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Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Air Transportation and Handling Requires An Air Cargo Community Approach

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami and Brussels, February 2nd, 2021

TIACA and Pharma.Aero jointly release their second report for the global air cargo and pharmaceutical industries outlining recommended practices and insights for effective COVID-19 vaccine air transportation and handling.

The report reinforces that COVID-19 vaccines are of high value and urgent time and temperature sensitive products.

As the vaccines are being transported across the globe, it is apparent that the challenge of COVID-19 vaccine global distribution demands the highest standards of Speed, Security, Reliability and Transparency.  

“To this end, open communication and air cargo community collaboration are paramount,” stated Nathan De Valck, Chairman of Pharma.Aero.

Air Transportation and Handling Recommended Practices 

The report details the role and recommended practices for each stakeholder in the air cargo supply chain when addressing the four major requirements identified. Both TIACA and Pharma.Aero encourage the industry to adopt a local air cargo community approach in executing these specific requirements.  

Air Cargo Community Initiatives 

Based on Project Sunrays’ second global readiness survey, the group of respondents that are the most prepared for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution are those having the combination of dedicated teams and effective collaboration with vaccine manufacturers and their supply chain partners. This demonstrated the importance of air cargo community efforts. The project welcomed the formation of local air cargo communities in several key air cargo hubs, including some members of Sunrays’ Joint Task Force (JTF). :  

  • Brussels Airport’s BRUcure Task Force: Brussels Airport together with Air Cargo Belgium started the BRUcure task force, aiming to prepare the local cargo community stakeholders and align all resources and procedures for the correct handling of Covid-19 vaccines once they started moving through Brussels Airport.
  • Edmonton International Airport’s CEIV Cargo Community Ready Response: In early fall 2020, Edmonton International Airport’s CEIV cargo community and partners began preparing for the safe arrival, storage and deployment of vaccines destined for the Canadian region.
  • Miami International Airport’s MIAVAC19 Task Force: In anticipation of the eventual development of a COVID-19 vaccine, Miami International Airport formed the MIAVAC19 Task Force, a community partnership made up of both public and private entities.
  • Singapore Changi Airport’s Changi Ready Task Force: Co-led by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group, the Changi Ready Task Force is a public-private collaboration involving government agencies, cargo handlers, airlines and freight forwarders to better prepare the Singapore air cargo community to meet the logistical demands of the COVID-19 vaccines distribution.

The four communities shared their best practices and lessons learned during the set-up and implementation of their respective air cargo community initiatives. Collectively, these four air cargo communities – as well as the other Joint Task Force members – highlight and underscore the following imperatives: 

  1. Clear local air cargo community objectives
  2. Inclusive organized structure
  3. Equal importance with global collaboration
  4. Recognition that the first vaccines are just the beginning
  5. Build collaboration and trust 

“It is critical for airports to plan and prepare themselves by mapping out their infrastructure and collaborating with their stakeholders to effectively manage the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines,” explained Emir Pineda, member of TIACA’s Board of Directors.

The report also features the latest information on the different COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have received approval or are in the final stage of clinical trials.    

The full report can be downloaded for free online (pdf).

On the Pharma.Aero website, click HERE                                                            

More information about the Sunrays Project

http://y9y.5c5.myftpupload.com/sunrays/

http://pharma.aero/sunrays

For further information please contact:

TIACA

Rachael Negron
press@tiaca.org
+1 786 265 7011

Pharma.Aero

Frank Van Gelder
secgen@pharma.aero
+32 477 950 521

Notes to editors:

About TIACA

TIACA is The International Air Cargo Association, based in Miami, Florida. TIACA is the unique international not-for-profit association representing and uniting all parts of the air cargo industry: shippers, forwarders, ground handlers, airports, airlines, manufacturers, IT providers, etc. TIACA members are traditional players and new entrants, small, medium, and large companies with regional and global reach.

TIACA’s vision is a safe, profitable and united air cargo industry that embraces modern technologies and practices to sustainably and fairly serve trade and social development worldwide.

TIACA’s mission is to support, lead and unite the industry to achieve that vision; promote and encourage business, social, and technological innovation; protect the interests of its members with one voice on common interests; disseminate and enhance knowledge amongst members and the air cargo industry.

For more details visit www.tiaca.org/newsroom. For regular updates, follow www.twitter.com/tiacaorg.

About Pharma.Aero

Pharma.Aero, a non-profit organization with its headquarter in Brussels, Belgium, aims to achieve excellence in reliable end-to-end air transportation for Life Science and  Medtech shippers, by fostering collaboration between CEIV certified airport communities dedicated in developing and pioneering when it comes to handling, storage and air transportation of pharmaceuticals.

Pharma.Aero brings added value for the shipper by including them into their core strategy, better understanding of the capabilities and challenges of air cargo and facilitate direct collaboration with the operators of air cargo. Together we focus on continuous improvement of the Life Science and Medtech supply chain. The air cargo stakeholders are offered the opportunity to share and receive best practices, by being part of the different projects of Pharma.Aero and participating in global fora.

Pharma.Aero’s mainly focusses on end-to-end solutions, creating transparency and visibility and provide solutions for the supply chain of pharmaceutical shipments. Pharma.Aero brings actual issues and challenges of the shipper and the operator to the front, by developing and executing projects to the benefit of the entire air cargo industry.

For more information and details, visit www.pharma.aero.