by Nexxo Fleet
April 25, 2022 9 PM
GPS shipment monitoring,
logistics,
Fleet Management,
Cold Chain Carriers,
federal regulations
More and more temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals are being developed every day, and that puts pressure on the transportation industry to adopt advanced monitoring and data analytics tools that meet this complex shipping demand while still keeping costs low.
Due to the COVID-19 vaccine—which had to be kept at deep-frozen temperatures during every moment of the journey, from packaging and storage through transportation and delivery—cold-chain requirements, tools, and systems had to be created quickly to ensure the global delivery of this incredibly temperature-sensitive, lifesaving product.
Why the Change is Necessary
The two main COVID-19 vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, has to maintain a temperature of between -80°C and -60°C (-112°F to -76°F) and -25°C and -15°C (-13°F and 5°F), respectively.
The vaccines must travel great distances that take time, too. In the US, domestic deliveries generally take 24 to 72 hours, but international transportation covers up to 120 hours.
But this is the case, too, for many temperature-sensitive medications, and all of them require biopharmaceutical manufacturers to collaborate at a higher level with packaging suppliers and third-party logistics (3PL) partners to distribute them safely.
This is due to the fact that the final leg of a cold-chain journey and handoff of product often happens in a location that lacks the infrastructure to sustain the ultra-low temperatures required to keep the product safe for consumption.
Spending on New Technology for Logistics
Due to these emerging factors, ongoing cold-chain fleet investments are now focused on attaining technology that:
- Monitors location, temperature and condition in real-time, with predictive analytics and data transparency.
- Communicates to build strong partnerships with other cold-chain players that help enable the many seamless handoffs needed to complete successful product delivery.
According to the 2020 Biopharma Cold Chain Sourcebook published by Pharmaceutical Commerce, spending for biopharma cold-chain logistics has been rising steadily on a global scale since 2018. It is projected to grow by an additional 25% to $21.3 billion by 2024.
How Data Helps
Pairing sophisticated monitoring devices with advanced data analytics has the ability to transform real-time data into actionable insights that save lives.
For instance, traffic, weather, and construction trends can be identified from historic tracking data, determining the best transport route. When revised regularly, this can significantly reduce the impact of delays that threaten the timely deliveries of time- and temperature-sensitive cargo.
Additionally, monitoring devices that collect and transmit real-time data can be embedded within entire cargo containers, individual pallets, and even individual product packages. This information can be read and distributed to all stakeholders from the beginning of the transportation journey to the end.
Nexxo Fleet is uniquely positioned to provide the real-time cold-chain data on all aspects of a journey that a transportation fleet requires to deliver temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals to the people who need them.
Our platform allows drivers to communicate the exact temperature to stakeholders at any time, in real time which builds the partnership you need to get the job done.
To see how up-to-the-minute our system really is, contact us today.
