MAB Kargo is to work to obtain the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) certificate and announced the plan at a signing ceremony with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
CEIV Pharma is a standardised global certification programme that guides companies to comply with existing global pharmaceutical guidelines. Companies have to undergo training, as well as an assessment of their facilities and processes by independent, IATA-certified auditors to satisfy the strict requirements on pharmaceutical handling before receiving the certification.
At the signing ceremony (below), MAB Kargo chief operation officer Mohd Zulkefly Ujang, signed for the airline, while IATA regional vice president for Asia Pacific, Conrad Clifford signed for the association. The signing was witnessed by Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) chief executive officer (CEO), Izham Ismail.
This signing makes MABkargo the first airline and cargo terminal operator in Malaysia to embark on this certification process which will take about six months to complete.
MAB Kargo acting CEO, Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi said: “We see great potential in pursuing the certification. Moving temperature-sensitive, high-value pharmaceutical cargo can be challenging due to the multiple requirements and processes needed to cater for such shipment.
“Moving forward, with MAB Kargo’s dedicated cold chain handling service which is MH Centigrade that is supplemented by a cargo partner, Envirotainer, MAB Kargo will be well-positioned to be the leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology cargo hub in South-East Asia. Through the IATA CEIV Pharma certification programme, MAB Kargo and its partners will go one step further by focusing on high quality service with an emphasis on excellence and safety.”
Clifford added: “The shipping of pharmaceutical products is the fastest growing segment in the air freight industry. Given the sensitive nature of the products, it is necessary to establish global time and temperature standards and best practices to ensure the integrity of pharmaceutical products are not compromised when they are shipped by air.
“Today’s signing is a step in the right direction to ensure MAB Kargo is well placed to serve this important segment of the air cargo industry, and to give pharmaceutical companies the confidence that the cold-chain integrity of their products will be maintained.”
