The growing global demand for pharmaceutical products is driving increased requirements for specialist handling and distribution services, with LATAM Cargo reporting a sharp increase in freight volumes between Europe and Brazil during 2026.
From January to July, pharmaceutical shipments carried by the airline group's cargo division rose by approximately 150% compared with the same period last year.
The surge was largely attributed to increasing demand for GLP-1-based medicines, widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These products accounted for around 15% of all cargo transported by the company between Europe and Brazil during the first seven months of the year.
The growth highlights the expanding need for reliable logistics solutions capable of handling sensitive pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products, many of which are transported in powder, granule and bulk formulations before final processing and packaging.
Overall freight volumes between Europe and Brazil reached almost 32,000 tonnes during the period, representing a 27% year-on-year increase.
Alongside pharmaceutical products, general and consolidated cargo made up around 75% of shipments and included industrial equipment, mining machinery, textiles and commodity
products.
According to Jorge Carretero, cargo sales manager Europe at LATAM Airlines Group, the increase reflects growing demand for specialist logistics services across multiple sectors.
To support pharmaceutical supply chains, LATAM Cargo has expanded its handling capabilities with temperature-controlled storage areas, climate-monitored transport solutions, cargo segregation procedures and thermal protection systems. These measures are designed to maintain product integrity throughout the distribution process, particularly for temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical materials.
As pharmaceutical production and international trade continue to grow, specialist handling, storage and distribution solutions for powders, granules and temperature-sensitive materials are becoming an increasingly important part of the global logistics chain.
LATAM Cargo sees rising demand for pharmaceutical powder and granule logistics
