The pharmaceutical industry’s first dedicated, temperature controlled sea freight consolidation service to southern Africa is now in operation. It is a partnership between Imperial Health Sciences (part of the Imperial Logistics group) and global ocean freight specialist Yusen Logistics. The weekly service kicked off in January with solutions for East and West Africa to follow later in 2014.

Dr Iain Barton, Imperial Health Sciences MD says, “The service will maximise the cost effectiveness of sea solutions versus airfreight for pharmaceutical customers, providing them with a transparent and comprehensive solution for the supply of replenishment stocks.”

“With a door-to-door pallet rate structure for consignments which can range from a single pallet to a dedicated container, the new service maximises quality and minimises risk, with a complete audit trail for temperature control and security.

Collections will be made throughout Europe by the Yusen Logistics’ network, and received into the company’s European pharmaceutical hub in Antwerp.

States Barton.“Weekly seafreight will depart from the Port of Antwerp direct to Cape Town, where the product will be precleared and offloaded into Imperial Health Sciences’ warehouse.”

Onward transportation by fully temperature controlled vehicles will then take the pharmaceutical goods directly to the consignee, to the manufacturer’s warehouse or to Imperial’s pharmaceutical distribution facilities around South Africa.

Concludes Barton,“This represents the pharmaceutical industry’s first comprehensive seafreight solution from Europe to southern Africa, offering quality and cost benefits for both large and small shipments.”