Compliance with ICAO Doc 9284 (Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air) is the responsibility of each operator,” it added. Elaborating on the need to package the vaccines with dry ice the DGCA noted that the temperature maintenance requirement for Covid-19 vaccines is reported to be varying from -8° C to -70° C and hence, the use of refrigerant material during the transportation becomes essential. “Though there may be different refrigerant options, use of dry ice (Carbon Dioxide Solid) is the most commonly used, affordable and readily available refrigerant material available in the country for transportation of perishables by air. Dry ice continually sublimates (dry ice that is solid, transforms into carbon dioxide gas (COz)) at temperatures higher than -78°C (-108.4O F)) under normal atmospheric pressure. At reduced pressures, the sublimation rate of dry ice will increase while all other factors being the same,” it noted. The DGCA said all operators while engaging in transportation of Covid-19 Vaccines packed with dry ice shall establish the maximum quantity of dry ice that can be loaded in a given cargo hold and/or compartment or in the main deck (passenger cabin) when a passenger version aircraft is deployed for all cargo operations.