Cold Chain Technologies (CCT), a provider of temperature-controlled packaging solutions, has completed a project demonstrating the viability of ocean freight for transporting temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products. The initiative, conducted in collaboration with logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel and drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals, tested the shipment of pharmaceuticals from Germany to Australia—one of the most logistically demanding sea routes.

The project aimed to validate sea freight as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to air cargo, which remains the dominant mode for high-value, temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical transport. The shipment, which departed Germany in November 2023, arrived in Australia after a 70-day journey, maintaining the required temperature range of 2–8°C throughout transit.

The shipment faced multiple disruptions, including a rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope due to Suez Canal closures, a power outage in the Indian Ocean, and port delays in Sydney during Australia Day celebrations. Despite these challenges, the cargo arrived intact, aided by CCT’s Enshield thermal blanket—a passive, reusable phase-change material (PCM) solution designed to stabilize internal temperatures during transit interruptions.

“Pretty much everything that could go wrong did so, in terms of putting pressure on the integrity of the cargo,” said Fabian Reitmeier, Project Manager for Logistics Integrity at Teva. Still, despite the challenges, the shipment remained within the required temperature range

The Enshield system, which incorporates leakproof Koolit Advanced gel, was deployed to supplement traditional thermal covers and active containers. According to CCT, the PCM technology slows thermal exchange during temperature excursions, providing an additional layer of protection during power outages or handling delays.

Judineth Miranda, Senior Director of Key Account Management Healthcare at Kuehne + Nagel, noted that the Germany-to-Australia route was selected for its extreme seasonal and temperature variability. “A successful test on this lane would allow us to qualify many others in a single study,” she said.

The results of the live trial are expected to support broader adoption of ocean freight in pharmaceutical logistics, particularly as the industry seeks to reduce carbon emissions and improve supply chain resilience.