Why delivering Covid-19 vaccines is the logistics industry’s biggest challenge

Ken Fleming, president at Logistyx Technologies explores the logistical challenges of delivering Covid-19 vaccines around the world.

The sheer speed of developing and gaining regulatory approval for effective vaccines against Covid-19 has been unprecedented. Transporting them rapidly and safely from manufacturing sites to vaccination centres and doctors’ surgeries across the world is possibly the biggest challenge the logistics industry has ever faced.

More than a dozen different vaccines have now been authorised for use in various countries with several more in Phase 3 trials, anticipating roll outs in 2021. Pfizer has stated its intention to produce up to 1.3 billion doses of its Covid-19 vaccine in 2021, whilst Moderna projects between 600 million and one billion doses in the same period. A total predicted capacity of 10 billion doses globally in 2021 means the magnitude of the task is clear.  Managing global distribution strategies for a time-sensitive and in some cases temperature-critical product on such a huge scale creates considerable operational challenges. Many pharma companies and global carriers have turned to supply chain technologies including sophisticated parcel transportation management software to help ensure vaccines get to where they need to be in good time.

Planning for such an immense logistical undertaking started as early as April 2020.  Since then, Logistyx Technologies has worked with a number of pharmaceutical and life sciences customers and their carrier partners to help them plan ahead for the challenges of distributing vaccines worldwide. It was essential to kick off the process early, so they would be ready to go as soon as regulatory approval was granted. The preparations included choosing the right carriers to handle the specific requirements of different vaccine shipments, as well as planning for the bulk storage and return of valuable bespoke temperature controlled ‘cooling boxes’ (with multiple sensors), which some companies are using to distribute shipments. Temperature control and the mass quantities that need to be rushed across the globe have stretched existing medical supply chains’ capabilities and volume.

Agile library of carriers

Any organisation that wants to manage the distribution of the vaccine needed to rapidly build an agile library of carriers - each with the capability to provide the specific services required - to cover all destinations. In many cases, shippers had to quickly identify and go-live with multiple new carriers who specialise in specific geographic locations, and who themselves needed updated documentation and labelling to support the delivery of vaccines - with back-up carriers ready to go in case of carrier capacity issues, or if the first choice did not perform as required. It simply is not an option to throw away vaccines because they were spoiled in transit due to delays or an inability to effectively manage extreme cold temperatures (as low as -70˚C).  To gain approval for shipping with a new carrier, it is necessary to prove that the labels and electronic data produced are compliant with the specifications required by the carrier.  In international shipping, each carrier has its own quirks when it comes to data, and the verification of this is critical, especially if this is the first time that hazardous materials, such as dry ice pods for example, are being shipped. If the data is incorrect, you get errors and delays which you just can’t afford. 

Data verification

The data verification process involves a sequential flow, starting with processing a few orders in a test environment with real data. Having tested the data, the next step is to check that the physical label meets all requirements. Is the ink black enough to be easily read by the carriers’ systems? Is there the right amount of shine on the labels?  Are all the right codes being used? A seemingly simple 2” x 6” label with a 2D barcode contains vital and complex data, including routing codes, information on hazardous materials and payment terms that must be accurate. You do not want a time and temperature sensitive shipment to go astray because the routing code sends it to the wrong hub.

To ensure that vaccines can be shipped as a matter of urgency, this process was reviewed with various vaccine producers, to ensure that millions of shipments are ready and labelled with carrier compliant information to enter the supply chain as soon as regulatory approval is given.

Proactive shipment management

Of course, the preparation for shipping is just one piece of the puzzle. Another important part is complete, real-time visibility of shipments from the point of departure to final delivery. This can be achieved through the Business Intelligence function of a Transportation Management System (TMS) designed for shipping parcels globally and where necessary, partnering with internet-of-things (IoT) providers who deliver deep metadata for truckload visibility. Having the information of the exact whereabouts of any shipment and the possibility of any delays, enables the supply chain leaders who are coordinating the distribution of the vaccines to proactively manage shipments in transit, even potentially diverting them, in order to avoid vaccine degradation.

Using a digitised, cloud-based supply chain system that records every delivery event on a shipment’s journey can also provide the data and analytics required to detect sub-par logistics performance and uncover opportunities to optimise execution for even better outcomes.

Everyone is hoping that a successful global roll out of vaccines in 2021 will bring a return to normalcy. By building flexible and agile supply chains to meet the specific requirements of the various vaccines, with real-time visibility of shipments, the logistics industry is helping to play its part by ensuring that each delivery is right first time, on time, every time.