At LogiPharma’s 25th anniversary event, pharmaceutical leaders explored the industry’s growing shift from air freight to ocean — driven by cost, visibility, and risk management.
As global supply chains grow more complex, pharmaceutical companies are rethinking their reliance on air freight. At the recent LogiPharma conference, logistics provider Maersk joined Pfizer to explore the case for ocean freight as a viable, resilient alternative.
Visibility and control were central to the discussion. Maersk highlighted its integrated network of sea, land, terminals and warehouses — with reefer containers equipped with real-time Remote Container Management (RCM) technology feeding into its Captain Peter platform for shipment monitoring.
“Visibility helped engage internal stakeholders: this was the counter-argument for ‘why not ocean’,” said Pfizer’s Thomas Fant, Director Global Transport Solutions Operations Lead EMEA. “We had an ocean journey before Maersk, but the investigations were long… That’s where Maersk came in: they have control in the terminals and owned assets.”
Supporting the transition is Maersk’s Hypercare program, which provides 24/7 supervision by GDP-trained staff. This team can raise pre-alerts, source data manually if sensors fail, and coordinate ground response quickly. Fant said this approach has reduced investigation times and enabled Pfizer to expand its ocean program from eight to more than 100 lanes.
Power-off times at ports are also being reduced. In Montreal, pharma containers now average 0.9 hours without power, compared to 2.2 hours for general cargo — allowing pharma companies to optimise packing strategies by lane.
Real-time sensor placement also matters. “If you set the data logger facing the container wall and the sun shines on it, it may give a different picture,” said Sebastian Steinmueller, Global Product Head Pharma Cold Chain at Maersk.
Best practices like airbag placement for airflow and thermal blankets for insulation were also discussed, alongside Maersk’s ability to adjust container temperatures mid-voyage — including a +20°C to +4°C change trialled near the Cape of Good Hope.
While third-party freight forwarders remain common, Maersk said direct customer relationships provide richer data and more tailored control.
Ultimately, the session emphasised that collaboration across stakeholders will be key to building more shock-proof pharma supply chains — with ocean playing an increasingly central role.