LONDON – Korean Air has been recertified by IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators Pharma (CEIV Pharma) for air transport of pharmaceuticals.
Transport of pharmaceuticals by air
IATA’s “CEIV Pharma” is an international standard approval that recognizes an airline’s capability to manage pharmaceuticals.
Over 280 checklists, including transportation handling procedure, storage facilities, equipment, and the ability to adhere to regulations, are evaluated by IATA air cargo transportation experts for the certification.
The IATA certification has a validity period of 3 years, after which it must be re-assessed. Having been initially certified in 2019, Korean Air formed a task force in February this year in preparation for the three-year recertification.
Korean’s expertise in cargo transport
Korean Air has over 50 years’ experience and expertise in general air cargo operations. This has included cold chain services for a wide array of products that call for dynamic requirements and conditions.
The airline is an expert at safely transporting cold cargo end to end, requiring the maintenance and control of optimal temperature conditions throughout transportation.
The carrier is able to transport pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, lab reagents and serums, and fresh products including flowers, fruits, seafood, through its “Specialized-Pharma” and “Specialized-Fresh” services.
Incheon International Airport facility
As part of a joint investment with the Incheon International Airport Corporation, Korean Air operates a “Cool Cargo Centre” at the airport’s Terminal 2.
Constructed in September 2021, the facility significantly improved the service quality of temperature-sensitive cargo by minimizing exposure to adverse environments and by reducing unnecessary movement and traffic.
Operations during the pandemic
Korean Air played a vital role during the course of the pandemic, and its customised special cargo services facilitated the transport of emergency quarantine supplies.
In a joint cooperation effort with the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), and the Korea Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Korean Air formed a vaccine task force for safe and efficient transportation of COVID vaccines
More than 100 million doses of vaccines have been shipped to date, and the airline continues to transport emergency medical supplies – from COVID treatments to diagnostic kits – around the world.
Air Cargo Operator of the Year
On June 21, Korean Air was awarded Air Transport World’s (ATW) “2022 Cargo Operator of the Year” at its awards ceremony in Doha, Qatar on June 21.
The airline’s continued innovation and agility, investment and application of technology and digitalization, and strong financial performance over the course of the pandemic were key points that the global panel of editors and analysts considered in making its decision.
The recent recertification of IATA’s ‘CEIV Pharma’ further cements Korean Air’s standing as a world class air cargo operation, and its role throughout the pandemic period is certainly worthy of recognition.
