Hamburg Süd will meet the requirements set out in the European Commission’s Good Distribution Practice of medicinal products for human use from July 2017.

Under the GDP guidelines, temperature-regulating sensors of refrigerated containers must monitor each other automatically. Calibration must also take place and be documented regularly.

Hamburg Süd has installed software developed by container manufacturer and is able to upgrade its reefer fleet at short notice.

“Hamburg Süd is one of the leading reefer container carriers worldwide,” said Frank Smet, member of the executive board of Hamburg Süd. “With our new offering, we can respond even better to the complex requirements of our customers and provide a high-grade and significantly cheaper alternative to air freight. At the same time, we are positioning ourselves in a strategically important growth market.”

An in-house pharma team works on developing special transportation solutions for pharmaceutical cargo, according to Hamburg Süd. The shipping line also has an integrated management system certified under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015.