The cargo carrier transports pharmaceuticals and healthcare products to 74 destinations globally
CNW -DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways Cargo has added Helsinki to its expanding pharma network, effective 18th September. This is the cargo carrier’s 74th pharma destination introduced within a span of three months since Dublin was added to the pharma network in June this year.
Qatar Airways’ Chief Officer Cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann said, “The expansion of our pharma network helps us meet the growing air freight requirements in the pharmaceutical industry where time and temperature management are of paramount importance. We understand the intricacies in maintaining a seamless cool chain for pharmaceuticals. With the inclusion of Helsinki in our QR Pharma network, we can now offer pharmaceutical importers and exporters in Finland seamless connectivity, while adhering to the highest cool chain standards.”
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Finland is a part of the strongly internationalised pharmaceutical market and boasts of top notch expertise in pharmaceutical research and development. The Finnish operating environment and especially the country’s state-of-the-art competence have attracted hundreds of clinical trials in Finland every year. The pharmaceutical service system in the country is dependent on imports, while exports of pharmaceutical substances and medicinal devices from Finland grew by over 6 per cent in 2016.
Qatar Airways launched flights to the Finnish capital, Helsinki in October last year. The daily direct B787 Dreamliner flights provide more than 70 tonnes of belly capacity each way, connecting pharma import and export businesses to a global network of over 150 destinations via the airline’s state-of-the-art, GDP compliant hub in Doha.
The cargo carrier implements a complete quality audit and exacting training modules at each of its pharma stations, ensuring the high operating standards are met for handling pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. Expertly trained staff are on hand at every pharma destination to ensure the cool chain is unbroken. The significant investments in the cool chain and expansion of its pharma network is part of the cargo carrier’s strategy and commitment to improve and enhance its product offering for the benefit of the pharmaceutical industry globally.
QR Pharma, the cargo airline’s specialist product developed for pharmaceuticals and healthcare products, offers active solutions to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the transportation chain, as well as passive solutions, which keep the pharmaceuticals within a defined temperature band during all stages of the journey. As an industry leader, the cargo carrier ensures the fastest transfer at Doha through its unique Quick Ramp Transfer (QRT). Qatar Airways Cargo is the only cargo carrier in the Middle East to offer refrigerated or ‘reefer’ truck services for ramp transfers at its home hub.
To enhance its temperature-controlled product offering, Qatar Airways Cargo recently signed an agreement with Dokasch to offer its Opticooler® range of temperature-controlled containers for pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. The cargo carrier’s customers can now choose from a range of active containers such as Envirotainer, CSafe, DoKaSch and va-Q-tec to transport their pharmaceuticals to and from the cargo carrier’s extensive network globally. Qatar Airways Cargo commenced operations of a dedicated airside Climate Control Centre earlier this year. The 2,470 square metres GDP compliant facility with two zones operating for 2°C to 8°C or 15°C to 25°C enables the cargo carrier to handle an additional 2 million tonnes throughput per annum.
