DHL has launched a daily air cargo service between Brussels and Cincinnati, USA, with an aircraft specially equipped to transport temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.
The Boeing 777 will carry urgent medical shipments, including vaccines, medicines, and biopharmaceuticals, which require consistent temperatures such as 2–8°C or 15–25°C.
DHL emphasised that even slight variations can compromise product efficacy, potentially leading to its destruction.
To ensure full control over logistics, DHL is deploying its own modified cargo planes rather than relying on commercial freight space.
The first such flight will operate from Thursday between Brussels Airport and Cincinnati, with evening departures and arrivals. These are not night flights, clarified DHL spokesperson Lorenzo Van de Pol.
Brussels was selected deliberately for this route, connecting two key pharmaceutical hubs.
According to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Belgium exported €71 billion worth of pharmaceuticals in 2023, placing it behind Germany (€102 billion) and Switzerland (€84 billion).
The US is also a major player, exporting $93 billion of pharmaceuticals annually and housing several leading industry firms.
DHL stated that it continues to invest in Brussels and Belgium’s future-facing industries during challenging times.
Currently, over 35% of DHL’s cargo business at Brussels Airport is linked to pharmaceuticals, and the company aims to establish the hub as a major European centre for health logistics. Brussels is already DHL’s fourth-largest cargo hub globally.
This new link marks the first step in DHL’s broader plans to strengthen its position as a leader in health logistics. Additional routes across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America are planned.
Over the next few years, DHL intends to invest €2 billion globally into pharmaceutical logistics.
