DHL STATION IN SHANGHAI SUCCESSFULLY RENEWS IATA CEIV PHARMA CERTIFICATION

• DHL Global Forwarding China once again been recognized by IATA for offering the highest standards for life sciences and healthcare shipments
• Air freight market leader DHL best positioned for more complex transports with its quality assurance initiative
• Highly qualified staff trained according IATA approved DHL Life Sciences Specialist training program

DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has recertified its air freight station in Shanghai according to the CEIV Pharma Standard of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The central association for aviation attests to the highest service and quality standards through uniform processes and a compliant network.

“A resilient and highly efficient transport network, tailored to the specific needs of the Life Sciences and Health Care industry, has never been more crucial than today. Therefore, we are delighted to have received not only the re-certification for IATA CEIV Pharma on a corporate level, but also for our state of the art air freight station in Shanghai at the Pudong International Airport,” stated Steve Huang, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Greater China.

Nina Heinz, Global Head of Network & Quality, Temperature Management Solutions at DHL Global Forwarding added: “For years, the number of regulations and requirements has been steadily increased in the life sciences and healthcare industry in general, especially regarding product transportation and storage. Although we at DHL have been a leader in ideas and innovation in the industry for a long time, we recognize that there is always room to improve. With our renewed IATA CEIV Pharma Certification, we are both clearly demonstrating our continued emphasis on constantly enhancing our service quality and showcasing that we are a reliable partner for transporting vital and temperature-sensitive products.”

DHL has been actively involved with IATA’s continuous efforts to adequately answer to the regulatory demands of the pharmaceutical industry. A standardized approach in air freight increases productivity, accuracy, and reliability while remaining compliant in all required areas. DHL began certifying its global stations according to the IATA CEIV Pharma Certification in 2016 to raise the bar in pharmaceutical logistics. Following independent audits by third parties and training courses for employees on site, the DHL GxP (good practice) in Shanghai successfully renewed the quality label. Thereby DHL Global Forwarding enhances transportation and storage quality levels of pharmaceutical goods and the DHL station exceeds usual quality standards.

The GxP facility in Shanghai comprises 2,000 square meters in total. Out of the 1,380 square meters allocated for imports, 660 square meters are for goods with cold chain requirements between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius and 720 square meters for goods that need to be stored between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. There is an additional 40-foot reefer container available for the temperature requirements between -18 and 0 degrees. Of the 620 square meters zoned for exports, 250 square meters cater to between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, 300 square meters to between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius, and 70 square meters for between -25 and -15 degrees. There are buffer areas and loading and unloading bays for to expedite the import and export of goods. The site is also equipped with security features to keep all stored goods safe.

As the logistics leader in the Life Sciences & Healthcare industry, DHL provides its employees around the world with vital tools to understand and meet customers' and regulatory expectations. By providing a specialized training program, IATA regulation standards were implemented at scale in key GxP (good practice) facilities worldwide. The CIF Certified Life Sciences Specialist (CLSS) program provides a comprehensive curriculum of mandatory trainings, functional courses, and material to unlock the knowledge of this specialized industry. Like at all temperature-controlled locations of DHL, every designated employee in Shanghai who is involved in Life Sciences & Healthcare shipments is a certified Life Science Specialist who has successfully completed the training. This ensures that sensitive shipments are handled with utmost care and in compliance with the highest industry standards.

At each location, IATA examines and compares the station’s correspondence to its Temperature Control Regulations (TCR) as well as GDP (Good Distribution Practices) guidelines from the European Union, World Health Organization and other regulatory bodies.

On top of renewing its IATA CEIV Pharma Certification, DHL Global Forwarding’s facilities in Shanghai PVG is also certified as DHL AIR GxP location for its temperature and non-temperature controlled storage and transportation capabilities. With its international network, DHL offers a wide-ranging product portfolio at its Air GxP locations that covers all client needs for time and temperature sensitive airfreight shipments and provides seamless temperature visibility along the supply chain. Through its excellent service, DHL has successfully established itself as the market leader for logistics solutions in the life sciences and healthcare industry. Special services also include the door-to-door courier solution “Life Sciences graded Specialty Courier”, the express service “Medical Express” with a fixed delivery time, and “DHL Clinical Trial Logistics”, a logistics solution designed for clinical studies such as the transportation of trial medication, ancillaries, and lab kits.