The pharmaceutical industry relies heavily on airfreight for its speed, efficiency and reliability in transporting time-sensitive and temperature-controlled shipments – ensuring product integrity throughout the supply chain. While air transport offers numerous benefits for all stakeholders involved in the cold chain, the handling and transportation of pharmaceuticals via airfreight also presents unique challenges and responsibilities. In fact, pharmaceutical manufactures and shippers expect high-quality services, including solid expertise, appropriate facilities, advanced infrastructure and strict regulatory compliance.
To support these needs, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) developed the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma). This program aims to support organizations and the entire air cargo supply chain to achieve excellence in pharmaceutical handling.
Swiss WorldCargo first earned the globally recognized CEIV Pharma certification in 2018, a testament to the airfreight division’s expertise and reliability in pharmaceutical logistics. Swiss WorldCargo has since been successfully and fully re-certified in 2021 and again in 2024. These milestones place Swiss WorldCargo among a selected small group of airlines that maintain full CEIV Pharma certification.
Cargologic – Swiss WorldCargo’s handling partner in Zurich – initially secured the CEIV Pharma certification from IATA back in 2015, affirming the company’s ability to fulfil the high-quality standards required for pharmaceutical handling at the Zurich Hub. With the re-certification in 2022 and the most recent one this year, Cargologic has further demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality, representing one of the first companies receiving the re-certification continuously. This achievement adds to other certifications already in place, such as the GDP compliance from Swissmedic, obtained in 2014.
As global regulations become increasingly strict – especially regarding temperature-sensitive shipments – the demand for high-quality air cargo processes in handling pharmaceuticals continues to rise. Cargologic’s latest CEIV Pharma re-certification underscores the company’s continuous improvement efforts to meeting the highest industry standards.
“This achievement reflects our handling partner’s dedication to reliable services and the key role they play in ensuring the integrity of our pharmaceutical shipments at our Zurich Hub. Together as strategic partners, we are pleased and proud to adhere to the highest standards in the air cargo industry and keep delivering secure and high-quality service to our pharmaceutical customers around the world.”
“This important award proves that our air freight handling processes are continuously being improved and meet the highest standards. Together with Swiss WorldCargo, we want to grow even more”, said Marco Gredig, Managing Director of Cargologic. “As a leading company in the air freight industry, Cargologic attaches great importance to quality and excellent service.
