Chicago Rockford International (RFD) is targetting further growth in the pharma trade from India after recently welcoming its first shipment of the type from the country.
The first shipment was undertaken by India-based pharma specialist forwarder Penta Freight India on behalf of a pharma company based in the country.
The shipment was flown from Mumbai to Frankfurt and then transferred through Maersk’s hub at the airport before being flown to RFD on a Maersk Air Cargo/Magma Boeing 747-400F scheduled freighter flight.
The airport said upon landing, the cargo was taken directly from the aircraft into an Xperts Group Reefer Truck by Menzies Aviation before being transported to the Chicago area for breakdown.
The Good Distribution Practice (GDP) and Good Storage Practice (GSP) pharma import process at RFD avoids airside air cargo building handling, RFD added.
RFD Executive Director, Zack Oakley said the airport hoped to capitalise on the growing pharma export market from India.
“The establishment at RFD of our GDP and GSP process for the handling of import pharma and life science products comes in direct response to a growing demand by the pharma sector in India, who along with their freight forwarding agents, want to improve the efficiency of the handling of these sensitive shipments by shipping them though a less congested airport system,” said Oakley.
A Penta Freight spokesperson added: “Chicago is one of the main air cargo import markets for India pharma products and it is a market that is growing rapidly.
“Because flights into RFD are direct in approach and the aircraft is at the ramp ready to unload within five minutes of landing, the Co2 savings run into the tens of tons per shipment.
“By being able to unload the pharma directly from the aircraft and into the reefer truck, we massively reduce risks and costs associated with the traditional airside air cargo airport handling process for pharma.
“Now that we have proven the GDP-GSP pharma handling process at RFD we anticipate growing this trade lane from India and feed more pharma into the US and especially RFD.”
The expectation of growth in pharma traffic from India comes as the airport has been ramping up its partnership with Maersk Air Cargo.
The airline now operates a six-times-per-week Boeing 767F to Hangzhou Airport (HGH) and a three-times-per-week 767F flight to Zhengzhou.
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