Virgin Atlantic Cargo has expanded its choice of pharma solutions for customers by approving CSafe’s new RAP container.

Following its approval by both the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency, the unit has been approved by Virgin Atlantic’s own operations specialists to be carried across the airline’s international network. Virgin is the first UK airline to approve the use of the container for temperature-sensitive healthcare products.

Under the terms of its master lease agreement with CSafe, Virgin is now accepting bookings for the new container. The airline already offers customers the opportunity to lease the CSafe RKN container as well as Envirotainer’s RKN t2, RAP t2, RKN e1 and RAP e2 units for pharma products.

“We are delighted to be the first UK airline to be able to offer the CSafe RAP to customers, extending the choice of temperature-controlled active and heating and cooling containers Virgin can supply,” said Darren Sherlock, manager of products and partnerships at Virgin Atlantic Cargo. “With our pharma volumes growing by more than 20% in 2017 and coming just weeks after the opening of our new Pharma Zone at London Heathrow, this latest enhancement to our service offering underlines our commitment to be a leading provider of pharma transportation by offering our customers the widest choice of solutions, supported by the highest levels of customer service.”

The CSafe RAP is the only FAA and EASA approved active compressor-driven container permitted in both the upper deck and lower deck cargo sections of commercial aircraft. It uses CSafe’s active temperature management system which utilizes compressor-driven cooling technology and a radiant heating system, in conjunction with CSafe’s proprietary ThermoCor vacuum-insulation panel technology. This enables the unit to maintain a strict payload temperature setting throughout transportation, regardless of the actual ambient condition.

With a maximum payload weight of 4,819 kg, the CSafe RAP is designed to accept up to four US wooden pallets or five Euro pallets. It can also be bulk loaded directly on the floor of the container to increase payload volume and offers an extended battery run time of up to 100 hours for typical shipments. The unit has a temperature range that is user selectable from +4°C to +25°C, even at extreme ambient temperatures of -30°C to +54°C.

“CSafe is very excited to add Virgin Atlantic to the roster of airlines that have gained flight approval for our newly developed CSafe RAP active container,” said Brad Jennings, VP of global marketing and partner management at CSafe Global. “The combination of Virgin Atlantic’s expansive network and the superior quality and performance of the CSafe RAP offers a powerful solution for the transportation of temperature-sensitive products around the world.”

Together with joint venture partner Delta Cargo, Virgin now offers almost a quarter of all cargo capacity on the trans-Atlantic trade lane, the world’s biggest for pharma.

Virgin Atlantic opened its new Pharma Zone at Heathrow in October 2017. The dedicated area incorporates two walk-in pods capable of maintaining 2-8°C and 15-25°C temperature ranges for loose pharma shipments and a temperature-controlled storage system for 24 pallets, split into six separate chambers, each of which can be safely maintained within either a 2-8°C or 15-25°C temperature range.

Application for Wholesale Distribution Authorisation, developed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, has now commenced, which will confirm compliance with the European Union’s Good Distribution Practice, according to Virgin Atlantic Cargo.