According to wwd.com, DHL Express has tripled its parcel shipment processing capacity at its Shenzhen air cargo hub following a four-year, $205 million expansion — its largest investment in China to date.
Shenzhen Super Gateway Now Operational
The upgraded facility at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport now offers 237,000 square feet of operating space and incorporates high-speed sorting systems, automated storage, robotic arms, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Construction began in 2022, and the gateway is now fully operational. It supports growing cross-border trade, e-commerce shipments, and time-definite international express services from one of China’s most vital manufacturing and export regions. The site is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and further strengthen DHL’s network capabilities in southern China.
Expanded Flight Network and Regional Connectivity
Following the launch, DHL will open additional direct cargo flights from Shenzhen to major cities across the Asia-Pacific region and globally. Previously, the company operated more than 30 weekly outbound flights from Shenzhen, according to the airport authority. Packages can be shipped directly to other DHL air hubs or moved by road to the Central Asia Hub, where cargo is flown out via Hong Kong International Airport into DHL’s global network.
Strategic Response to Trade Policy Shifts
The timing aligns with normalization in China–U.S. air traffic after a volatile 2025, marked by dramatic shifts in American trade policy that disrupted trans-Pacific volumes. DHL Group CEO Tobias Meyer stated in an earnings call earlier this month that the impact of last year’s end to the de minimis provision for Chinese shipments — which previously allowed duty-free entry into the U.S. for parcels valued under $800 — has now been “cycled out.” He added:
“We are back to normal, but not on the same level [as before the end of de minimis]. The growth has gone to other lanes.” — Tobias Meyer, CEO, DHL Group
New Air Routes and Heavyweight Capacity
Capitalizing on evolving trade flows, DHL Express launched a new dedicated widebody Boeing 767 freighter route linking Shanghai, Bangkok, Bahrain, and Brussels. According to Peter Bardens, Senior Vice President for Network Operations and Aviation, Asia Pacific at DHL Express,
“This route is a direct response to how trade flows in Asia are shifting. 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.”
The service provides up to 50 tons of daily air freight capacity. It also supports DHL’s expanding Heavyweight Express offering, enabling air transport of shipments larger than 50 kilograms via its international time-definite network.
Trans-Pacific Freight Forwarding Expansion
DHL Global Forwarding recently introduced a new three-times-weekly Bangkok-to-Cincinnati air cargo service. Each flight operates with a high-capacity widebody freighter capable of carrying up to 100 tons per flight, complemented by road feeder connectivity across the U.S. The trans-Pacific network already includes routes from Hanoi (Vietnam) and Taipei (Taiwan) to key U.S. gateways including Cincinnati and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Meanwhile, DHL Express’ total international daily shipment weight rose 9.4 percent in Q2 — the first quarterly increase after five consecutive quarters of decline.
Source: wwd.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
