Yusen Logistics has opened a 1,000-square-metre healthcare distribution hub at the Bari Interport, operational since 6 October, in a move that cuts last-mile distances for pharmaceutical deliveries across the Puglia region.

The facility, run through Yusen's healthcare units Movianto and Eurotranspharma (ETP), features 14 loading docks and full Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliance. It supports two temperature-controlled ranges: 15–25°C ambient and 2–8°C chilled operations, the band most critical for vaccines and biologics.

What does the hub change for pharma distribution?

From Bari, Movianto and ETP now run daily deliveries to pharmacies, hospitals and pharmaceutical wholesalers throughout Puglia. The site plugs a regional gap for a supply chain that has historically relied on longer hauls from consolidation points further north.

The hub also connects daily to the operators' existing facilities in Melzo, near Milan, and in the Naples area. That creates a north–south corridor for moving pharmaceutical products across Italy while strengthening local distribution capacity in the southeast.

For shippers of temperature-sensitive medicines, the commercial effect is straightforward: shorter transport legs reduce both transit time and the cumulative temperature-excursion risk that GDP audits scrutinise. Daily frequency gives hospitals and wholesalers a tighter replenishment cycle than intermittent long-haul deliveries could support.

Who is behind the expansion?

"The opening of our Bari hub is an important step in strengthening our healthcare distribution network in Southern Italy," said Gaetano Colella, Managing Director of Movianto Italy. "Its strategic location enables us to serve pharmacies, hospitals and pharmaceutical wholesalers across the Puglia region every day, while maintaining the high quality and compliance standards our customers expect."

The Bari opening forms part of Yusen Logistics' wider strategy to build out its healthcare logistics network across Europe. The company is combining Movianto's and ETP's pharmaceutical distribution expertise with its broader freight and logistics services to offer more integrated supply chain solutions.

Bruno Jacques, CEO of Yusen Logistics Healthcare Europe and Deputy Managing Director of Yusen Logistics Europe, confirmed that further investment is planned in Italy and other European markets.

The companies did not disclose the investment value behind the Bari site or the shipment volumes they expect it to handle.

Why regional pharma hubs are multiplying

The Bari facility reflects a broader pattern in European pharmaceutical logistics: operators are pushing stock closer to end points rather than centralising it. GDP-certified, dual-temperature regional hubs let distributors serve hospitals on daily cycles while keeping cold-chain integrity intact over shorter distances.

For forwarders and 3PLs competing in healthcare, the bar is rising. GDP compliance, validated temperature bands and dock density at locations like Bari — 14 bays on 1,000 square metres — are becoming baseline requirements to win pharmaceutical contracts in secondary cities and southern regions, not just in the traditional northern European strongholds.

With Jacques signalling additional investment in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, Yusen appears set to keep adding regional capacity, and rivals in pharma logistics will face mounting pressure to match that coverage in Italy's south and beyond.