Sonoco ThermoSafe, a unit of Sonoco and global provider of temperature-assurance packaging, and air cargo carrier Cathay Pacific Cargo announced a global partnership agreement for the leasing of PharmaPort 360 temperature-controlled bulk shipping containers.
The PharmaPort 360 utilizes proprietary hybrid technology to provide precise, long duration +5C temperature control for transporting high value cargo for the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies.
Once charged, the PharmaPort functions like an active temperature-controlled container without the energy consumption, heat discharge or temperature variability of other compressor-based technologies. The PharmaPort’s hybrid technology allows it to operate on battery power substantially longer than competing active units used for bulk air shipments, and it also eliminates the need for refrigerated trucks for lengthy truck lanes. The PharmaPort 360 contains a fully integrated, FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)-approved telemetry system, providing real-time, cloud-based data on payload and ambient temperature and key mechanical components, precisely synchronized with GPS location.
Cathay Pacific Cargo, which is CEIV-certified, is the first carrier in the world to sign a direct contract with Sonoco ThermoSafe. The PharmaPort 360 will provide another active container solution to the Pharma LIFT portfolio of Cathay Pacific Cargo, offering more choice and service to customers worldwide.
“Sonoco recently topped the list of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies in the packaging sector. Its reputation for quality perfectly aligns with our own high standards for service delivery,” says Frosti Lau, General Manager of Cargo Service Delivery for Cathay Pacific Cargo. “We are delighted to have this unique and world’s-first partnership with Sonoco ThermoSafe, and we are confident this collaboration will provide our customers with a consistent solution for the transportation of vital and life-saving pharmaceutical products.”
“We are delighted to partner with a high quality and service-oriented carrier such as Cathay Pacific Cargo, which has one of the most extensive networks in the world. This partnership enables the pharmaceutical supply chain to now directly lease from Cathay Pacific Cargo the best-in-class PharmaPort 360 temperature-control containers on a one-way lease basis across the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions,” says Vishal Khushalani, Director of Global Marketing & Business Development for Sonoco Protective Solutions. “Additionally, Sonoco’s 300+ global locations allow the Sonoco ThermoSafe division to efficiently expand the depot network for leasing PharmaPort units across the globe.”
