DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its air freight capacity between Asia and Europe with the launch of new weekly services connecting key logistics hubs.
The company will operate Boeing 777F flights on routes linking Shanghai and Leipzig, as well as Hong Kong and Liège, aligned with the start of the summer aviation schedule. The services are supported by DHL Aviation assets and integrated with the DHL Express network.
According to DHL, the move is intended to strengthen capacity and reliability on the Asia-Europe corridor, where demand continues to grow.
“Expanding our controlled capacity on the Asia-Europe corridor reinforces our commitment to reliability, speed and resilience for our customers,” said Henk Venema, global head of air freight at DHL Global Forwarding. “The demand on that trade lane continues to grow at an exceptional pace.”
Leipzig will serve as a key European gateway for shipments from Shanghai, supported by its role as a major DHL Express hub and its processing infrastructure. The Hong Kong-Liège route will include a stopover in Tel Aviv, with the return leg feeding into DHL’s European distribution network.
DHL said the new services are part of a broader effort to align operations across its divisions. By leveraging assets from DHL Aviation and DHL Express, the company aims to provide additional controlled capacity and improve connectivity across major trade lanes.
Travis Cobb, EVP global operations and aviation at DHL Express, said the approach reflects closer internal collaboration: “By joining forces across DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Express, we ensure that customers benefit from our combined strength as the world’s leading logistics provider.”
The company added that further network enhancements are planned, including increased transpacific capacity between Southeast Asia and the USA later in 2026.
DHL said the additional capacity is designed to improve flexibility and resilience in supply chains, while supporting continued growth in international trade flows between Asia and Europe.
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