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Changi Airport Group launches Pharma@Changi initiative

SINGAPORE's Changi Airport Group (CAG) announced that it had formalised the Pharma@Changi initiative, together with its partners from the air cargo supply chain.

This new community will work towards the continuous strengthening of Changi's capabilities to handle pharmaceutical air cargo, said a CAG communique.

Together with CAG, the partner companies who signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) are Bollore Logistics, CEVA logistics Singapore, DHL Global Forwarding, dnata Singapore, Expeditors Singapore, Global Airfreight International, SATS, Schenker Singapore and Singapore Airlines Cargo.

These nine companies, which span across the air cargo supply chain, have achieved the IATA Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators Certification for Pharmaceutical Handling (IATA CEIV Pharma).

As part of the MoU, the companies will jointly pursue the best standards in pharmaceuticals handling and will promote Singapore Changi Airport as the pharmaceuticals air cargo hub in the region. This includes initiatives such as assessing new and emerging pharmaceutical logistics trends and technologies, as well as the implementation of pilot projects.

"As the first air cargo community in Asia Pacific to attain the IATA CEIV Pharma certification, the new Pharma@Changi initiative aims to strengthen Singapore's capabilities in pharmaceutical air cargo handling," said CAG air hub development chief Lim Ching Kiat.

Over the last three years, pharmaceutical cargo has consistently ranked among the top five cargo types transported via air freight globally, in terms of total value, he said.

In the first eight months of 2017, Changi Airport handled more than 15,500 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo.

Said IATA vice president Nick Careen: "The Asian freight market is the largest in the world, accounting for 40 per cent of total global trade. This is great news for the supply of pharmaceuticals across the region."