Finnair Cargo has received IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics certification, becoming the first air cargo carrier to complete the assessment.
“We are committed to be at the forefront in the fast growing Pharma transport segment and provide excellent service to our customers,” said Juha Järvinen, chief commercial officer of Finnair. “Therefore, we are honoured to be the first carrier in the world to complete the IATA pharmaceutical certification process.”
The programme “addresses the industry’s need for more safety, security, compliance and efficiency to create a globally consistent and recognized pharmaceutical product handling certification,” according to IATA. It establishes a common baseline from current regulations and standards, and “ensures international and national compliance to safeguard product integrity while addressing specific air cargo needs.”
Finnair was certified under the “community” approach at Brussels Airport, Finnair Cargo’s second hub. The community approach, under which a group of companies join together to form a “pharma gateway,” is one of three ways to obtain certification.
The airline received its certificate at the laying of the cornerstone of its new 31,000 m2 cargo terminal at Helsinki Airport, called the COOL Nordic Cargo hub. The facility will include a temperature-controlled zone dedicated to pharmaceutical shipments.
A total of 37 companies are expected to complete the CEIVE Pharma assessment by the end of 2015, according to IATA.
