Swiss WorldCargo has signed a partnership agreement with va-Q-tec.

“va-Q-tec has been requested by pharma customers to establish a partnership with Swiss WorldCargo to enable direct container rentals,” said Dominic Hyde, managing director of va-Q-tec Limited [right in photo]. “Many pharma shippers and forwarders see the cargo division of SWISS as a strategic partner for reliably transporting pharmaceuticals and they want the simplicity of ordering the va-Q-tainer containers through the airline directly. Today we have made this step and we look forward to a successful cooperation with Swiss WorldCargo on a global basis.”

va-Q-tec’s passive portfolio consists of five container sizes that can contain up to two pallets and can maintain temperature ranges from -70°C to +25°C.

“With va-Q-tec’s cutting-edge containers we welcome the opportunity to offer a more complete, value-added passive solution set to our pharma and healthcare client base worldwide,” said Ashwin Bhat, head of cargo at SWISS [left in photo]. “As a specialist and global leader in the air transportation of high-value and care-intensive shipments, we are excited about the partnership agreement with a leading supplier like va-Q-tec, sharing similar values and reputation for quality and operational excellence.”

The global product launch will take place in June 2016, according to SWISS.