DHL expands China-Middle East air cargo link

DHL Express has launched a daily Boeing 767 freighter service linking Shanghai, Bangkok and Bahrain, strengthening air cargo connections between China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The route will operate on a Shanghai-Bangkok-Bahrain-Brussels-Shanghai rotation, with the aircraft carrying up to 50 tonnes.

For the Middle East, the new service adds capacity through Bahrain, which acts as a key DHL hub for shipments moving between Asian markets and the region. It also provides a link for cargo continuing to Europe through Brussels.

The service comes as trade between China and Southeast Asia grows, with manufacturers in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos sourcing materials and components from China. This creates more demand for air cargo links that can move goods through regional hubs and onward to major markets.

The additional capacity can support shipments of electronics, industrial components, consumer goods and other time-sensitive cargo moving into the Middle East. It also gives businesses more routing options as supply chains become spread across several countries.

"This route is a direct response to how trade flows in Asia are shifting," said Peter Bardens, Senior Vice President for Network Operations & Aviation – Asia Pacific, DHL Express. "We're seeing increasing movement of goods between China and Southeast Asia, alongside continued demand from customers in Europe and the Middle East for products manufactured across the region. This new route boosts our network where customers need it most, providing additional capacity and more direct connections between key production and consumption markets."