India
Air freight, sea freight and customs in Hyderabad
Hyderabad is a global centre for pharma and vaccine production, with a dedicated pharma cargo terminal.
Services in Hyderabad
- Air freight in HyderabadAir freight for time-critical and high-value cargo between Europe, the Americas and Asia.
- Sea freight in HyderabadFCL and LCL sea freight on the main trade lanes, with pre-carriage and on-carriage by road or rail.
- Customs clearance in HyderabadImport and export clearance by our in-house customs teams in 8 countries and by partner teams in the Ziem network.
Airports, seaports and connections in Hyderabad
- AirportRajiv Gandhi International
HYD - SeaportChennai, Visakhapatnam
Hyderabad's air cargo is handled at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) at Shamshabad, south of the city, whose cargo terminal includes dedicated pharma handling facilities that serve the region's large export volume of medicines and vaccines. Hyderabad is an inland city, so sea freight is routed via Visakhapatnam Port and Gangavaram on the east coast, via Krishnapatnam, or via the Port of Chennai. Inland container depots in the Hyderabad area connect to these ports by rail and road.
The Outer Ring Road around Hyderabad links the airport with the pharma clusters, Genome Valley and the industrial estates. NH44 runs north towards Nagpur and south towards Bengaluru, and NH65 connects Hyderabad with Vijayawada and the Andhra Pradesh coast. Rail freight connects the region with Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
Industries in Hyderabad and how we support them
Hyderabad is one of the world's main locations for generic drug and vaccine production. Genome Valley in the north of the city hosts biotech and vaccine manufacturers, and pharma plants cluster in industrial areas around the city. Aerospace and defence suppliers and IT firms add electronics and high-value parts. Ziem Logistics supports pharma and life-science exporters with temperature-aware air freight from HYD under our own air waybills, documentation to GDP principles, On-Board Courier for clinical samples, sea freight via the east-coast ports and customs clearance by our partner team in the Ziem network.
Operational logistics facts for Hyderabad
| Hub | Specialisation | Local advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) pharma terminal | Medicines, vaccines, temperature-controlled cargo | Dedicated pharma handling for exports under our own air waybills |
| Genome Valley | Biotech, vaccines, life sciences | Pick-up arranged directly at manufacturers and labs |
| Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Chennai ports | FCL/LCL for active ingredients and finished goods | Sea freight combined with export customs in one shipment file |
| Outer Ring Road | Road link between airport and industrial clusters | Direct trucking from plants to the HYD cargo terminal |
Customs clearance in India
Ziem network
Customs clearance in India is handled by a partner team in the Ziem network, under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures.
For air freight to and from India we issue our own air waybills.
Importers in India need an Importer-Exporter Code (IEC).
Frequently asked questions
How do you ship vaccines and temperature-controlled pharma from Hyderabad?
We agree the temperature range with you, select passive or active packaging, book capacity on suitable flights from HYD and use the airport's pharma handling facilities. The temperature requirements are written into the booking and the air waybill instructions.
Can you send clinical trial samples from Hyderabad by On-Board Courier?
Yes. For very urgent or sensitive samples an On-Board Courier can carry the shipment by hand from Hyderabad to the destination. We check in advance whether the samples, packaging and any dry ice are acceptable for hand-carry on the planned route.
Do you collect pharma shipments from plants outside the city?
Yes. We arrange pick-up from pharma plants and labs around Hyderabad, including Genome Valley and the industrial estates along the Outer Ring Road, with temperature-controlled trucks where the product requires it.
Which approvals are needed to import active ingredients into Hyderabad?
Imports of drugs and many active pharmaceutical ingredients require registration or licences under the rules of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, in addition to the importer's IEC. We review the documents with you so the bill of entry filed via ICEGATE is complete.
Who clears pharma exports at Hyderabad airport?
Export clearance at HYD is carried out by a partner team in the Ziem network, working under the Ziem Logistics brand and to our procedures. They file the shipping bill and coordinate any required drug export documents with you before the shipment is tendered to the airline.
Can sea imports for Hyderabad be cleared at an inland depot?
Yes. Containers can move under bond from the port to an inland container depot in the Hyderabad area and be cleared there, or be cleared at the port and trucked to you. We recommend the option that fits your delivery location and documents.