Emirates Partners with Move to -15°C Coalition to Revolutionize Frozen Food Logistics

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has become the first airline to join the Move to -15°C global coalition, marking a pivotal step in transforming the frozen food industry. Leveraging its leadership in transporting perishable goods, Emirates brings decades of expertise in handling and shipping to this groundbreaking initiative.

Launched at COP28 in the UAE, the Move to -15°C coalition aims to redefine temperature standards for frozen food, reducing energy consumption throughout the supply chain without compromising quality or safety. The coalition brings together industry leaders to explore innovative operational practices, share data, and engage with policymakers to advocate for sustainable solutions.

As Emirates SkyCargo’s largest business unit by volume, perishable goods account for 900 to 1,000 tonnes transported daily. Although frozen foods comprise a smaller share, Emirates' advanced cool chain infrastructure, proprietary innovations, and robust supply chain collaborations provide critical insights for reimagining frozen food logistics.

Dennis Lister, Senior Vice President of Product and Innovation at Emirates SkyCargo, commented: "We have long been leaders in the movement of perishable food, connecting the global agricultural community with their customers across the globe and delivering freshness you can taste. The Move to -15oC coalition is a future-looking concept, bringing together like minded partners to evolve the industry in line with current advancements in technology, equipment, facilities, packaging and more." 

The partnership underscores Emirates' commitment to sustainability and innovation, reinforcing its role as a leader in the global logistics and aviation sectors.

Thomas Eskesen, Chairman of the Move to -15°C Coalition, says, "We are excited to welcome Emirates to our Coalition. The airline industry plays a vital role in the global cold chain, and having a leading airline like Emirates on board represents a key step forward to us.

''Ambitious climate action across the complex frozen food supply chain – which includes food production, ports, shipping, road, rail and air freight, cold storage and retail – can only happen through cross-sector collaboration. By joining the Coalition, Emirates is demonstrating that change is possible through industries joining forces.”

The Move to -15°C coalition was established in 2023, following the launch of the Three Degrees of Change report, an academic paper supported by global logistics firm, DP World, and delivered by experts from the Paris-based International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham, and London South Bank University, among others. 

Emirates is focused on sustainable and environmental initiatives that drive impact, both in its own operations and across the industry. Recognizing that no one entity can achieve far-reaching results alone, a key part of the airline’s strategy is to find solutions to the biggest challenges in partnership with wider industry. In addition to the Move to -15oC coalition, Emirates is also an industrial partner of Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), marking the first disbursement from the airline’s USD$ 200 million Sustainability Fund, dedicated to research and development projects focussed on reducing the impact of fossil fuels in commercial aviation. Emirates also joined The Solent Cluster in the UK, a cross-sector collaboration aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and producing low-carbon fuels.