Vaccine Market Growth: ONE's Insights on the New Supply Chain

While the world's attention has moved on from pandemic logistics, the vaccine market hasn't slowed down—it's evolved. ONE's analysis explains why ocean freight remains a critical, sustainable solution for modern distribution.

The global vaccine market is in a new phase of sustained growth, presenting challenges for pharmaceutical supply chains that require resilient, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions.

As the focus shifts from emergency response to long-term supply, building a modern, multi-modal supply chain is key.This means seamlessly integrating ocean and inland transport to move goods efficiently from the warehouse or lab to the final consignee.

Trends in Vaccination Coverage Rates for Major Vaccines

Source: World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF

Insight 1:
Why is the global vaccine market still expanding post-pandemic?

The broader vaccine market remains on an upward trajectory, fueled by several fundamental trends. Rising income levels in developing countries are boosting routine immunization rates, while scientific innovation is delivering new vaccines for diseases like malaria and dengue. The ongoing need to combat other infectious diseases also creates sustained demand that requires a robust global logistics network.

Insight 2:
How did COVID-19 reshape immunization priorities?

As countries work to close the significant immunization gap created by the pandemic, reliable logistics infrastructure becomes essential. The goal to increase new vaccine introductions in lowand middle-income countries by 2030 is a primary driver of future vaccine demand, signaling a sustained need for dependable global distribution.

Impact of COVID-19 on Vaccination Rates

Source: World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF

Insight 3:
Why is ocean freight a powerful solution for vaccine transport?

Air freight was instrumental during the pandemic's emergency phase; for the long-term, container shipping enables sustained, scalable distribution. It offers a powerful combination of quality, costeffectiveness, and sustainability.

• Quality & Integrity: Modern reefer containers are designed to maintain the strict 2°C to 8°C temperature requirements for most vaccines, adhering to Good Distribution Practice (GDP) guidelines and ensuring product safety with real-time monitoring.
• Maximizing Reach: The efficiency of ocean freight allows immunization programs to stretch their resources further, enabling more people to be vaccinated with the same budget while maintaining the highest standards of cold chain integrity.
• A Healthier Planet: Its carbon footprint is nearly 20 times lower than air freight, supporting the long-term viability of global immunization programs while meeting institutional environmental commitments.

Insight 4:
Navigating Market Volatility with a Resilient Supply Chain

A critical lesson from the pandemic is how fragile demand and public confidence can be. For planners, this underscores the strategic importance of building resilience—for instance, by diversifying manufacturing hubs. While this strategy is key to meeting volatile demand, it requires an exceptionally flexible and reliable global logistics network to succeed.

What This Means for Planners and How ONE Can Help

As the global vaccine market continues its steady growth, the need for an efficient, multi-modal international logistics network is indispensable. Shippers face the challenge of ensuring good product integrity across long distances while managing costs and environmental impact.

Ocean Network Express (ONE) is a leader in specialized refrigerated cargo, providing the advanced end-to-end solutions — integrating both ocean and inland transport — and global network needed to move sensitive pharmaceuticals safely and efficiently. Our young fleet and advanced technologies like CONTAINER+, which offers precise tracking and monitoring, are a perfect fit for these needs. Our expertise in GDP-compliant reefer technology ensures that we can help you build the resilient and responsible supply chain required to meet the critical demands of global public health.

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Data Sources: Insights and data presented in this article are based on information from leading global organizations, including S&P Global Market Intelligence, The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and other publicly available sources.