June 20, 2025

Whether it's vaccines, temperature-sensitive medication, or biotech products: at the Frankfurt CargoHub, a carefully coordinated network ensures sensitive pharmaceutical products reach their destinations in a safe and timely manner. In this series, we follow participants throughout the process – from the road, to the handling facility, right through to the aircraft:

A vaccine’s safe journey around the globe: from Dresden to Seattle, via FRA

It's 8am on June 6 and we’re in Dresden. A white truck marked with ‘GEORGI TRANSPORTE’ and a colorful pill design drives on to the grounds of a well-known pharmaceutical manufacturer. Today's freight is particularly sensitive. It's an essential vaccine that needs to be kept at a consistent cool temperature of between 2-8 degrees Celsius. Even the smallest deviations from this range could impact on the vaccine's efficacy.

The driver is connected to the pharmaceutical team via his tablet and receives the order digitally, including detailed loading instructions. Before he starts loading the vaccine, he uses the integrated cooling unit to calibrate his trailer to precisely the right temperature. It’s now at a stable 5 degrees Celsius. During the loading process, the driver monitors the sensor displays. Once the final pallet is loaded, he closes the doors. The electronic alarm device is now activated.

“An alert is triggered if the temperature deviates by even half a degree from the set value, or if the GPS signal is lost”, explains Ivan Santoro, Head of Group Sales at the GEORGI GROUP, one of the leading suppliers for air cargo road feeder services and a specialist in pharmaceutical transports. “Our team will then immediately intervene – for example, by stopping the driver to check the cooling facility, or by preparing an alternative vehicle.”

Digital monitoring, human responsibility

Inside of the trailer, highly sensitive sensors continuously monitor the temperature. The measurement data is transmitted to the GEORGI system in real-time – and on request can be forwarded to customers, such as airlines or pharmaceutical companies. “Our customers can track the location of their consignment at all times, allowing them to check the temperature and ensure everything is going to plan”, says Anna Schüler, Inside Sales Manager at GEORGI. Anna Schüler used to be a dispatcher herself and is acutely aware of the processes involved.

The time slot for delivery at Frankfurt Airport is confirmed at the same time the truck is on the road – using the FAIR@Link digital community system that brings all of the participants together. “The handling agent already knows when our driver is approaching – that cuts down enormously on waiting times”, explains sales head Ivan Santoro. “Every step is coordinated – that saves times and minimizes risks.”

Safe all the way to the ramp – and beyond

Arrival at Frankfurt Airport: The driver is specially trained in pharmaceutical transports and knows that the doors may be opened only under supervision. Only once an authorized member of staff is present are the seals removed and doors unlocked. The freight is transferred directly to the temperature-controlled cooling facility at the airport. There, handling staff will prepare to ship it onwards, in this case to the United States.

Why is Frankfurt chosen for the operations? “The density of GDP and CEIV-certified pharmaceutical transports at Frankfurt Airport is unique in Europe”, says Santoro. The twin seals of approval represent the highest standards of storage and transportation for pharmaceutical products, the head of sales at the Frankfurt CargoHub says. “When customers ask me which airport they should ship sensitive pharmaceuticals from, I always have the same answer: Frankfurt. That's due to the processes used, the digital transparency, and the depth of pharmaceutical expertise in the immediate vicinity of the airport.”

Indeed, the airport lies in direct proximity to leading pharmaceutical companies such as BioNTech, Merck, Abbott, and BASF. “You can get from BioNTech in Mainz to the airport in about 30 minutes, for example. Across the area, customers have access to a high-performing network of airlines, handling agents, shipping companies, and specialist logistics providers. Perhaps we don't talk about this collective strength enough.”

After arrival in Seattle

Back to our vaccine: After seamless handling at Germany's biggest airport, the aircraft takes off with the vaccine. The destination? Seattle. There, the freight is transported onwards under the same strict conditions until it reaches its end user: a clinic, a practice, or vaccination center. The vaccine arrives in pristine condition for use on a patient.

What seems straightforward at first glance – delivery from A to B – is actually the result of meticulous planning, modern technology, and the coordinated efforts of many specialized participants. The Frankfurt PharmaHub is a product of precisely this cooperation. Partners such as the GEORGI GROUP don't just carry products – they carry responsibility. On wheels.

More information, background, and voices from the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt and the Frankfurt PharmaHub can be found on our website: Pharma@FRA – Europe’s leading pharmaceuticals hub.