03/09/2021 - 12:29 / SETCESP

West Cargo, in partnership with the companies Alper Consultoria em Seguros and Sompo Seguros, carried out all the logistics for loading, transporting and unloading Covid-19 vaccine loads. The effort made by the company was done completely free of charge. To this day, approximately 67 million doses have been transported from the Butantan Institute, in São Paulo (SP), to the Ministry of Health's storage location, located near to Guarulhos International Airport (SP), from where it is distributed throughout the country through the National Immunization Plan.

“West Cargo already has a vocation for prioritizing social responsibility. Therefore, when we became aware of the opportunity to transport the vaccine, which above all has the purpose of saving lives, we didn't hesitate to join the initiative. The best way to do this was to leverage our expertise and contribute by donating the strategic transport service,” notes Aluísio Barbaru, Executive Planning Manager at West Cargo.

“Even with the proposal to donate the service, given that it involves a highly sensitive cargo, our proposal went through the selection process coordinated by the State Government of São Paulo. During this process, all necessary sanitary licenses and the thermal qualification of refrigerated vehicles were evaluated. After approval, we internally emphasize the importance of our role in the immunization process of the Brazilian population, and each employee is fully engaged in this noble mission,” highlights the manager.

Planning

Due to the high demand for vaccines throughout Brazil, intelligent logistics are necessary for the cargo to safely reach their destinations. West Cargo is a company that has a specific division for this type of transportation, the Pharmaceutical Division, which includes specialized professionals who operate with the company’s equipment and authorizations from ANVISA for the transportation of medicines.

Drivers

“Each driver had special training in the safety measures required by the Government due to the pandemic, as well as in handling the vehicle so the transportation could take place in the most agile way possible, as every second can represent a saved life”, says Kelly Martins, Executive Administrative Manager at West Cargo.

“We are already a reference in the market when it comes to defensive driving. In this specific case, we also have an escort provided by the Federal Highway Police (PRF) throughout the transportation of the cargo. West Cargo is known in the market for its efficiency in transporting medicines and we are very comfortable with the mission of distributing the vaccine”, adds Barbaru.

Furthermore, the company implemented a series of specific procedures to maintain the quality of the immunizers. One of them is that a pharmacist and a work safety technician accompany each transport completely, from loading to unloading. The use of measuring equipment to control the trunk's internal temperature and a timer to monitor the time the door is open are among the essential tools required for the operation.

Another important point is that the trunks are sterilized before each trip so that there is no possibility of contamination. In terms of safety, a checklist is made of all sensors (door, panel, release, temperature variation, window grid, velocimeter and trunk locks) and actuators (electronic trunk or fifth wheel locks, siren, ignition or fuel lock, among others), as well as the mechanical part and fuel levels before each shipment. In addition to the police escort, every operation is monitored by satellite.

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