Case Study in Cold Chain Logistics: delivering a −20 °C biological sample in 72 hours

Summary

• Origin → Destination: New Delhi, India → Indianapolis, USA

• Material: Temperature-sensitive biological research samples

• Required set-point: −20 °C (no excursions)

• Window: ≤72 hours door-to-door

• Solution stack: PacAssured validated packaging + Biomed Global routing + real-time tracking + full documentation and export/customs support

• Outcome: Delivery completed in 72 hours, 0 recorded excursions, research timeline protected

Customer Profile

A lead researcher at Indiana University needed to ship critical biological samples to a collaborating lab in the United States to meet a grant-bound milestone. Any delay or temperature breach would have invalidated months of work.

The Challenge with Cold Chain Logistics

1. Tight timeline: delivery within 72 hours including pick-up, screening, export clearance, air transit, import, and last-mile.

2. Temperature integrity: maintain −20 °C across multiple hand-offs and ambient zones.

3. Documentation & compliance: correct HS codes, MSDS, pack-out records, airway bill instructions, and agency filings to avoid holds.

4. Route risk: Minimize connections and ground time while keeping costs within the academic budget.

What We Delivered (End-to-End)

1) Qualified Pack-Out with PacAssured

• Packaging: PacAssured medium shipper, VIP insulation, and qualified −20 °C PCM packs sized from OQ data for the season and route profile.

• Controls:

  • Pre-conditioned PCM per SOP

  • Buffer capacity for >96 hours to protect against unforeseen delays

  • Calibrated data logger inside the payload zone (1-min logging interval)

  • Breach indicator applied to the lid; tamper-evident seal recorded in chain-of-custody

    
    

2) Biomed Global Air Routing

• Next available flight booking as individual cargo (not consolidated), single-transfer itinerary to cut ground dwell.

• Pre-alert to airline and GHA; priority handling instructions printed on MAWB/HAWB.

  
  

3) Export/Import Documentation & Clearance

• Shipper’s declaration, MSDS, commercial invoice with correct HS code, research end-use letter, pack-out summary, and temperature statement.

• Pre-clearance review with broker; consignee KYC and FDA importer details confirmed before uplift.

  
  

4) Full Chain of Custody & Transparency

• Scan at every hand-off; event log shared with the PI.

• Live telemetry from logger and milestone SMS/email updates.

• Escalation matrix activated for any dwell time exceeding 90 minutes.

Result

• On-time delivery: 72 hours door-to-door

• Temperature performance: 0 excursions; logger trace stayed between −19.6 °C and −22.4 °C

• No holds: paperwork accepted at export and import; no secondary inspections triggered

• Research continuity: receiving lab-processed samples as planned; milestone met

“I work at Indiana University and had the hardest time exporting my biological sample shipment for PhD research before working with BioMed Spedition. Through their persistence we worked through regulations and, once shipped, we received our biological shipment within 72 hours. Highly recommend.”

Shipment Snapshot

Parameter	Detail
Payload	Biological research samples (non-haz, temperature-controlled)
Set-point	−20 °C
Packaging	PacAssured VIP shipper + −20 °C PCM
Logger	Calibrated USB/CSV with 1-minute interval
Route	DEL → hub (1 stop) → IND
Service	Biomed Global (priority)
Total transit	72 hours
Insurance	Optional BioMed Insured available (not used in this run)

Why It Worked?

• Over-qualification of the pack-out (+24 h buffer beyond SLA) reduced route risk.

• Single-transfer itinerary cuts exposure to uncontrolled ambient zones.

• Paperwork accuracy eliminated costly holds.

• Proactive communication kept all handlers aligned and the PI informed.

Planning an export of temperature-sensitive research material? Talk to Us to map the right pack-out, routing, and documentation for your Cold Chain Logistics.