Russia is becoming an increasingly bigger market for pharmaceutical companies, due to the size of the population, the government’s drug reimbursement programme, and the increase in drug consumption. Temperature-sensitive biological samples already account for a large proportion of TNT’s shipments out of Russia.TNT has expanded its presence in the Russian market in recent years with new domestic and international services, including dedicated services for the clinical trials market. These comprise a clinical trials co-ordination centre desk in Moscow, special vehicles to collect and deliver temperature-controlled shipments, and expedited customs clearance. Earlier, in March, TNT started connecting Western Europe with Yekaterinburg, the largest city in the Urals (1,667 km east of Moscow) with 1.3 million inhabitants. TNT’s European Road Network also connects Moscow, St Petersburg and Nizhniy Novgorod.
TNT launches Moscow-Liege service
TNT Express has launched a five times weekly air cargo service linking Moscow and its main European hub Liege, via Warsaw. The new route, operated by a B737-300 providing 16 tonnes of capacity, will secure and speed up the expedition of time-critical shipments to and from Russia. The service will carry cargo such as, automotive parts, clinical supplies and biological samples like blood and human tissue. In 2009, the Russian pharmaceutical market grew by 18 per cent in value to US$17 billion and may increase by a further 11 per cent in 2010, according to market research firm DSM Group.