Swissport has extended its global certified pharmaceutical logistics network with the addition of Düsseldorf Airport, which has obtained the International Air Transport Association’s CEIV Pharma certification. With this new recognition, the number of Swissport warehouses certified for the transport and handling of pharmaceutical products rises to 24 worldwide. The network expansion comes at a time of accelerating investment in temperature-controlled infrastructure across key life sciences markets.
During 2025 Swissport has already activated new pharmaceutical-dedicated facilities in Manchester, New York JFK and Shanghai, strengthening coverage at high-traffic, high-value airport hubs. According to Dirk Goovaerts, CEO for Continental Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India and president of Global Cargo, the main driver behind this development is the structural transformation of pharmaceutical production, increasingly focused on biologics and temperature-sensitive therapies that require specialised infrastructure on a global scale.
Swissport currently operates 65 warehouses authorised to handle pharmaceutical products, of which 24 are certified under international standards such as CEIV Pharma, the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency approvals and Good Distribution Practice. Operational capacity is supported by harmonised procedures and targeted investments in the cold chain, with particular focus on temperature ranges between 2°C and 8°C, considered critical for a large proportion of medicines and vaccines.
In 2024 the group handled a total of 5 million tonnes of cargo, with pharmaceutical shipments accounting for around 10% of overall volumes. This is a rapidly growing segment not only in quantitative terms, but also in terms of operational complexity, traceability and regulatory requirements, factors that are progressively redefining standards in high-value air cargo transport.
The expansion of the certified network builds on the experience gained with the Cool and Connect centre in Basel, launched in 2024 as a reference model for the group’s pharmaceutical logistics. This approach is now being replicated at major life sciences hubs, combining dedicated infrastructure, standardised processes and digital integration across the entire airport handling cycle.
Swissport’s certified facilities integrate digital systems for real-time temperature monitoring, proactive alert management and full traceability of flows. The most recent certification milestones involve airports in Europe, the Americas and Africa, including Madrid, London Heathrow, Dublin, Nairobi, Montréal, Toronto, Miami and Basel. The adoption of shared digital solutions makes it possible to track control points, record operational interfaces between different logistics chain stakeholders and ensure comprehensive documentation of the chain of custody.
At the same time, Swissport is working with airports, manufacturers, freight forwarders and unit load device providers to develop shared approaches focused on risk reduction and increased transparency. The network is being expanded gradually, with the aim of maintaining consistent standards while responding to growing market demand driven by developments in the pharmaceutical sector and rising global flows of sensitive medicines.
