Singapore Airlines recertified for CEIV Fresh by IATA

On 10 January 2024, Air Cargo News announced that Singapore Airlines (SIA) has successfully undergone IATA recertification for its handling of perishable products at its Singapore hub.

• The renewed Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV Fresh) certification is effective for three years, commencing from February 1.
• Currently, nine (9) SIA stations, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Frankfurt, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong SAR, Hyderabad, Singapore, and Zurich, hold this certification.

In 2021, SIA's cargo division introduced ThruFresh, a specialized service designed for the transportation of time- and temperature-sensitive perishable cargo. ThruFresh offers dedicated cold chain services, such as priority uplift and handling, quick ramp transfers, and cold room facilities to preserve the integrity of perishables. Additionally, dry ice top-up services are available at Singapore Changi Airport for transshipments.

This service launch followed SIA's historic achievement of becoming the first airline in Southeast Asia to receive the CEIV Fresh certification.

• As of now, SIA remains the sole airline in the region with this prestigious certification.

• The certification process adheres to IATA's Perishable Cargo Regulations, incorporating inputs from regulatory and operational perspectives provided by government and industry experts.  The IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations includes the following:

  • Applicability (simplifying business and contractual considerations, shipper and carrier responsibilities, special conditions, compliance)

  • Government regulations (compliance, government regulations and laws, variations by country)

  • Carrier regulations (variations by carrier)

  • Perishable facts and types (types of perishables)

  • Packaging (air shipment requirements, package categories)

  • Perishables operations (quality and risk management, booking, acceptance, cargo and ground operations, delivery)

  • Documentation and labelling (waybill, cargo handling codes, captain notification, marking, labelling)

  • Traceability and tracking (general information, RFID)

  • Claims (types, how to inspect, how to study, check list)

  • Air transport of cut flowers (maintaining quality in ornamentals, factors affecting post-harvest quality, post-harvest management, quality control, air transport logistics)
    
    

  • More than 150 experts and delegates from 42 Parties and 25 organizations attended the International Expert Workshop on CITES Non-Detriment Finding (NDFs) from 4-8 December 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. Organized by the CITES Secretariat, the workshop discussed and refined 11 modules, with the objective of providing non-legally binding guidance to CITES Parties – primarily the CITES Scientific Authorities – on different aspects of making a NDF.

    Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 2022 publication guidelines can be read here.

The certification validates SIA's unwavering commitment to meeting the airfreight industry's highest standards for food safety and preventing food waste throughout the supply chain. Marvin Tan, Senior Vice President Cargo at Singapore Airlines, emphasized the airline's dedication to delivering the utmost service quality to its cargo customers, highlighting the IATA CEIV Fresh recertification as confirmation of their strict adherence to safety and quality standards in transporting perishable cargo.

Nick Careen, Senior Vice President Operations, Safety, and Security at IATA, extended congratulations to Singapore Airlines for achieving the IATA CEIV Fresh recertification. He praised SIA's investments in products and services aimed at mitigating perishable product damage and waste, underscoring the airline's commitment to consistently delivering fresh, high-quality products on a global scale.