As several pharmaceutical companies reach the phase 3 of COVID-19 vaccine trials, it is time to start preparing the supply chain. Finnair cargo claims to be equipped and ready to help transport millions of vaccines around the world as soon as they are available.
Efficient and safe transportation will be a major factor to end the coronavirus crisis. Once the vaccine is approved, it will be crucial to ensure a high level of security when transporting it. It is expected that air cargo will be one of the most reliable ways of transportation.
Finnair cargo is prepared for the demanding task. “We have a long heritage of pharma excellence as we were the first airline, in 2015, to receive an international CEIV certificate for our operations from IATA,” says Fredrik Wildtgrube, Head of Global Sale at Finnair Cargo.
The company has a dedicated pharma area located in Helsinki–Vantaa Airport, Finland. The Cool Terminal has 2600 m² of controlled room temperature space, 208 m² of refrigerated storage and 50 m² of freezer space with constant checks on temperature. Its staff has been rigorously trained to take care of sensitive pharma shipments, including vaccines. Cool’s location between Europe and Asia also plays an important role when facilitating the reach of the vaccine.
To ensure a systematic delivery chain, the carrier is already discussing the logistics with health organizations and major container manufacturers.