[210713.EN.SEA] Perishables Shipping To Be Discussed At Cool Logistics' Forum

THIS year's Cool Logistics Global conference to be held from September 24-26 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands will be discussing key issues such as what the airfreight sector can do to retain and strengthen its role in the international movement of food, flowers and pharmaceuticals.

The forum, to be attended by shippers, integrators and logistics experts, will explore what innovations and investments are needed for airfreight perishable supply chains to continue competing against sea freight.

In 2011, 2.5 million tonnes of perishables were carried by air, dwarfed by the 91 million tonnes of seaborne fresh and frozen cargo moved in the same year. But while air has lost 400,000 tonnes of perishable cargo to ocean in the last decade or so, it remains critical for high value pharmaceuticals and also represents a vital lifeline to support a wide variety of established and emerging trades especially to and from land-locked countries.

These include developing exports out of Africa, a topic to be explored by sub-Saharan Africa commercial manager for DHL Aviation Loic Gindre. The airfreight wing of logistics major Deutsche Post DHL is opening a new hub in Dakar this autumn together with specialist cold chain freight forwarder Adelantex, to cater for growing exports of West African fresh fruits and vegetables into Europe.

Seafood is another key commodity that continues to rely on air. Handling and logistics priorities to guarantee the quality, safety and traceability of the seafood air supply chain will be discussed by managing director for Canadian-headquartered international freight forwarder Worldwide Perishables Doug McRae.

Pharmaceuticals, including medicines, blood, vaccines and antibiotics, remain a key value trade for airfreight.

Regulations governing cold chain control are about to get much tougher, with significant implications for fine overland distribution and storage carried on airway bills, when revised EU rules on good distribution practice for medicinal products enter into force this September. Philip Dekker, district manager Belgium and Luxembourg for global logistics provider Expeditors will discuss how the logistics and transport sectors have been gearing up to comply with the latest requirements.

Source : HKSG.