DHL Express deploys A330-300 in Asia Pacific air network

SINGAPORE, Mar 14: DHL Express, the world's leading international express services provider, has deployed its first ever Airbus A330-300 in its air network, servicing the fast-growing markets of Malaysia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong with 33 per cent more freight capacity per flight, says a Media OutReach release.

The aircraft is the first of four A330-300s to join the DHL Express fleet under a new passenger-to-freighter (P2F) deal with Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a joint venture between Airbus and Singapore Technologies Aerospace, flying six times a week.

With a gross payload of 61 tonnes, the A330-300 will provide additional high-volume, lower-density capacity in Asia Pacific, catering specifically to regional e-commerce activity which, in 2017, accounted for 40 per cent of global e-commerce sales.

Following its conversion from passenger to freight use, the A330-300s feature a range of upgrades including reinforcements to its fuselage, floor structure, and door frame shell; newly-installed safety barrier nets; and a powered cargo loading system.

"E-commerce is expected to generate US$1.365 trillion in total retail sales Asia-wide this year, a number that will more than double to $3 trillion by 2021," said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific.

"The introduction of the passenger-to-freight A330-300 marks a significant step forward in enhancing our service standards to match the evolving needs of our customers, e-commerce merchants and other businesses tapping into intra-Asia trade growth."

The first A330-300 will serve markets with particularly high e-commerce trade volumes, including Malaysia with a compound annual growth rate of nearly 18% from now to 2022; and Vietnam, where the local e-commerce market is growing at 35 per cent per annum.