Freight Shipping Services
From a single pallet moving across the country to a full aircraft chartered for a critical international shipment, Mercury manages freight of every scale and complexity for life sciences and pharma.
When a Parcel Is Not Enough
Not every shipment fits in a box. Life sciences and pharmaceutical operations regularly move oversized equipment, large-volume clinical supplies, full laboratory contents, and exhibit materials that require purpose-built freight solutions rather than standard parcel networks. These moves demand more planning, more coordination, and a partner with direct experience in the regulatory environment that surrounds these products.
Mercury's freight services are designed for organizations where the cargo itself carries regulatory, clinical, or operational significance. A chromatography system being installed at a new research facility is not just equipment. A shipment of investigational drug product filling a refrigerated truck is not just freight. The stakes attached to these moves require a logistics team that understands what is inside the shipment, not just how much it weighs.
Air, Ground, and Dedicated Capacity
Mercury moves freight across three primary modes. Air freight provides the speed required for time-sensitive cargo on commercial scheduled services, with proactive tracking and exception management on every booking. For situations where no scheduled service can meet the timeline or routing requirements, Mercury charters dedicated aircraft, securing the full capacity and timetable directly to the nearest airports at both ends.
On the ground, Mercury manages both partial and full truckload movements. Less-than-truckload shipments consolidate freight efficiently for clients who need reliable ground transit without committing to full truck capacity. For cargo that cannot be shared with other freight due to size, sensitivity, or regulatory requirements, dedicated full truckload moves provide a direct, uninterrupted lane from origin to destination.
Moves That Go Beyond Standard Freight
Several of Mercury's freight services address requirements that general carriers are not equipped to handle. Trade show logistics operate under venue-specific rules and deadlines that bear no resemblance to standard shipping. Getting exhibit materials to a conference floor on time, without incurring decorator fees and without losing control of the shipment, requires a team that knows how trade show freight actually works.
Laboratory and office relocations involve equipment that is sensitive, expensive, and often irreplaceable. These moves require detailed coordination between the origin site, the destination, and the logistics team to ensure that instruments are decommissioned, transported, and reinstalled without damage or compliance risk. White glove delivery extends this standard to any freight requiring careful final placement, uncrating, and debris removal at the delivery address.
Consistent Oversight Across Every Mode
What connects Mercury's freight services is not the mode of transport but the way every shipment is managed. A dedicated squad handles coordination, tracking, and exception response for each move. Clients have a single point of contact regardless of whether the freight is moving by pallet truck, cargo plane, or charter aircraft. This model eliminates the fragmented communication that makes freight shipping frustrating for life sciences teams who need to stay focused on their work.
Compliance Built Into Every Step
Freight logistics becomes complicated when the cargo carries regulatory or clinical significance. Standard freight brokers optimize for cost and capacity. Mercury optimizes for the outcome your program requires, whether that means a dedicated aircraft, a carefully sequenced laboratory move, or a trade show delivery that arrives on the right floor at the right time.
Mercury's squad model applies the same level of attention to a pallet of clinical supplies as it does to a chartered aircraft. Every freight move gets an assigned team, a direct contact, and proactive communication throughout transit. You are not waiting on a tracking portal or a call center when something needs attention.
If your freight needs fall outside what standard carriers handle well, Mercury is built for exactly that gap. Tell us what you need to move, where it needs to go, and when it has to arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What is healthcare logistics?
Healthcare logistics encompasses the planning, coordination, and execution of shipping, storage, and distribution for medical products including pharmaceuticals, biological specimens, medical devices, and hospital supplies. It requires specialized temperature control, regulatory compliance, chain-of-custody documentation, and trained personnel to ensure products arrive safely and maintain their integrity throughout transit.
What temperature ranges does Mercury support for pharmaceutical shipping?
Mercury supports four validated temperature zones: cryogenic at -196°C using liquid nitrogen dewars, frozen transport at -20°C to -80°C with dry ice management, refrigerated shipping at 2-8°C for biologics and vaccines, and controlled room temperature shipping at 15-25°C for stable pharmaceutical formulations. Each zone uses purpose-built packaging validated under worst-case seasonal conditions.
Does Mercury provide same-day hospital courier services?
Yes. Mercury provides dedicated same-day courier services for hospitals with direct door-to-door transport, real-time GPS tracking, and no intermediate stops. Later pickup times after 5 PM accommodate end-of-day laboratory runs, and 24/7 availability including weekends ensures continuity for facilities that never close.
How does Mercury handle bloodborne pathogen compliance for medical couriers?
All Mercury couriers handling biological specimens are trained in OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) compliance, including proper PPE usage, triple-packaging protocols, spill response procedures, and exposure prevention. Mercury maintains a written Exposure Control Plan and provides annual refresher training for all courier personnel.
What certifications does Mercury hold for healthcare logistics?
Mercury is ISO 9001:2015 certified and operates under GDP (Good Distribution Practice) guidelines. All electronic records meet FDA 21 CFR Part 11 standards. Mercury's systems support DSCSA traceability requirements for pharmaceutical products and IATA/DOT dangerous goods regulations for biological specimen transport.
Can Mercury ship pharmaceutical products internationally?
Yes. Mercury provides international pharmaceutical shipping with pre-cleared customs documentation, GDP-compliant handling protocols, and temperature monitoring throughout transit. Onboard courier services are available for the most critical international pharmaceutical shipments, with a dedicated professional physically accompanying your package in-cabin.
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