Pharmaceutical air cargo operators are being urged to strengthen cold chain protection as extreme weather events become more frequent and unpredictable.
Cold Chain Technologies (CCT) said recent icy conditions in Europe highlight a wider climate challenge for the global transport of temperature-sensitive medicines.
While parts of Central Europe have faced snow and sub-zero temperatures, 2025 was the third warmest year on record worldwide, with heatwaves lasting longer and occurring more often.
Studies also show a rise in extreme rainfall and tropical cyclones, including in regions that have not historically experienced such events.
Overall, weather-related disasters have increased fivefold over the past 50 years, driven largely by climate change.
For air cargo supply chains, this volatility poses growing risks. Pharmaceutical shipments are particularly vulnerable during airport handling, such as loading and unloading on the tarmac or cross-docking between flights.
Although best practice aims to limit exposure to minutes, disruptions can stretch to hours due to labour shortages, customs delays, aircraft de-icing or operational congestion.
Even short temperature excursions can compromise life-saving medicines.
Luiza Cervetto, Senior Global Marketing Manager at Cold Chain Technologies, said managing climate risk now requires both robust packaging and smarter data use.
“For sensitive and ultra-sensitive pharma shipments, reliable temperature control is non-negotiable,” she said. “Extreme weather demands packaging that can withstand far more than normal operating conditions.”
CCT said its thermal packaging, including reusable containers and phase-change material (PCM) insulation blankets, is tested against severe stress scenarios such as heatwaves and hurricane-level conditions.
The company also highlighted the role of digital tools in protecting pharmaceutical cargo. Real-time monitoring and advanced data reporting can help operators identify emerging weather risks and anticipate delays that could threaten temperature stability across multi-leg air cargo routes.
As climate extremes become more common, industry experts warn that selecting resilient packaging and using predictive data tools will be critical to keeping pharmaceutical supply chains safe and compliant.
