With the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) concept gaining traction in the industry, IATA is looking at the viability of developing similar certification programmes for other commodities.
In light of its recent and projected growth and the need for special processes, the perishables sector is one area under consideration, alongside live animal shipments, according to Glyn Hughes, the airline body"™s global head of cargo.
Brendan Harnett, CEO and chairman of forwarder Flying Fresh Air Freight, welcomes the idea of standards in this sector.
"We have made a large investment to service these products properly. We invested in coolers, we have x-ray equipment and we train our staff. I see some competitors who handle perishables in the parking lot of a carrier"™s warehouse."
He claimed some airlines also failed to apply stringent standards, which "damages our whole industry", he added.
Chris Connell, CEO of perishables specialist Commodity Forwarders, which is being acquired by Kuehne + Nagel, said that from a pure process point of view, the idea made sense, but he expressed doubts about its viability.
"This is a very fragmented group of shipper countries, many of them in the developing world. Discipline around processes is not always a strength," he said.
Compared to pharmaceuticals, consumable perishables typically do not have the margins to absorb significant investment in processes and equipment, plus the expense associated with obtaining and maintaining certification…
