DHL Global Forwarding Adds Six US-Asia Healthcare Cold Chain Corridors

DHL Global Forwarding expanded its healthcare cold chain network with six bi-directional corridors connecting North America and Europe to pharmaceutical hubs in Asia, the company announced Oct. 12. The new U.S. routes link DHL's Cincinnati (CVG) hub to Singapore (SIN), Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Seoul Incheon (ICN). The corridors are part of DHL's Health Logistics Cold Chain Network and aim to give pharmaceutical shippers flexible routing, temperature-controlled capacity and more consistent transit to reduce supply chain risk. DHL spokesperson Laura Lehnen told Supply Chain Dive that demand is currently strongest from North American and European manufacturing hubs to Asia, with most available air freight capacity weighted toward Asia Pacific inbound flows. Most routes use DHL's Boeing 777 fleet, equipped with three compartments with dedicated temperature settings. DHL is also investing at CVG, planning five temperature-controlled dollies for extreme-weather transfers and a new airside facility in 2027 for temperature-controlled storage of inbound and outbound Unit Load Devices. Rival FedEx launched a dedicated healthcare logistics organization in June.