IAG Cargo opens Constant Climate station in Cape Town

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of International Airlines Group (IAG), announced Cape Town as its latest station in Africa to be approved to transport time and temperature-sensitive healthcare products.

Following the successful opening of Cincinnati in September, Cape Town marks the second station launched in 2023 to be approved to transport essential healthcare products and the fifth in Africa for IAG Cargo, says an official release.

"South Africa, a critical market for pharmaceutical products to meet the healthcare needs of its population, relies on imports. This newly established station will handle a wide array of pharmaceuticals from vaccines to medicinal components supporting local production. The new connection offers customers a seamless transfer of time and temperature-sensitive products between Cape Town, London Heathrow, and beyond, leveraging the wider Constant Climate network to over 100 approved stations spanning across six continents."

Jordan Kohlbeck, Head of Pharmaceutical, IAG Cargo says: “Adding Cape Town to our Constant Climate is an exciting moment as it strengthens our cold chain offering, and shows our commitment to serving the pharmaceutical, bioscience and healthcare industries. For many customers, this will support the increasing demand for transporting pharmaceuticals globally, specifically to the African market.”

IAG Cargo’s Constant Climate product is a state-of-the-art cold chain solution that caters specifically to the transportation of pharmaceuticals such as vaccines, biotech products, diagnostics samples and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical material, the release added. During the first half of 2023, Constant Climate experienced a 45 percent increase in the volume of pharmaceuticals transported across its network compared to the previous year.

IAG Cargo’s 10,000m2 facility New Premia at London Heathrow, launched in May 2023, features a cutting-edge Constant Climate Quality Centre (CCQC) for pharmaceuticals with 27 dedicated cool cells and temperature facilities available from +2°C to +8°C (COL), +15°C to +25°C (CRT) and -20°C (FRO) ensuring sensitive shipments are held in a temperature-controlled environment at all times, the release added.