Swissport reaches pharma cold chain milestone at Basel hub

Swissport has reached an operational milestone at EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg, handling 1,000 temperature-controlled containers through its cool+connect facility. The company said the development reflects rising pharmaceutical volumes and reinforces Basel’s position as a gateway for life science air cargo in Europe.

Since the launch of its cool+connect infrastructure in February 2025, Swissport has processed more than 1,000 temperature-controlled containers at the airport, with monthly volumes rising to between 200 and 250 units. The company said the increase signals demand for airport-based cold chain solutions and supports connections between Europe and markets in Asia. The milestone also reflects Basel’s role as an export hub for life sciences and Swissport’s position in handling temperature-sensitive cargo through its network of 24 certified pharma centres and 65 pharma-capable warehouses.

Swissport said its cool+connect infrastructure and digital monitoring systems have enabled handling of shipments in the +2 to +8°C range by consolidating consignments at the airport before loading into active containers. The process removes the need for off-airport trucking loops and reduces handling time by around 70 per cent while maintaining the cold chain and reducing emissions.

“Reaching this milestone highlights the structural growth we are seeing in temperature-controlled cargo,” said Andreas Behnke, Regional Head of Cargo, Switzerland, Italy and France. “Demand from global pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare logistics providers continues to increase, particularly for airport-based solutions that reduce complexity and transit time. Our unique state-of-the-art facility combines efficiency, scalability and sustainability in a way that meets the evolving requirements of modern pharmaceutical supply chains.”

Swissport is also expanding cold chain protection at its Basel cargo operations by introducing thermal covers for transport dollies. The company said the reusable covers are designed to maintain stable temperatures for up to three hours during airside transport in varying weather conditions.

The covers have been integrated into adapted cargo dollies to support daily operations without additional handling steps. Swissport said the investment is aimed at reducing weather-related risks and strengthening temperature control for healthcare shipments, as part of its focus on cold chain logistics.