CAL Group joins CEIV Pharma program in Liège

Israel-based CAL Group has joined IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators for Pharmaceutical Logistics program (CEIV Pharma) via its logistics hub at Liège Airport in Belgium.

The certification program, which evaluates best practices for cool-chain handling and provides training for all stakeholders involved in the handling of pharmaceutical transport, will begin this month for CAL Group and is expected to be completed in July. Once the certification is finalized, CAL said it will be the only company with both a CEIV-certified airline (CAL Cargo Airlines) and a certified ground-handling operation (Liege Air Cargo Handling Services).

CAL Group has nearly 40 years of experience handling temperature-sensitive airfreight, said the company’s CEO, Eyal Zagagi. Currently, about 35 percent of the carrier’s cargo business is temperature controlled, he said.

“With the CEIV Pharma program, IATA aims to work closely with industry and regulators to raise the bar and make air freight the mode of choice for the transportation of pharmaceutical products. This will help companies demonstrate the quality of their services and capture new business,” said Ronald Schaefer, project lead for the CEIV Pharma program.

Along with CEIV Pharma, IATA also offers similar holistic certification programs for the safe transport of live animals (CEIV Live), oversize shipments (CEIV Big), dangerous goods (CEIV DG) and perishables (CEIV Fresh).

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