DHL Express has launched its state-of-the-art, expanded Central Asia Hub (CAH) in Hong Kong, amid fast-growing global trade in recent years.

To date, the total investment for CAH has reached EUR562million (US$602 million) since its establishment in 2004.

"WE have invested more than EUR1.8 billion into our three global hubs, demonstrating our commitment to support our customers ' growth as they expand globally," said John Pearson, CEO, DHL Express.

"CAH is important to our customers in Asia and globally, as it handles close to 20 per cent of DHL Express global shipment volume. While global trade is normalizing following a pandemic boom, our investments today will improve our global and regional network, putting us in an excellent place when global trade recovers."

"Asia is home to some of the fastest growing markets in the world. Since it was established in 2004, we have seen a continued increase in air cargo demand driven by trade between Asia and other regions, and cross-border e-commerce. Even as global trade normalizes after the pandemic, we have seen over 30 per cent growth in throughput between Asia and other continents in the first three quarters of 2023 when compared with the same period in 2019, far exceeding the pre-Covid level," said Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express.

Located strategically in the heart of Asia, the CAH serves as a unique gateway to one of the fastest-growing regions in the world. DHL Express initiated the expansion of this facility to complement the launch of the Hong Kong International Airport's three-runway system, set to be completed by 2024. The expanded CAH will further underscore Hong Kong's role as an aviation centre as it facilitates global trade flow and commerce.

With direct access to airside and landside, CAH is currently the only dedicated and purpose-built air express cargo facility in the Hong Kong International Airport. With a 50 per cent increase in total warehouse space to 49,500 sqm and an automated material handling system, the Hub's peak handling capacity has increased by almost 70 per cent to 125,000 shipments per hour.

In addition, the annual total tonnage management is expected to increase by 50 per cent to 1.06 million tonnes per annum when operating at full capacity. This is six times the shipment volume of when the Hub was first established in 2004.