Changi Airport Group will set up a community of cargo partners which is compliant with the requirements of the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators on Pharmaceutical Handling certification.

According to CAG, it will support six companies from different parts of the supply chain to undergo the certification process: Singapore Airlines Cargo, dnata Sinagpore, Global Airfreight International, Expeditors Singapore, CEVA Logistics Singapore and Schenker Singapore.

Yam Kum Weng, executive vice president of air hub and development at Changi Airport Group [left in photo], said that pharmaceutical cargo is one of the fastest-growing segments at Changi Airport and one which CAG is actively promoting.

“Transporting high-value, temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical cargo can be complex due to the multiple requirements,” said Yam. “Today, with dedicated cold chain handling facilities by key cargo partners at Changi, coupled with our excellent connectivity, Changi is well-positioned to be a leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology hub in Asia. Through the IATA CEIV Pharma certification programme, CAG and our partners go one step further by taking a proactive approach in enhancing our cold chain handling capabilities to better serve the pharmaceuticals industry, further strengthening Changi’s position as a major cargo hub in the world.”

Conrad Clifford, regional vice president of the Asia-Pacific at IATA [right in photo], said that he air cargo value chain has an important role in the transportation of life-saving pharmaceuticals to markets where they are needed.

“Last year, the global pharmaceutical industry spent over US$10 billion on cold chain logistics, with the amount expected to exceed US$13 billion by 2019,” said Clifford. “The establishment of a CEIV-Pharma certified community will position Changi Airport and Singapore as a regional leader at the forefront of this fast growing segment. I encourage other airports in the Asia-Pacific region to follow Changi’s example and partner with IATA to establish similar communities as well.”

The certification programme requires cargo holds to be maintained at temperatures between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius. Facilities and handling procedures are also independently audited, according to IATA.