Swissport has reached a significant operational milestone at EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg, handling 1,000 temperature-controlled containers (RKN-equivalent units) through its “cool+connect” facility. The milestone reflects strong growth in pharmaceutical volumes and reinforces Basel’s role as a key European gateway for life science air cargo.
Since the launch of its “cool+connect” infrastructure in February 2025, Swissport has processed more than 1,000 temperature-controlled containers at EuroAirport Basel, with monthly volumes increasing to 200-250 (RKN equivalent units). This sustained growth reflects increasing demand for reliable, airport-based cold chain solutions, positioning Swissport at the heart of global pharmaceutical supply chains connecting Europe with key markets in Asia and beyond. The milestone underscores Basel’s growing importance as a European life science export hub and confirms Swissport’s expanding role as a strategic gateway for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical shipments, backed by a network of 24 certified pharma centres and 65 pharma-capable warehouses worldwide.
With its dedicated cool+connect infrastructure and integrated digital monitoring systems, Swissport has significantly optimised the handling of +2 to +8°C shipments by consolidating consignments directly at the airport in order to be loaded into Active Cooltainer while maintaining 100% the cool chain. This eliminates off-airport trucking loops, reduces handling times by around 70%, and materially lowers CO₂ emissions, while ensuring maximum shipment integrity.
“Reaching this milestone highlights the structural growth we are seeing in temperature-controlled cargo,” says Andreas Behnke, Regional Head of Cargo, Switzerland, Italy and France. “Demand from global pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare logistics providers continues to increase, particularly for airport-based solutions that reduce complexity and transit time. Our unique state-of-the-art facility combines efficiency, scalability and sustainability in a way that meets the evolving requirements of modern pharmaceutical supply chains.”
Strengthening cold chain resilience with enhanced airside protection
Building on the success of cool+connect, Swissport is further strengthening cold chain resilience at Cargo Basel with newly tested thermal covers for transport dollies. Designed for extreme heat and cold conditions, the reusable and washable covers maintain stable temperatures for up to three hours during airside transport. Specially adapted cargo dollies have been equipped with the system, ensuring seamless integration into daily operations without additional handling complexity.
This investment further mitigates weather-related risks and reinforces end-to-end temperature control for critical healthcare shipments, reflecting Swissport’s ongoing commitment to innovation in cold chain logistics.
