Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Exports from Pakistan: Temperature-Controlled Logistics

Pakistan's pharmaceutical industry exports finished formulations and other products to markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. For temperature-sensitive products, logistics decides whether the shipment arrives usable. A few hours outside the labelled range can mean a rejected consignment, so cold chain planning must start well before the goods leave the plant.

Temperature Bands

The labelled storage condition on the product registration sets the requirement. Packaging and the shipping method must be qualified to hold that range for the full journey, plus a margin for delays.

Packaging Options

• Passive packaging: insulated shippers with gel packs or phase-change material, qualified for a set number of hours
• Thermal covers: blankets over pallets to reduce temperature swings on the ramp
• Active containers: powered, temperature-controlled units for long or sensitive shipments, booked with the airline
• Data loggers: calibrated loggers in each shipment to record temperature from packing to delivery

Air Freight for Pharma

Most temperature-sensitive exports move by air. Good practice includes:

1. Choose routings with fewer transfers and short connection times.
2. Prefer airlines and ground handlers with recognised pharma handling, such as IATA CEIV Pharma, where available on the lane.
3. Check the cold room availability at the origin airport handler and at destination.
4. Put clear handling labels and temperature instructions on every piece and on the air waybill.
5. Deliver to the airport as close to the acceptance cut-off as the handler allows, to cut time on the ground.
6. Arrange customs clearance at destination before the flight lands.

Ocean Reefer for Larger Volumes

Larger, less time-critical consignments can move in refrigerated containers by sea. Reefer bookings need a pre-trip inspection (PTI), the set point confirmed in writing with the shipping line, power at the terminal and during inland legs, and monitoring through the voyage. Check temperature recording options with the line before booking.

Documentation and Regulatory Requirements

Pharma exports usually need:

• Product registration and export documents issued under the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP)
• A Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (CoPP) where the importing country requires it
• Batch certificates of analysis
• The importer's licence or import permit from the destination health authority
• Standard export documents: invoice, packing list, and the export declaration

A document error at destination can leave cold chain cargo sitting outside a cold room while it is resolved, so check the destination's requirements before booking.

Worked example — the summer tarmac: A Karachi exporter shipped controlled-room-temperature tablets in July without thermal covers, assuming the band was forgiving. The loggers showed excursions above 25°C during ramp transfer. Thermal covers and a later delivery slot to the airport kept the next shipments in range.

Questions Exporters Ask

Do I need a temperature-controlled truck to the airport? For 2–8°C products, yes, or packaging qualified to cover the road leg as well. For controlled-room-temperature goods in summer, a closed, cooled vehicle and a short wait at the handler are still worth arranging.

Who reads the data logger? Agree this with the buyer before shipping. The consignee usually downloads it on receipt and decides whether to accept the goods, so share the logger type and any excursion rules in advance.

Can pharma go as LCL by sea? Some room-temperature products can, but shared containers give less control over conditions. Most exporters use full reefer containers or air for anything sensitive.

Common Mistakes

• Using packaging qualified for fewer hours than the full door-to-door journey
• Booking routings with long transfers through hot hubs
• Treating controlled-room-temperature products as not needing protection
• Leaving destination import permits until the goods have shipped

How MTX Helps

MTX coordinates pharmaceutical shipments by air and sea from Pakistan — booking airlines and services that accept temperature-controlled cargo, arranging documentation through licensed customs brokers, and agreeing packaging and handling instructions with carriers. Share the product's temperature band and destination, and we will plan the routing with you.