News / Tech firms step up as airlines look to boost cool chain capability

The arms race among airlines in the lucrative and fast-growing pharma and life sciences sector is at full throttle.

Swiss WorldCargo has started using a new lightweight container for medicine shipments, an active temperature-controlled unit powered by solar energy.

The Swiss Airtainer unit, which recently made its debut on the route from Basel via Zurich to San Francisco, can maintain temperatures between 1°C and 25°C, in normal conditions, with a maximum payload of 1,188kg.

It is built with eco-friendly materials, which weigh 250kg ...