Pharma freezers at DHL facility in Japan ensure vaccine is stored at -70 degrees until final delivery
DHL Global Forwarding has been contracted for COVID-19 vaccine distribution to Japan, with the first delivery of vaccines arriving at the end of last week.
Further shipments will be delivered in various batches by air from the DHL Global Forwarding hub in Belgium to Japan throughout the year.
DHL also handles the customs clearance and delivery to a temporary storage facility in Japan, as well as dispatching the vaccines to vaccination facilities across Japan.
Said Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight: “The world has taken another milestone in effectively combating COVID-19 with the development of the vaccines. Now it is essential to make it available to as many people as possible.
“Logistics plays a key role here. It is our job to get the vaccine to where it is urgently needed, and we accept the responsibility.”
To safely store the vaccine at -70 degrees until the final domestic delivery in Japan, deep freezers were installed at a DHL storage facility. Further, warehouse operations have been ramped up and this project will create additional job opportunities for local workers in the area.
Said Kelvin Leung, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific: “We are proud to play a role in helping the people of Japan receive their vaccinations for COVID-19, which has upended lives and businesses here.
“While DHL Global Forwarding’s well-established cold-chain network and pharmaceutical logistics expertise were key to the success of the shipment, our dedicated employees were the true unsung heroes who meticulously planned every last detail to manage an extremely complex operation seamlessly.”
Across DHL’s dedicated global network, more than 9,000 specialists work to connect pharmaceutical and research organizations, wholesalers and distributors, as well as hospitals and healthcare providers across the value chain.
DHL’s portfolio for the healthcare industry includes 150+ pharmacists, 20+ clinical trials depots, 100+ certified stations, 160+ GDP-qualified warehouses, 15+ GMP-certified sites, 135+ medical express sites, and an international network covering 220 countries and territories.
