DHL launches dedicated air freight service from China to Africa and Middle East

• Much-needed personal protective gear will make up the bulk of the cargo
• Leveraging DHL's global network and Dubai's status as a transit hub, the solutions will bridge the current gap in uplift from China

DUBAI, UAE - Media OutReach - April 21, 2020 - DHL Global Forwarding has launched a dedicated 100-tonne weekly air freight service for organizations and governments shipping goods from China to Africa and Middle East. Capitalizing on Dubai's strategic geographical location as the gateway to countries in the region, the leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services will consolidate cargo from across China into Guangzhou and air freight them via Dubai to their various destinations across Africa and Middle East, all within two or three days.

"DHL Global Forwarding is bolstering logistics support to our customers in the region who need to ensure stable supply chains, especially for medical and critical supplies during this critical period. With multiple flight cancellations that has strained worldwide air freight capacity, we remain committed to leveraging our capabilities, global network and customized solutions to ensure that goods and critical resources continue to reach people and communities in Africa and the Middle East," said Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa.

With its geographical location and superior infrastructure as a transit hub, Dubai plays a key role as a gateway between China and the rest of Africa and the Middle East. Africa is Dubai's third largest trading partner in volume terms and Africa's non-oil trade with Dubai has been growing steadily over the last decade, accounting for 10.5% of the emirate's total non-oil foreign trade in 2018. Named after the Nguni Bantu word, ubuntu ("humanity") used across Africa to refer to the universal bond of sharing, UbuntuConnect refers to the China-Africa lane where bulk of the cargo is expected to comprise personal protective gear such as masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and goggles.  Equally, part of the cargo will head to other countries in the Middle East to plug the demand gap there.

Whilst the secured uplift from China will be in operation for four weeks starting April 21, DHL Global Forwarding is actively seeking to secure routes to all of Africa and boost capacity to the Middle East and Africa in the longer term.  

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DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world".

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 63 billion euros in 2019. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.