Multi-Modality and Synchro-Modality
RELEVANCE
Pharmaceutical supply chains face growing challenges from geopolitical disruption, transport-capacity constraints, infrastructure limitations, sustainability pressures and changing customer expectations. Traditional transport planning offers limited flexibility to adjust routing in transit.
Synchro-modality enables the coordinated use of different transport modes (air, ocean, road, rail, barge/inland waterways) based on real-time conditions, product requirements and supply-chain priorities, balancing capacity, lead time, cost, sustainability and risk. However, switching transport modes introduces risks related to temperature integrity, product protection, data visibility, documentation, customs processes, liability and stakeholder accountability.
GOALS
Pharma.Aero initiated this project to move beyond a theoretical description of synchro-modality and develop practical guidance to help Life Science and MedTech supply chain stakeholders assess, design and implement synchro-modal solutions safely and compliantly.
Project Objectives
Objective 1: Current-State Assessment & Industry Requirements (WP1)
Establish a common evidence-based understanding of how multimodal and synchro-modal healthcare logistics operate today, the level of market maturity, and the principal barriers and opportunities for wider adoption.
Objective 2: Synchro-Modality Framework, Risk & Decision-Support Tools (WP2)
Develop the practical methodology and decision-support framework that organisations can use to assess, design and implement a pharmaceutical synchro-modal solution safely and systematically.
Objective 3: Stakeholder Operating Model, Validation & Implementation Roadmap (WP3)
Define how the different actors in a synchro-modal pharmaceutical supply chain should work together and validate that the proposed framework is practical, usable and suitable for future implementation.
Objective 4: Project Synthesis, Technical Report & White Paper (WP4)
Consolidate the project findings and tools into technical guidance for industry practitioners and translate the key conclusions into an accessible white paper supporting wider industry awareness and adoption.
Timeline
Oct - Dec 2026
Current State Assessment & Industry Requirements
Jan - March 2027
Synchro-Modality Framework, Risk & Decision-Support Tools
April - June 2027
Stakeholder Operating Model, Validation & Implementation Roadmap
July - Sep 2027
Project Synthesis, Technical Report & White Paper
PROJECT
SUPPORT AND
COLLABORATION.
Pharma.Aero Board of Directors Liaison: Liew Zhong Yao (Changi Airport Group)
Project Leads: Nina Heinz (MSC Air Cargo), Tan Jia Hao & Benjamin Koh (Changi Airport Group),
Gergely Szorcsik (Zoetis), Sebastian Steinmueller (DHL), Tineke Van de Voorde (Port of Antwerp-Bruges)
Advisory Members: Daniel Mauban (DHL), Julien Mutschler (Tempmate), Gaetan Van Exem (Maersk), Denise Gerets (H. Essers)
Internal Strategic Expert: Frank Van Gelder (Pharma.Aero)
Project Manager: Sara Van Lerberghe (Pharma.Aero)
External Project Expert: Axel Hartman (Independent Consultant)