DHL Express Enhances Asia Pacific Network to Help Customers Manage Geographic Headwinds

DHL Express, has bolstered its aviation network and ground facilities with significant enhancements across Asia Pacific in the past year. Comparing the first three quarters of 2023 and 2024, DHL Express moved around 6% more shipments between Asia Pacific and the rest of the world this year, proving that Asia Pacific will continue to play a bigger vital role in global trade. Amplifying its regional connectivity and efficiency enables DHL Express to cater to new poles of trade growth emerging across Asia Pacific driven by supply chain diversification and geographic tailwinds.
 
Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express said, "Asia Pacific markets are facing significant growth boosted by diversification of global supply chains, structural tailwinds and e-commerce. Thanks to our forward planning, we are well-positioned to respond to these shifts in demand with the timely and strategic enhancements we have made across the region. These enhancements also put us in an excellent position to support our customers during the traditional peak season where consumer e-commerce traffic will spike.“
 
Southeast Asia is a rising star in global trade. With its young and skilled workforce, several trade agreements, and focus on innovation, the region is attractive and one of the fastest-growing destinations for international traders looking to diversify their supply chains.
 
In the past year, DHL Express has expanded several key facilities in the region to keep pace with increased trade. It upgraded the South Asia Hub located by Changi Airport, Singapore to cater for anticipated volume growth, which stood at more than 20% in 2021 and 2022. Playing an essential role in DHL Express's multi-hub strategy for Asia Pacific, the South Asia Hub leverages Singapore's position as a key logistics hub to serve shipments destined for Europe, Americas, Asia and Oceania. Upgrades to the Hub include the deployment of new X-ray screening machines that raise scanning capacity by close to 30% and enhancements made to the existing material handling system that increase sorting capacity by almost 40%.
 
South Asia Hub is also home to five DHL-owned Boeing 777 freighters operated by Singapore Airlines under a crew and maintenance agreement. These aircraft offer an additional payload capacity of over 1,200 tons, optimizing transit times between the Americas and Asia, as well as bridging trade between the continents. The new Boeing 777s consume 18% less carbon emissions compared to the legacy B747-400s – reducing DHL's Scope 1 emissions.