The group wants to strengthen connectivity between major pharmaceutical hubs via its temperature-controlled healthcare logistics network.

DHL Global Forwarding has expanded its DHL Health Logistics Cold Chain Network with six new life sciences and healthcare air corridors connecting Europe and North America with healthcare and pharmaceutical hubs across Asia.

The newly established corridors include Liège-Shanghai, Brussels-Shanghai, Brussels-Singapore, Cincinnati-Singapore, Cincinnati-Tokyo Narita, and Cincinnati-Seoul Incheon. Together, they aim to strengthen connectivity between major pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and distribution hubs through DHL’s growing temperature-controlled healthcare logistics network.

“These new corridors… respond to customer demand for reliable connectivity between major healthcare markets while giving us greater control over critical quality parameters throughout the transportation process,” said Henk Venema, global head of air freight at DHL Global Forwarding. 

The firm said that keeping shipments within the DHL network reduces handovers and gives it greater control over the cargo throughout its journey and supports consistent and reliable handling of temperature-sensitive healthcare products.

The new routes expand DHL’s Cold Chain Network, following the launch of the Brussels-Cincinnati air corridor earlier this year. The Cold Chain Network combines dedicated healthcare corridors, specialised operational processes, validated handling procedures and temperature-controlled infrastructure. The corridors support temperature-controlled shipments and are designed to limit exposure to temperatures outside the required range during handling and transfer.

The launch follows the firm’s recent announcement of expanded healthcare logistics investments in Singapore, including the future DHL Singapore Cold Chain Hub, which will increase healthcare connectivity across Asia-Pacific through dedicated 2-8° Celsius and 15-25° Celsius storage and handling areas combined with direct airside access.