Global air services provider, dnata, has been certified by IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) for its pharma-handling processes and facilities in Dubai. This means that dnata has proven its capability to manage the movement of pharmaceutical products safely and reliably.

The CEIV Pharma was created by IATA to provide a globally consistent and recognized pharmaceutical product handling certification that focuses on airfreight and temporary storage.

The stringent standards set by CEIV and the rigorous assessments conducted either meet or exceed many of the current worldwide regulations.

dnata’s two-year preparation for certification included working closely with Dubai Airports to implement facility changes and upgrades to align with CEIV requirements. The company was assessed on its cool chain processes and facilities. These were validated to comply with all applicable standards, guidelines and regulations, including EU, World Health Organization (WHO), United States Phamacopeia (USP) and IATA Temperature Control Regulations (TCR).

“At dnata, we’ve continuously focussed on providing our customers with enhancements in the safety and security of their pharma shipments. This CEIV certification is a demonstration of that commitment,” said Bernd Struck, Senior Vice President, UAE Cargo & DWC Airline Services, dnata.

“We use the latest technology, best practices and certified warehouses to ensure that every pharma and vaccine shipment that reaches the patient is handled in compliance with international certified standards.”

Every year, billions of dollars’ worth of pharma products are lost as a result of temperature changes, with a high percentage of this occurring at airports. Certifications, such as the CEIV Pharma and Good Distribution Practice (GDP) Guidelines, help to eliminate spoilage of highly perishable pharma cargo, and optimize the air cargo supply chain with standardization, accountability transparency, reliability and predictability.

dnata serves close to 200 airline customers with their cargo handling needs in 41 airports around the world. It has specialized pharma-handling facilities and equipment in Amsterdam, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, Singapore and the UK. These include dedicated areas for pharma-only cargo, custom built storage systems for holding chemicals used for sanitization purposes and continuous temperature monitoring systems.

The company was named “Most Reliable Cargo handling Company” at the Logistics, Warehouse & Supply Chain Awards 2017.