Seven members of the Puerto Rico Life Sciences Air Cargo Community have achieved International Air Transport Association (IATA) Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification. The accredited members are American Airlines, Prime Air Corp, ETH Cargo, Expeditors, César Castillo, Isla Frio Refrigeration, and Ground Motive Dependable Airline Services.
The Department of Economic Development and Commerce of Puerto Rico (DEDC), which has supported the Community since its launch, secured an 80% subsidy for organizations wishing to participate in the CEIV process, facilitated by research centre, Industry University Research Centre Inc. (INDUNIV).
DEDC secretary Manuel Cidre, said: “These accreditations are a monumental step forward in the development of Puerto Rico’s life sciences sector. By investing in these certifications and subsidizing participation, we are not only elevating the quality of our cold chain operations, but also empowering smaller organizations through education and collaboration across the Community.”
CEIV-accredited companies are encouraged to participate in training initiatives hosted by the Community to educate smaller organisations in Puerto Rico on how to correctly and safely operate within the cool chain.
“The CEIV Pharma Certification process has enabled us to improve our quality and compliance systems, and with other Community members doing the same, pharma handling across the island is continuously improving,” said vice president of Prime Air Corp, Tom Vincent.
The Community of over 40 members includes pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers, forwarders, airports, airlines, and representatives of the DEDC.
The first member of the Community to achieve the IATA CEIV Pharma accreditation was logistics provider, ETH Cargo, in March 2024.