Qatar Airways Cargo is pleased to announce that it has received the Qualified Envirotainer Provider Training and Quality Programme (QEP) accreditation at five of its destinations: Amsterdam, Basel, Paris, Chicago, and its hub, Doha, Qatar.
The QEP programme recognizes air cargo carriers that operate Envirotainer containers in compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP). By receiving QEP accreditation, Qatar Airways Cargo has proven its credibility in providing its global customers first-rate air transportation of pharmaceutical products.
Qatar Airways’ Acting Chief Officer Cargo, Mr. Guillaume Halleux, said: “Qatar Airways Cargo has been managing Envirotainers since 2015 to transport pharmaceuticals. We are proud to receive the QEP accreditation that acknowledges our high standards in handling Active pharma containers throughout our network, thereby maintaining the efficacy of pharmaceutical products. As one of the leading international cargo carriers, we remain committed to offering a seamless cool chain to our customers through constant innovation and enhancement of our service quality.”
Mr. Bourji Mourad, Global Head of Partner Management at Envirotainer, said: “Our longstanding relationship with Qatar Airways Cargo continues to evolve and grow. This much-deserved QEP Accreditation is another positive step forward, ensuring that key industry standards are met regarding the correct and safe handling of all types of containers and technologies offered by Envirotainer. The ultimate goal is safer transportation of healthcare products by air around the globe. Without a doubt, much was invested to achieve this milestone. Well done to all those involved in making this happen.”
More stations throughout the carrier’s network will be included in the accreditation in the coming year, as Qatar Airways Cargo continues to enhance its cool chain solution for the benefit of its pharmaceutical customers and end users.
Since the launch of QR Pharma in 2014, the cargo carrier has invested considerably in quality handling, infrastructure, facilities, people and procedures at each of its pharma destinations, underpinning the need for high operating standards for transportation of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. Expertly-trained staff at every pharma destination ensure the cool chain transfer from origin to destination is seamless.
Today, Qatar Airways Cargo’s pharma network spans 75 destinations around the world and helps meet the growing air freight requirements in the pharmaceutical industry where time and temperature management are of paramount importance. The cargo carrier ensures a complete quality audit and exacting training modules at each of its pharma stations and its customers can now choose from a range of active containers such as Envirotainer, CSafe, DoKaSch and va-Q-tec to transport their pharmaceuticals across the cargo carrier’s extensive global network.
This year, Qatar Airways Cargo opened its state-of-the-art airside Climate Control Centre. This 2,470 sqm airside transit facility for temperature-sensitive cargo features two temperature-controlled zones operating at both 2 to 8 and 15 to 25 degrees celsius with a capacity to hold a total of 156 unit load devices (ULDs) at a time. To ensure complete temperature integrity, the facility is equipped with six truck docks, each with inflated curtains and an anteroom as a staging area. While segregated sections within the facility enable storage of pharmaceutical products in compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines.
