Swissport only ground handler with IATA CEIV Fresh at Nairobi Airport

October 14, 2021: Swissport Kenya has been awarded the IATA CEIV Fresh certification for perishable cargo, making it the only ground handler with this certification at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Swissport also is the first ground services provider in Sub-Saharan Africa to attain this standard. CEIV is IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators.

Nairobi is a major hub for perishables in East and Central Africa and perishables represent about 80 percent of cargo handled by Swissport in Kenya. 

Racheal Ndegwa, CEO of Swissport in Kenya, said, “In February 2020, Swissport’s operations in Nairobi were awarded with the IATA CEIV Pharma certification, establishing the first Swissport Pharma Center on the African continent. With the added CEIV Fresh certification, we are now very proud to offer our customer airlines a secure and certified cool-chain process across the board.” 

"With 27 years of experience handling perishable goods in Nairobi, this certification attests to the organization’s robust, efficient and sustainable processes for handling perishable cargo, as well its high-quality training programs."

This recognition underwrites Swissport’s ambitions to ensure that delicate and short-shelf life products reach their final destination unspoiled and with minimal waste. The certification scope includes Swissport Kenya’s Cargo Handling facility and Ground Services processes.