DHL Group has expanded its dedicated airfreight cold chain network to strengthen the transportation of temperature-sensitive healthcare products worldwide.
The initiative forms part of DHL’s broader €2 billion investment programme in its DHL Health Logistics division and is aimed at improving the reliability and visibility of supply chains for pharmaceuticals, vaccines and advanced therapies.
Strengthening Temperature-Controlled Air Cargo Capacity
The expanded network is designed to support the transport of critical healthcare products such as medicines, vaccines and cell and gene therapies. It combines dedicated air cargo capacity with temperature-controlled handling and Good Distribution Practice (GDP)-compliant facilities across DHL’s aviation network.
According to the company, the development will connect more than 30 GDP-compliant aviation hubs and gateways, enabling end-to-end monitoring and improved handling standards for sensitive pharmaceutical shipments.
The expansion also reduces reliance on third-party carriers by increasing DHL’s own dedicated capacity for temperature-controlled transport.
Key Airfreight Corridors
One of the first routes introduced under the expanded network connects Brussels Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, linking major life sciences markets in Europe and the United States.
The corridor provides direct connectivity between the U.S. Midwest and Europe’s pharmaceutical manufacturing clusters. At Brussels, the route is supported by specialised pharmaceutical handling infrastructure at BRUcargo, including dedicated temperature-controlled zones.
Further network expansion is planned to support key pharmaceutical markets including India, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, the United States, Germany and Ireland.
Dedicated Freighter for Healthcare Logistics
To support the expanded cold chain network, DHL has introduced a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter operating on the Brussels–Cincinnati route. The aircraft features DHL’s “Health Logistics” branding and provides consistent cargo capacity on one of the company’s key pharmaceutical trade lanes.
The network expansion reflects growing global demand for reliable temperature-controlled logistics solutions as pharmaceutical supply chains become increasingly complex and time-sensitive.
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