Hamburg Süd Meets Pharmaceutical Transport Guidelines
Posted by Michelle Howard
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
The transportation of pharmaceutical products in reefer containers is subject to particularly strict guidelines of the Good Distribution Practice (GDP) scheme. Hamburg Süd said it will meet the requirements with regard to calibration processes as of July.
The guidelines for GDP are specified by the World Health Organization as well as the European Commission. They stipulate that the temperature-regulating sensors of the reefer machinery not only monitor each other automatically, but also that calibration has to take place, and be documented, at regular intervals.
By installing software developed by the container manufacturer Carrier, Hamburg Süd said it is able to upgrade its reefer container fleet accordingly at short notice and on demand as part of the customary pre-trip inspection (PTI).
"With our new offering, we can respond even better to the complex requirements of our customers and provide a high-grade and significantly cheaper alternative to airfreight,” explained Frank Smet, Member of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd.
Hamburg Süd said demand for medicines is rising worldwide and, with it, the shipment volumes in this segment.
Hamburg Süd has an in-house pharma team that works on developing special transportation solutions for the requirements of pharmaceutical cargo. In addition, Hamburg Süd has an Integrated Management System certified according to the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001: 2015 standards.