DHL Global Forwarding has shipped more than 1.3 million Covid-19 test kits from South Korea to countries around the world and was selected to be part of new air freight network launched by the Australian government to bridge the air freight capacity gap.
In South Korea, DHL Global Forwarding (DGF) air freighted more than 1.3 million Covid-19 test kits to Brazil, Ecuador, India, Lithuania, Poland and Russia in the first three weeks of April as countries around the world raced to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Tapping on its global network of Life Sciences & Healthcare (LSH) facilities, its suite of temperature-controlled solutions and its customs clearance expertise, the international freight forwarder will also ship test kits to Saudi Arabia in several shipments.
Charles Kaufmann, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding North Asia, commented: “Our team of experienced LSH logistics specialists are working tirelessly to get medical and healthcare supplies to their destinations. Temperature management specialists from LifeConEx use world-class solutions to ensure the integrity of the test kits throughout their journey.”
Lauded for its efforts in slowing the spread of Covid-19, South Korea attributed its success to its massive testing campaign with the support of local diagnostic device manufacturers. South Korea has seen demand from more than 110 countries for its test kits with analysts in Seoul estimating global demand to come in at about 700,000 a day.
With one of its largest producers of test kits churning out 1 million units a week, the country is currently one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of Covid-19 test kits.
SP Song, Managing Director, DHL Global Forwarding Korea, added: “In addition to test kits, we have also been sending personal protective equipment such as facial masks and protective suits. South Korea has also been identified as a key supplier of PPE to India, and these products are equally needed in countries where the virus is still virulent. We are trying to do our part to support the global community and the frontline workers in combating this epidemic.”
DGF recently launched a dedicated 100-ton weekly air freight service for organizations and governments shipping goods from China to Middle East and Africa, with health and medical-related items, such as PPE, making up the bulk of the volume. The service will plug the air freight capacity shortage shippers face with travel restrictions and changing air freight routes amid Covid-19 developments.
Meanwhile, in Australia, DGF has been appointed to be part of the new air freight network established by the government to facilitate international freight as commercial airlines slowly return to normalcy.
The network will allow the Government’s $110 million International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) to ramp-up assistance to exporters and re-establish global supply chains, in turn also assisting importers of essential goods, such as healthcare supplies, personal protective equipment, automobile spare parts, and construction and manufacturing materials.
The Australian Department of Agriculture has identified supply chain disruptions as the biggest threat now to farmers and fishermen in the country, where around 65% of agricultural products are exported, with the bulk going to China, Japan, United States, South Korea and several Asia Pacific countries.
DHL Global Forwarding Australia revealed that virtually all of its high value perishables exports, including fruits, vegetables, pre-marinated and fresh meat, seafood and dairy products, are now catered to food retail businesses such as supermarkets.
This is in contrast to the pre-COVID supply chain distribution dominated by wholesale networks, where some 70% of the company’s food exports typically go to food service businesses.
Bernie Cooney, Perishables and Livestock Manager, DHL Global Forwarding Australia, explained: “We are working towards restoring supply chains for all our customers. We are hopeful that with these measures, we can start to restore some of the pre-COVID volumes for perishable exports, and more if the Asian markets start to open up again once containment measures prove successful.”
In addition to the export of high value perishables, DHL Global Forwarding is supporting the Australian Government IFAM program with the import of critical products like PPE and other essential goods.
