PERISHABLES AIR CARG O WEEK


F


BATTLING THE HEAT: LATIN AMERICA’S COLD CHAIN CHALLENGES


BY Edward HARDY


12


M


“Ramps are the most critical exposure location in an airport.”


ACW 13 OCTOBER 2025


aintaining


the


integrity


of


temperature-sensitive


pharmaceuticals during airfreight remains one of the most pressing logistical challenges in Latin America. While cold chain management has evolved significantly in Europe and North America, LATAM airports continue to face systemic


hurdles, particularly when cargo is exposed to extreme temperatures on airport ramps. Airfreight globally accounts for roughly 80 percent of reported


temperature excursions, with around 60 percent occurring when cargo sits on the tarmac. For Latin America, this issue is compounded by long cross- hemispheric routes. “Long routes across climate zones increase exposure to temperature variations,” explains Marcelo Mazzali, Management and Quality System at GRU Airport. Handling companies in the region also often lack certification in best practices, further heightening risk.


The silent threat The airport ramp is widely regarded as the most dangerous exposure point for pharmaceuticals. “Ramps are the most critical exposure location in an airport,” Mazzali says, “due to the combination of exposure to the elements, surfaces over 30°C, strong sun, tropical rain, and high humidity.” These conditions generate multiple thermal risks: direct solar radiation,


hot asphalt that re-radiates heat, convective heating from ambient air, and a greenhouse effect inside common plastic film. Mazzali warns that current testing standards often underestimate this threat. “Many laboratories use thermal chambers to simulate time and temperature, but


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it is not truly representative. Solar energy can be ten times more stressful to product temperature than ambient air exposure,” he notes. The consequences for pharmaceutical cargo are significant. Exposure the


on tarmac consumes valuable temperature-stabilisation time,


effectively accelerating the degradation of sensitive products. “When the load is exposed to heat on the tarmac, it ends up consuming the temperature stabilisation time and accelerating the time in hours of temperature maintenance,” Luiza Cervetto, Global Marketing Manager at Cold Chain Technologies, emphasises.


Critical Gaps Beyond ramps, other key risk areas include dock and loading zones, yards, and customs. Boxes often sit on forklifts while paperwork is processed or remain in trucks with engines off, allowing temperatures to climb quickly. At warehouse ‘zero point’ racks, pallets can be exposed to ambient temperatures before reaching cold storage. Even brief customs or X-ray delays—normally two hours—can stretch to 24 hours during holidays or system outages. “Recommended practice is to not leave cargo on the ramp for more than


five minutes,” Cervetto explains. “The reality in Latin America is closer to an average of two and a half to three hours, and we’ve seen delays of up to 12 hours.” Addressing these challenges requires streamlined processes, standard


operating procedures, and greater collaboration among stakeholders. Technological solutions such as thermal blankets and data loggers also


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