Delta Cargo introduces cold-chain containers for pharma shipments

Air freight carrier Delta Cargo said Thursday it had expanded its cold-chain pharmaceutical program by introducing temperature-controlled air cargo containers that can protect their contents from operational and weather challenges during shipments to patients around the world.

The container design supports Delta's continued investment in the safe transportation of pharmaceuticals by providing tailored, trans-Atlantic shipping options, according to the unit, which is the cargo division of the Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc.Delta's joint venture partners, Air France-KLM Cargo and Virgin Atlantic Cargo, introduced the same container earlier this year.

Designed for pharma and life-science companies that require strict temperature regulations, the CSafe RAP container is provided by Dayton, Ohio-based cold chain container manufacturer CSafe Global.The container uses heating and compressor-driven cooling technologies, along with insulation, to maintain constant temperatures even at extreme ambient temperatures ranging from -30°C to +54°C. The payload compartment accommodates up to four standard U.S. pallets or five standard Euro pallets, and the container has an extended battery run time of over 120 hours.

The launch is Delta's latest investment in its pharmaceutical supply chain line, after Delta received the International Air Transport Association (IATA)'s 2017 approval that its Atlanta warehouse and headquarters met the group's requirements for the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) badge. To date, Delta has 50 pharma-approved stations around the globe with seven CEIV approved facilities in Europe and one in Asia, through partners airlines and handlers, all connected to Delta's largest cargo operation in Atlanta.

In other recent supply chain improvements, Delta announced global positioning system (GPS) tracking for urgent international air shipments in 2018, and launched same day air delivery service and an air cargo "control tower" operation in 2017.