Sustainability in pharma logistics presents unique challenges, from strict temperature controls to time-sensitive delivery requirements. While flexibility is limited, innovative solutions are emerging that reduce emissions without compromising product integrity. In this article, we explore key obstacles and practical strategies for sustainable pharmaceutical logistics — including sustainable aviation fuel, real-time temperature monitoring, and smart packaging.
Pharma healthcare logistics come with their very own requirements and a limited range of sustainability savings opportunities that don’t compromise paramount quality requirements:. Temperature control in storage and transport, speed, and packaging requirements are all non-negotiable and non-eliminable. The opportunities for sustainability impact in pharma logistics are not as straightforward or binary as they are with general cargo, but the marginal savings we are looking at are still notable progress.
Sustainable solutions for air freight in pharma healthcare
In cases of time-sensitive pharma deliveries, high-value items or smaller-volume loads, transportation by air becomes a non-negotiable. According to the latest data, approximately 12.5% of total pharma tonnage moves by air and 4% of the total air cargo tonnage is temperature-sensitive pharma products. Air cargo emits 30 to 60 times more CO2 per tonne-km than ocean freight [1]. However, in the pharma logistics domain, changing the mode of transport is often not an option. In cases like this, shippers of pharma products can make a large difference in the emissions by choosing a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) option, which can have up to 80% reduced emissions compared to aviation turbine fuel (ATF). Even if SAF is not available for the particular shipment jet, shippers can choose SAF on any route worldwide via direct insetting/book-and-claim pathways.
Real-time monitoring as a preventative measure
Moreover, preventative measures that monitor the integrity of pharmaceutical products during transport, like real-time temperature tracking for example, ensure that the shipment reaches its destination in the state it should be and the mileage does not repeat. 10% of all pharmaceutical shipments show damage during transit, leading to financial loss and restocking efforts and for cold chain transport, 12% of temperature-sensitive pharma shipments involve excursion that require corrective measures [2]. These products need to be reshipped, the mileage needs to be repeated and consequently, the emissions quickly double. In conclusion, efficient integrity monitoring of pharma products during transport is paramount to avoid unnecessary emissions.
Reusable pharma packaging
Another example of preventative measures with relatively high availability comes from pharmaceutical packaging. Minimising packaging size is a practical and often underutilised strategy for improving the sustainability of pharmaceutical logistics. More space-efficient packaging not only reduces material use and weight but also allows storing and transporting a greater number of products at the same volume. This directly lowers energy consumption and transportation costs.
For temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, multi-use packaging can offer even greater sustainability benefits — provided that a reliable return logistics loop is in place. With effective management, reusable containers can be used over 50 times. With optimised reverse logistics, a fleet of just 500 reusable packages can serve up to 25,000 shipments, significantly reducing waste and the need for single-use materials while maintaining strict cold chain requirements. [3].
Overall, the complex challenges on sustainable pharmaceutical logistics are not a matter of convenience but a matter of meeting the necessary Good Distribution Practices (GDP) requirements and the decreased flexibility that stems from the nature of the cargo. That’s why shippers of pharmaceutical products who care about sustainable transportation of the products should always prioritize quality of service and turn to their eyes to innovative solutions. The good news is that innovative solutions for sustainable pharma logistics are available – especially with logistics companies that prioritize sustainability and quality of service.