In pharma transport the requirements of Good Distribution Practice (GDP) apply: pharmaceuticals must be transported in such a way that quality and integrity are preserved across the entire supply chain – with defined temperature control, qualified processes and seamless documentation. A temperature excursion of a few degrees can render a whole batch unusable; the cold chain must be planned accordingly without compromise.
Speed Logistics runs pharma transports GDP-compliant as a direct run without transhipment – in the two pharma-relevant climate windows 2–8 °C (cold chain) and 15–25 °C (controlled room temperature). The personal dispatch team is reachable around the clock, and you receive the fixed-price offer within a few hours.
Scope of services in GDP transport
- Active temperature control: vehicles and active climate containers hold the target window 2–8 °C or 15–25 °C independently of the outside temperature – even in summer heat and border waiting times.
- IoT monitoring with real-time alerts: sensors record the temperature continuously; on deviations the system immediately alerts dispatch, which intervenes before an excursion arises.
- Audit trail: seamless temperature and handover documentation from loading to delivery – as proof for your Qualified Person and regulatory audits.
- Premium handling: direct run without transhipment, trained staff, documented handovers at defined points.
Process: qualified instead of improvised
Before the first transport we align the requirements with your quality management: climate window, measurement intervals, alarm limits, procedure in case of deviations and the form of documentation. After that every transport runs according to this defined process – from the pre-conditioned load space through the temperature check on collection to the temperature log you receive with the proof of delivery. In case of deviations a defined escalation path applies instead of the driver's ad-hoc decisions.
Pharma transports to non-EU countries: Gulf, Türkiye, North Africa
Pharma exports to non-EU countries combine cold chain and customs clearance: we run temperature-controlled direct transports to Türkiye, North Africa and the Gulf region – including the export declaration, door to door from EXW to DDP. For Saudi Arabia we take into account the SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) requirements for import and temperature proof; the necessary registrations of your products we align in advance with your importer.
Cost of a GDP transport
Because of climate technology, monitoring and documentation, GDP-compliant transports usually run 30–50 % above the standard transport price. Depending on climate class, volume and distance the non-binding guide value is around €499–4,999 – in return you receive an auditable cold chain instead of a residual risk for the entire batch.
Typical shipments and clients
In GDP transport we move vaccines and biologics in the 2–8 °C cold chain window, finished medicines and OTC products at controlled room temperature, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) for production as well as clinical trial samples with particularly strict documentation. Clients are pharmaceutical manufacturers and contract manufacturers (CMO/CDMO), pharmaceutical wholesale as well as companies in clinical research.
Each of these product groups brings its own requirements – from the measurement interval through alarm limits to the question of who decides in the event of a deviation. These parameters we define before the first trip together with your quality management and record them bindingly for all follow-up transports. In this way the single transport becomes a qualified, repeatable process that your Qualified Person can substantiate towards auditors.