Asco Soğutma General Manager Ünsal Angar: "Deterioration Of A Truck- Load Of Vaccine Will Mean The Late Access To Vaccine By Lots Of People"

"WE ARE IN EXCHANGE OF OPINION WITH STATE INSTITUTIONS"

"CARRIER AND OTHER MANUFACTURERS IN THE MARKET WORKS INTENSIVELY FOR -70"

As My Truck Magazine, we have put the issue of cold chain transportation, which plays an important role in the transportation process on our agenda. In this context, Editor in Chief of My Truck Magazine, Nuray Pekcan directed the related questions to General Manager of Carrier’s Turkey Distributor Asco Soğutma, Ünsal Angara. You can read the details of the interview in our news.

Highlights from our conversation;

“We make cooler choices based on factors such as capacity and air flow. Of course, the most important factor here is how many cubic meters of refrigerant is required in the box and at what temperature this truck or trucking rig will transport the load. In other words, the biggest factor in the choice of cooler is the capacity selection according to the need. Current systems are the ones that can be adjusted between +30 and -30 degrees. The design of the systems and all their components are made accordingly. All technical calculations have been made accordingly. We use a refrigerant in these systems. The refrigerant has certain chemical properties and the pressures it produces at certain temperatures. There are components selected according to these pressures. It can be provided with small tolerances in special conditions at intervals other than +30 and - 30 degrees. Currently, the vaccine developed by Moderna for covid-19 can be transported at -20 degrees. We make our choices for temperatures between -30 and +30. But now the agenda is how to transport medicine at -70 degrees. How to carry out the transport of medicine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech partnership. Carrier also has studies on this subject. However, due to the characteristics of the current vaccine, there is no technology ready to carry at -70 degrees.”

"Since It Cannot Be Transported At -70 Degrees, It Needs To Be Distributed Within Very Limited Periods"

“It looks like vaccine transportation will be done with packaging systems and fast transportation method; in other words, with plane cargo. Of course, there is no airport everywhere, and since it cannot be transported at -70 degrees after arriving at the airport, it must be distributed in very limited periods. As far as I know, it has a very long time at -70 degrees and a life of one week at -20 degrees. Therefore, if the vaccine is transported by plane cargo at -70 degrees and quickly transported to the distribution places, it is at the coldest temperature possible, not -70. In other words, if it can be transported at -30 degrees in our current commercial cooling systems, the vaccine can reach people without deterioration. Unfortunately, there is currently no technology to carry the vaccine at -70 degrees. It takes 15,000 flights within two years to transport the vaccine by plane, and it can only be achieved in this way.

"We Are Talking About The Vaccination Of 80 Million People in the Fastest Way"

“Unfortunately, domestic trucks and trailers that distribute medicines are far from performing a vaccine distribution at -20 degrees or colder. Because, in our country, the vehicles used in the transportation of medicine are to be used at + 4, + 15 and +20 degrees. If there is a minuscule transport, most will fail. So they do not have such capacity and efficiency. There is a Public Health Institution that makes transportation at -20 degrees for this. Are these investments of the Public Health Institution sufficient? This is separate issue. The Public Health Institution has made investments in the last 5 years for medicine and vaccine transportation. Especially for distribution from warehouse to institutions. We participated in some of these tenders and in some of them we already supplied them with Carrier devices. The devices we supplied were selected to operate at -20 degrees at that time. The Red Crescent also has such an investment. However, I do not know if the Red Crescent will be assigned in this vaccine distribution. Red Crescent received for blood plasma transplant. It is cooler than -30 degrees because the blood plasma is transported at -40 degrees. However, here we are talking about the vaccination of 80 million people in the fastest way. How will this vaccine be distributed? Will the available vehicle be sufficient to distribute this vaccine? These institutions will think about it. We are in contact with such state institutions and we are in constant exchange of views. "

"Deterioration of a Truck – Load of Vaccine Will Mean the Late Access to Vaccine By Lots of People”

“A private company had requested a redundant unit from us for vaccine transportation. Yet, the unit may break down during a transport. The load it carries is important both for materially and for human health. Deterioration of a truck-load of vaccine will mean the late access to vaccine by lots of people. Therefore, there was a request for a second cooler to be backed up in case something happens to the cooler while carrying the load. About 7-8 years ago, we made double-unit products on trailers for the company in this way. The company still receives the vaccines coming from abroad to Istanbul with these trucks from the port and transports them to the Public Health Institution in Ankara. While we were working with this company at that time, we put these units through tests for 3-4 days. Because even the degree is so sensitive that, then the desired degree was not -20; inside the whole case should not deviate from +5 degrees plus and minus 2 degrees. ”

"Both Telematics and Back - Up System If Possible, Are Extremely Important in Vaccine Transport"

“There are common solutions for telematics. As each brand has its own solutions, there are also solutions that we call third party in the market. However, there is an advantage in the telematics solutions of our own brands, namely the brands that produce coolers. It's not just the warmth inside. It also includes many functions such as controlling the cooling device remotely, remotely changing the temperature, eliminating an alarm or malfunction. We have such experiences. Both telematics and back-up system, if possible, are extremely important in the market, and especially in vaccine transport. "

"If The Number of Trucks and Vehicles Is Not Sufficient, They May Need to be Increased"

“As far as we have heard from televisions at the moment, the vaccine for which 50 million doses has been ordered is the Chinese vaccine and then, the Russian – made vaccine will be brought. It is said that the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna will not come in the first place. In fact, those that are difficult for transport temperature are RNA type vaccines. The Chinese vaccine and Russian vaccine we are talking about here are traditional vaccines. It is easier to manage their temperature since they need to be transported at +4 degrees. I think there will be no big trouble for the relatively first dose batch. If the number of trucks and vehicles is not enough, they may need to be increased.”

"This Situation Affected Us Selling The Supplementary Product Of The Heavy Vehicles"

“I think that the sector will grow in the transportation of food, vegetables and fruits with the spread of ATP legislation and the increase in its control. I think this will have positive reflections. When we look at it since 2015, we have always been in a narrowing sector, especially as the heavy vehicle market. Despite the negative impact of Covid-19 this year, the heavy vehicle sector experienced a leap compared to last year. This situation affected us selling the complementary product of heavy vehicles. I think this will continue and both the revival of the sector and the pressure of regulation will benefit the sector. "

"It Will Surely be Brought to Turkey and GDP Certificate will be Required for Domestic Transport”

"There is a legislation on vaccine transport in Europe. In Europe, the law we call Good Distribution Practice (GDP) is in force. With this law, there is a certificate given not only in storage but also at every stage of the cold chain such as distribution. The pharmaceutical companies receive this and the companies give loads if the vehicles of the transporters they use as subcontractors are compliant with the GDP. There are trailers with GDP in the fleets of many international shipping companies in our country. However, this law does not apply in Turkey. And it will surely be brought to Turkey and GDP Certificate will be required for domestic transport. TSE has a study about this. When we met with colleagues from TSE, they stated that they were planning an organization to be able to issue the GDP certificate. This law will also come to our country in order to regulate domestic transportation like ATP, albeit with a delay. I think the post - Covid process will accelerate this. Carrier and other manufacturers on the market are working hard, especially for -70. This vaccine sooner or later come to Turkey and vaccine logistics processes will be solved. Because the next two years are mentioned for the vaccine. It is said that 2021 and 2022 will not be enough to vaccinate the whole world. During this time, a solution will definitely be developed. "

* Good Distribution Practice (GDP); Good distribution practice (GDP) defines the minimum standards that a wholesale distributor must meet to ensure that the quality and integrity of medicines is maintained throughout the supply chain.