As part of its transformation plan, and as one of the most relevant players in the transport of perishable goods in Latin America, Avianca Cargo met all the necessary requirements in order to receive the CEIV Fresh certification from IATA. This certification places Avianca Cargo as the first airline in the Americas to achieve the highest standards of quality and excellence for the transportation of perishable goods.
Latin America has become a global leader in the production and exportation of perishables. For Avianca, it represents more than 50% of its transported cargo, including flowers from Colombia and Ecuador and other perishables such as fruit, fish, and meat products from Chile, Peru, Argentina, and all of Latin America to the United States, Europe and the rest of the world.
“At Avianca Cargo, we are constantly seeking to operate under the highest quality standards in each process we carry out, this is a highly relevant milestone and today we are very proud to receive this certification from IATA, Miami International Airport, and all our allies who are a fundamental part of the supply chain of perishable transport. We continue transforming our business and we want to continue being the best ally of our clients by transporting their products that are sensitive to time and temperature, under the highest quality standards. We continue to work every day to promote the development of Latin American economies and be a quality reference in the region”, said Gabriel Oliva, CEO of Avianca Cargo.
The CEIV Fresh certification is part of Avianca Cargo’s strategy focused on excellence in the handling of perishable products. It’s an essential part of its procedures, culture, training, infrastructure, and monitoring to always guarantee the product’s freshness.
CEIV Fresh is based on the IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations which combine regulatory and operational inputs from government and industry experts. With this certification, IATA certifies that Avianca Cargo meets the highest industry standards for food safety and waste prevention throughout the supply chain.
Avianca Cargo has achieved this certification through risk and quality management, highly trained personnel for handling perishable goods, active collaboration, transparent communication, and a standardized approach to the transportation of perishable goods.
“Air cargo plays a very important role for the economies in the region. In many countries, agricultural exports contribute significantly to the socio-economic development. Almost 70% of all goods shipped via air freight between Latin America and North America consist of perishable products. Without the cooperation and collaboration of companies in the cold chain, and without harmonized global guidelines and standards followed by all, the risks of something going wrong are quite high. The industry has recognized this challenge and the benefits of this certification, that’s why we congratulate Avianca Cargo for taking this step and obtaining its CEIV Fresh Certification” Peter Cerdá, VP, Regional Americas IATA.
“Congratulations to Avianca Cargo for the recognition earned due to its outstanding dedication to cargo handling,” said Ralph Cutie, Director, and CEO of MIA. “We’re the busiest airport in terms of perishable cargo, handling 69% of all perishable imports coming into the country; therefore, we’re proud to celebrate this great global achievement with Avianca Cargo’s Miami station.”
The official presentation of the certificate took place during an event at Avianca Cargo’s facilities in Miami with the participation of Peter Cerdá, VP Regional Americas IATA; Ralph Cutie, Director & CEO MDAD; Laura Pullins, President CNS and Abel Serrano, Assistant Port Director for Agriculture, U.S. Customs & Border Protection.
