Kuehne+Nagel expands Cool Corridor network with four new pharma airfreight lanes

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Swiss forwarder’s dedicated temperature-controlled routes now total 12, linking major pharmaceutical hubs across four continents and enabling shift to lighter packaging.

Schindellegi, Switzerland – Kuehne+Nagel has expanded its Cool Corridor network for temperature-sensitive healthcare logistics, adding four new airfreight routes that connect key pharmaceutical markets in Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The expansion brings the network to 12 dedicated lanes and introduces weekly capacity on the forwarder’s own Boeing 747-8 freighter for the Frankfurt–Atlanta corridor .

The new routes link Frankfurt and Atlanta, Chicago and Narita, Brussels and São Paulo, and Chicago and São Paulo, strengthening connections between major healthcare and pharmaceutical production and distribution hubs . The Frankfurt–Atlanta lane will be served by Kuehne+Nagel’s own-controlled Boeing 747-8 freighter, Inspire, which operates under a long-term charter with Atlas Air and offers approximately 140 tonnes of cargo capacity .

Cool Corridors are dedicated transport routes designed for vaccines, peptides, biologics and other temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals. The system combines Good Distribution Practice (GDP)-compliant handling with tightly controlled transfer processes to minimise Time Out of Range (ToR) throughout the shipment journey .

Unlike traditional cold chain shipments that rely on active containers with built-in cooling systems, the Cool Corridor model establishes GDP-compliant, temperature-controlled airfreight lanes where Kuehne+Nagel, airlines and ground handlers follow strict protocols to keep healthcare shipments within defined temperature ranges . The approach mirrors a strategy shift that enables customers to transition from active to lighter passive packaging solutions .

Dorothee Becher, Vice President Global Air Logistics Healthcare at Kuehne+Nagel, said the network provides greater control across the shipment journey, helping protect temperature-sensitive products. “With more confidence in shipment conditions, customers can use lighter passive packaging, creating opportunities to reduce logistics costs and transport emissions without compromising product integrity,” Becher said .

The Cool Corridor expansion follows Kuehne+Nagel’s June 2026 addition of Frankfurt to its Inspire freighter rotation, which now connects Atlanta, Chicago, Frankfurt, Liège, Sharjah and Taipei . Frankfurt handles approximately 2 million tonnes of cargo annually and serves as a critical hub for high-value and time-sensitive goods . The Chicago–Frankfurt connection directly links two major pharmaceutical production and distribution centres .

Kuehne+Nagel continues to scale its own-controlled capacity, now comprising more than 100 weekly charter connections worldwide. The company said it will continue expanding the Cool Corridor network in response to customer demand while providing GDP-compliant end-to-end transportation through collaboration with airlines and ground handling partners .

The network expansion reflects Kuehne+Nagel’s strategic focus on strengthening healthcare logistics, particularly for biologics, vaccines and other temperature-sensitive products that require precise handling . For pharmaceutical shippers, the corridors offer reduced logistics costs and lower emissions through lighter packaging, without compromising product integrity .

All Cool Corridor shipments are monitored continuously through Kuehne+Nagel’s HyperCare team, providing real-time visibility and intervention capabilities in case of delays or temperature changes . The company has over 100 GxP-compliant, IATA CEIV-certified airfreight stations in its HealthChain network .

The network’s expansion into Latin America through the Brussels–São Paulo and Chicago–São Paulo routes opens new connections for pharmaceutical flows between the region and major production hubs in Europe and North America .