Airlines scramble to prepare for ultra-cold Covid-19 vaccine distribution

Airlines are scrambling to prepare ultra-cold shipping and storage facilities to transport Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna, whose doses, which require deep freezing, are likely to be among the first to be distributed.

. A recent survey by an air cargo association and a drug shippers' group found only 15 per cent of industry participants felt ready to transport goods near the minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94°F) required by the Pfizer Inc vaccine, while around 60 per cent could meet Moderna Inc's less stringent -20°C requirement.

. Typically, airlines use containers with cooling materials such as dry ice to transport pharmaceutical products, but some don't have temperature controls, making products susceptible to unforeseen events such as flight delays.

. Also read: How Pfizer plans to distribute its Covid-19 vaccine

. Airlines are now considering options ranging from a large plug-in freezer that can cost about as much as a small car to a multi-layered canister that uses liquid nitrogen to ship vaccines requiring a deep freeze.

. The potential demand for such high-end packaging has helped shares of cold container specialists such as Cryoport Inc and Germany-based va-Q-tec more than double in recent months.

. "With direct contracts with five temperature-controlled container manufacturers, Korean Air has secured sufficient quantities of containers. For now, we are in the process of signing contracts with other container manufacturers," a Korean Air spokesperson said.

. Air France-KLM said it was gearing up for a test run with one of the drugmakers -- it declined to say which -- that will see dummy samples shipped at ultra-low temperatures, likely via Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

. The drill will use boxes carrying as many as 5,000 doses each, all cooled by dry ice, Air France-KLM special cargo manager Béatrice Delpuech told Reuters. Later shipments may also use larger ultra-cold containers rented from va-Q-tec.

. "They need to validate the entire logistics chain from end to end, including the air freight segment," Delpuech said. "We have a dedicated task force examining every step of the process with all our teams, to make sure there are no hitches anywhere."

. Dry ice limits

. But one difficulty with vaccine transport is that airplanes can only carry a limited amount of dry ice - frozen carbon dioxide - as it turns into gas over time, displacing the breathable air in the cabin.

. All widebody planes can carry a maximum of around 1 tonne of dry ice in refrigerated and insulated containers, according to a DHL white paper on vaccine transport.

. "Depending on the type of aircraft, there are usually not more than a few containers on board at the same time," said Joachim von Winning, chief executive of Air Cargo Community Frankfurt.

. Also read: Air cargo industry not yet ready for Covid-19 vaccine distribution: Survey

. For an alternative, Deutsche Post AG's DHL has been using Cyroport's capsule containers, which use liquid nitrogen to keep goods as cool as -150C for up to 10 days to support clinical vaccine trials, said Patricia Cole, DHL Global Forwarding's global head of temperature management solutions.

. Although it is relatively a small-scale solution, with only hundreds of vials in each container, broader preparations have already begun.

. Pfizer, which is working with DHL, FedEx Corp and United Parcel Service Inc for vaccine distribution in the United States, said on Monday it has launched a pilot delivery programme in four states to help it refine its nationwide and global shipping plan.

. The U.S. drugmaker has also developed temperature-controlled and GPS-enabled boxes that use dry ice to keep its vaccine at around -70C for up to 10 days.

. Coronavirus vaccine news live updates on DH

. But cold-chain solutions providers such as Sweden's Envirotainer say so-called active containers, which use electric motors to cool their contents, are safer and more cost-effective.

. A Envirotainer spokesman said that its fleet of active temperature-controlled containers was twice that of its competitors and that it was preparing to increase its capacity by 50 per cent.

. Va-Q-tec also said this month that it would significantly expand its container fleet over the coming months in anticipation of orders Covid-19 vaccine transport.

. Airlines have become more reliant on cargo for revenue this year as passenger numbers plunged amid pandemic-related travel restrictions.

. Accenture's Seabury Consulting estimates the global roll-out of a vaccine will generate 65,000 tonnes of air freight, which is five times the air vaccine trade in 2019.

. But airlines think the potential for the vaccine to allow a return to normal travel is most important, KLM chief executive Pieter Elbers said at a CAPA Centre for Aviation event on Nov. 11.

. "I think overall for the entire industry, the vaccine is going to be much more important than the cargo revenues it would bring," he said.

Airlines scramble to prepare for ultra-cold Covid-19 vaccine distribution

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