Cold Chain Service Launches in Asia-Pacific Region

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced the launch of THRUCOOL, a new service for transporting high-value, time-sensitive and temperature-controlled pharmaceutical cargo with speed and reliability.

THRUCOOL offers cold chain services designed to safeguard the integrity of pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments during air transportation. These include priority uplift and handling, quick ramp transfers at airports, cold room facilities, as well as thermal blankets and covers for insulation from harsh external factors. Customers can also opt to place shipments in temperature-controlled containers, and track their location during shipping. 

To further preserve product integrity in cold chain handling both on the ground and in the air, SIA has partnered with leading terminal operators SATS, Cargologic and Qantas Freight to launch a “quality corridor” along the Zurich-Singapore-Sydney route as an initial offering. Complying with standards adopted from the IATA CEIV Pharma program, the quality corridor addresses the industry’s need for safety, care and efficiency in the transportation of pharmaceutical and healthcare products. The aim is to reduce the potential for product loss attributed to handling and environmental factors such as temperature excursions during carriage.

SIA was the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region to be awarded the IATA CEIV Pharma Certification and is part of international and regional CEIV communities such as Pharma@Changi, and Pharma.Aero, which jointly pursue innovation in the shipping of pharmaceuticals. The CEIV Pharma certification imposes extensive standards that adhere to guidelines set under the European Union’s Good Distribution Practice, and World Health Organization Annex 5 Good Distribution Practices for Pharmaceutical Products.