Kenya Airways Cargo Receives IATA's CEIV Certification for Pharmaceutical Logistics Excellence

Nairobi, 4 May 2023 - Kenya Airways Cargo has been awarded the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification by IATA for the KQ Pharma Facility. 

This positive accreditation formally endorses the airline's sustained ability to safely handle high-value, time-sensitive, and temperature-controlled transportation of pharmaceuticals, with the speed and consistency expected by shipper requirements. 

The KQ pharma facility is a leader in safe handling of temperature control requirements of pharmaceuticals and other healthcare products. CEIV Pharma certification addresses the industry’s need for more safety, security, compliance, and efficiency by creating a globally consistent and recognized pharmaceutical product handling certification. 

Speaking at the event, Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport said, “It is evident that the CIEV certification for Kenya Airways Cargo will unlock huge potential in the market and provide a mechanism for tapping into this potential. It is our belief that with the right support, these exports will drive the growth of Kenya’s pharmaceutical industry and place the country at the apex of pharmaceutical export.” 

"This certification demonstrates the strength of our customized solutions and services, giving our customers, freight forwarders, and supply chain partners greater confidence in our Pharma capability. We will continue to improve our premium product verticals, offering long-standing standards of temperature-controlled and time-sensitive cargo transport. With this certification, we join a select group of international operators in reaffirming our diligence in transporting temperature-controlled and time-sensitive products via our pharma network," stated Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways Group Chief Executive Officer. 

The positive certification indicates that Kenya Airways' pharmaceutical product shipment complies with IATA Temperature Control Regulations and continues to adhere to international standards and best practices in cold chain and pharmaceutical movements. 

"Pharmaceutical shipments are extremely challenging and necessitate maximum dependability from airlines. It is critical to maintain the required temperature so that medication can be used as planned after shipping. Being one of the first African airlines to receive IATA's international certificate is the result of the work we've done over the last few years to strengthen our product," said Dick Murianki, Kenya Airways' Director of Cargo. 

The CEIV Pharma program was created by IATA to help the global air freight supply chain by providing universal criteria based on current regulations and standards.

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About KQ Cargo Pharma Facility:  

KQ pharma product ensures the safe handling of the Temperature controlled pharmaceuticals and other health care products in accordance to the IATA CEIV, GDP and WHO guidelines. It ensures the fastest and secure handling of pharma.  

The Facility covers approximately 600sqm purely dedicated for the handling of Temperature sensitive pharmaceutical. The facility is segregated in 3 Temp levels as follows; 1. ) A dedicated room for loose cargo storage at +15 to +25°C with a capacity for 40 euro-pallets on the ground and additional 2 level racking for loose cargo. 2.) A separate cold room for loose cargo storage at +2 to +8°C with the capacity to store 22 euro-pallets on the ground, and with additional racking also available. 3.) A freezing room for loose cargo storage at -20°C capable of handling 9 euro-pallets at a time and additional racking for loose cargo.  

The facility is fitted with a Temperature monitoring solution that collects Temperature and humidity data in real-time thus enables access even on mobile devices and storage of the data long enough in case of Temperature excursion complaints.  

About Kenya Airways:  

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 42 destinations worldwide, 35 of which are in Africa. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the airline carried a record number of over five million passengers in 2019. Its fleet comprises of wide body Boeing aircrafts, this includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner and narrow body Embraer E190 aircrafts. The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world’s top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride in being at the forefront of connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra-modern Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.  

For more information go to www.kenya-airways.com or call our 24-hour Customer Services Desk: +254 20 327 4747, Twitter: @KenyaAirways, Facebook: KenyaAirways, Instagram: OfficialKenyaAirways