Demand for express shipments across these routes is being fuelled by the rapid growth in e-commerce.
DHL Express will deploy two B777 freighters operated by Kalitta Air and Aerologic, whose combined scheduled flights will offer close to 2,350 tonnes of capacity per week. The B777 freighter aircraft has a payload capacity of 102 tonnes and a range of 9,600 kilometres, making it ideal for long-haul routes.
The aircraft operated by Kalitta Air will fly five times a week from the US to the hub in Singapore via Sydney, making stops in Hong Kong and Japan Nagoya before returning to North America. Kalitta Air will also operate a new flight route that flies between Singapore and Sydney six times a week.
The B777F operated by AeroLogic – the joint venture cargo airline of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo – will fly six times a week from Leipzig to Hong Kong and Singapore before making a stop at Bahrain and returning to Leipzig.
"With the new routes, businesses and consumers from Australia and New Zealand can expect the transit time for their shipments to and from the US and Europe to improve as they look to expand their reach to the rest of Asia Pacific, the US and Europe," commented Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific.
"Shipment volumes into and out of the Oceania region have grown exponentially. Our investment in the new aircraft and dedicated flight routes with increased frequency signify our confidence in the region's growth trajectory and equally demonstrate our commitment to facilitate global trade as the economy heals."