Cathay Pacific Cargo relaunches pharma product

Cathay Pacific Cargo is relaunching its pharma solution with a new name and two main products.

The Hong Kong-based carrier said that from now on its pharma service would be named Cathay Pharma and would include two products; Active and Passive.

The Active solution uses ‘active’ containers with thermostatic mechanisms, while Passive uses passive coolants and insulation to maintain temperature.

Bookings made under both Active and Passive include expedient ground handling and priority tarmac transfers, to limit the risk of temperature excursions while shipments are exposed to ambient outdoor temperatures.

The new pharma offering also offers four temperature options, containers from seven suppliers that can operate from minus 80 degrees Celsisus to 40 degrees Celsius, track and trace using Bluetooth and APIs, and an operations control centre.

Meanwhile, the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal has recently opened Hong Kong International Airport’s largest dedicated pharmaceutical-handling centre, doubling the terminal’s temperature-controlled storage and further enhancing its pharmaceutical capability.

Cathay Pacific director cargo Tom Owen said: “With these developments, we felt this was the ideal time to refresh our specialist shipment solution for our pharmaceutical customers.

“We understand all too well the potential costs in lives and dollars if pharmaceutical shipments don’t arrive in perfect condition, and want to ensure that we continuously improve and adapt to industry trends and developments as they happen.”