FedEx last week debuted a global cold-chain service targeting the life sciences. The Deep Frozen Shipping Solution uses liquid nitrogen dry vapor technology in place of dry ice. And it incorporates CryoPort's reusable Express Dry Shipper.
The end-to-end service promises 10 days of transport at -150 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. The use of liquid nitrogen, boasts FedEx, eliminates the dangerous goods categorization that comes with dry ice. Customers place orders online; FedEx delivers the pre-conditioned container for product loading, monitors the shipment, and delivers it. The logistics provider then picks up the container and returns it for refurbishing.
Last fall, Lufthansa Cargo unveiled its Opticooler powered-refrigeration container service for use in multiple-leg journeys. The Cold Chain Biopharma Logistics Sourcebook anticipates that seven of the top 10 pharma products in 2014 will require cold-chain handling.
- see the FedEx release