Swissport has added Düsseldorf to its network of certified pharmaceutical handling centers after the facility earned IATA’s CEIV Pharma certification. The addition brings the company’s total number of certified pharma warehouses to 24 worldwide.

The certification comes as Swissport expands its temperature‑controlled infrastructure across major life‑science markets. In 2025, the company opened new dedicated pharma facilities in Manchester, New York JFK and Shanghai.

Dirk Goovaerts, CEO for Continental Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India and Global Cargo Chair, said the investment reflects a shift in pharmaceutical production toward biologics and other temperature‑sensitive therapies that require specialized handling.

"The primary driver for our cold chain reinforcement is the fundamental shift in pharmaceutical manufacturing toward biologics and temperature-sensitive therapies," Goovaerts said.

"This evolution requires a specialized handling infrastructure at a global scale. Facilities like Düsseldorf, together with our certified pharma network and digital monitoring systems, enable us to deliver safe, compliant, and reliable logistics at scale to meet growing market demand.”

Swissport now operates 65 pharma‑capable warehouses, including facilities certified under CEIV Pharma, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and Good Distribution Practice standards.

 In 2024, the company handled 5 million tons of freight, with pharmaceuticals accounting for about 10% of volumes – a segment growing rapidly in both scale and handling complexity.

The Düsseldorf expansion follows the launch of Swissport’s “Cool and Connect” facility in Basel in 2024, a model the company is replicating across key life‑science hubs with a focus on 2–8°C cool‑chain capacity.

Swissport’s certified stations use digital monitoring systems for real‑time temperature tracking, alerts and full traceability. Recent certifications include locations in Madrid, London Heathrow, Dublin, Nairobi, Montréal, Toronto, Miami and Basel.

The company works with airports, manufacturers, freight forwarders and ULD service providers on risk‑reduction and transparency initiatives as it scales its pharmaceutical logistics capabilities.

Goovaerts said digital monitoring is central to maintaining product integrity, noting that the system tracks all control points, records handovers and issues real‑time alerts for temperature deviations. The technology is supported by a global training program focused on pharmaceutical handling.

"Digital solutions are fundamental to maintaining pharmaceutical product integrity," Goovaerts said.

"We ensure visibility and traceability by monitoring all control points throughout the handling process, recording interface transactions between stakeholders, and ensuring a complete chain of custody documentation. The system alerts us to any temperature issues in real-time, allowing us to quickly intervene and prevent product loss or damage."

The digital system is backed by Swissport’s global training program for pharmaceutical handling, which outlines employee responsibilities in maintaining product integrity.

"Pharmaceutical transport is evolving quickly, and we are adapting our handling capabilities accordingly," Goovaerts said.