ENVIRONMENTAL
UPDATE
capturing data, we now know
what’s really going on inside
a truck, inside the belly of an
aircraft or while waiting in
between. New tools like AI
and Machine Learning can
help us analyse shipments
from the past and help predict
shipments of the future.”
And to make the cool chain
greener?
“By reducing waste, we
reduce the relative carbon
emission of shipments as
the various transport modes
are used more efficiently.
Besides that, our members
are looking into various
upcoming technologies and
developments, like electric
trucks, lighter packaging and
passive cooling containers
that don’t require electricity,
alternative fuels... just to name
a few.”
Current R&D focus
“The CCA has always had
a strong focus on quality
and process improvement
to reduce risk and waste in
the temperature sensitive
supply chains of perishables
and pharmaceuticals.
Our Cool Chain Quality
Indicator has been adopted
and adapted by the industry
and has contributed to the
development of current
standards, like IATA’s CEIV
Pharma and CEIV Fresh.
“Close co-operation
between CCA members has
resulted in a number of
innovations. Thermal blankets,
reefer shipments of flowers
by train, cool dollies and realtime
temperature monitoring
solutions were all developed
by or with CCA members.
“Our latest project is
focused on tags that measure
temperature exposure in
degree-hours of perishable
products, from origin to
destination. This will also
provide valuable insights
for creating stability budgets
in last mile deliveries of
pharmaceuticals.
“The industry is currently
used to working with
temperature ranges, for
example 2-8ºC/15-25ºC for
pharma and 0-4ºC and other
ranges for perishables. If
an excursion outside of the
temperature range is measured,
products may have to be put
into quarantine for analysis or
complete shipments may be
discarded.
“It is sometimes a
challenge to maintain
these narrow temperature
ranges. This results in parties
being reluctant to measure
temperature and share the
data. So shippers will put
loggers in with their products,
but can only determine
results at the end of the
journey – when it’s difficult to
understand what went wrong
and who was responsible.
“But basically we have
all been asking ourselves the
wrong question. What is really
interesting to know is the
temperature exposure over
time – and this is measured
in degree-hours. If a flight
takes ten hours and the
required temperature range
is 2-8ºC, then the airline is
allowed to add 8C x 10h = 80
degree-hours of energy. Now,
suddenly, we have a very
simple KPI to measure and
report.
“This also allows for
budgeting the total chain.
Flowers in your home at 21ºC
get 21 x 24h = 500 degreehours
per day. With a sevenday
vase life guarantee, 3,500
degree-hours are allocated for
the consumer. If the flowers
can take 4,000 degree-hours
in total before they die (this is
established in vase life tests),
that means that the total cool
chain has a “budget” of 500
degree-hours. This budget
can then be divided over the
different players in the supply
chain.
“The actual calculations
are a bit more sophisticated.
Temperatures below 0ºC are
measured separately and we
can introduce “impact factors”
for higher temperatures,
but this can all be simply
programmed. Measuring the
degree-hours on a tag and
broadcasting relevant data
via, for example, Bluetooth,
allows the key players to work
together. By sharing data they
become transparent, can create
timely alerts and prevent
things from going wrong.
They can act like a team
where one player can even
compensate for another.
The end result will be better
quality, less waste and
increased trust in the cool
chain.”
And for the future?
“Facilitating and enabling
vertical and horizontal
collaboration, education
and innovation amongst its
members and all key players
is the main objective of the
CCA. We organise at least
two conferences a year, one
focused on pharmaceuticals
and one on perishables. This
is where people meet, where
results from projects and new
developments are shared and
discussed and where new
ideas and projects originate.
The community that we have
created is gaining momentum
and we intend to improve the
future by giving the cool chain
industry a voice.”
GEVO GRANTED
FUNDING IN
AUSTRALIA
Colorado-based renewable jet
fuel producer Gevo has secured
funding from the Queensland
government to support the
assessment of a waste-to-biofuel
project in the Australian state.
The Queensland Waste to
Biofutures Fund provides targeted
funding for pilot, demonstration
or commercially scalable
biorefinery projects that use
conventional waste streams or
biomass to produce bioenergy,
biofuels and high-value
bioproducts. The award follows
an initiative in which Gevo took
part to supply aircraft at Brisbane
airport with blended sustainable
aviation fuel through the airport’s
general fuel supply system.
Gevo’s participation in the
trial, which was completed last
year and which involved Virgin
Australia and the Queensland
government, has led to the state
being considered as the location
for the company’s first biorefinery
outside of the US.
28 August 2020 www.airlogisticsinternational.com
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