AirBridgeCargo recertified for CEIV Pharma

Volga-Dnepr Group subsidiary carrier AirBridgeCargo Airlines was recertified under the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma). The two-day audit took place at ABC’s cargo hub at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) and covered all internal processes of ABC’s pharma handling.

AirBridgeCargo was the first Russian airline certified under CEIV Pharma, and the initial certification three years ago “served as a trigger for further dynamic development of our dedicated ‘abc pharma’ product,” said Fedor Novikov, deputy general director, special products, in a statement from the airline.

“Not only have we managed to achieve more than 20% uptick of pharma shipment for the first eight months of 2019 and leveraged around 22,500 tonnes of pharmaceutical products, but we have significantly improved our service quality through continuous personnel training, collaboration with like-minded certified partners, and by following the path of digitalization to achieve higher pharmaceutical handling excellence,” Novikov added.

Among other specialized offerings for e-commerce and oversized cargo shipments, AirBridgeCargo has in recent years pursued significant partnerships and other cooperative relationships to improve pharmaceutical logistics through its network. Last year, ABC and Shanghai Pudong International Airport Cargo Terminal Co., Ltd. (PACTL) signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on time- and temperature-sensitive shipments, further expanding ABC’s cooperation with Chinese logistics providers. In June of this year, ABC expanded its relationship with temperature-controlled container manufacturer SkyCell to accommodate growing pharma volumes in its network.