Swissport, the world’s leading aviation services provider, has added Düsseldorf to its global network of certified pharma centers. The facility has earned the IATA CEIV Pharma certification, bringing the company’s total number of certified pharma warehouses to 24 globally and reinforcing Swissport’s commitment to safe, compliant, and reliable pharmaceutical logistics worldwide.
This milestone comes as Swissport accelerates investment in temperature-controlled infrastructure across key life science markets. In 2025, the company has already expanded its network with dedicated pharma facilities in Manchester, New York JFK, and Shanghai. “The primary driver for our cold chain reinforcement is the fundamental shift in pharmaceutical manufacturing toward biologics and temperature-sensitive therapies,” Dirk Goovaerts, CEO Continental Europe, Middle East, Africa, India & Global Cargo Chair, Swissport, explains. “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 operates 65 pharma-capable warehouses and 24 warehouses certified for pharmaceutical logistics under industry standards including the Air Transport Association’s CEIV Pharma, the British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).
Swissport’s pharmaceutical handling integrates comprehensive digital monitoring systems designed to maintain product integrity throughout the logistics chain. The technology platform provides real-time temperature monitoring, proactive alerting for deviations, and complete traceability across all handling touchpoints.
“Digital solutions are fundamental to maintaining pharmaceutical product integrity,” Goovaerts explains. “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.”
