DHL Express adds A330-300 to rapidly-growing Asia-Pacific air network

The A330-300 of DHL Express feature a range of upgrades to convert from passenger to freight use

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, today announced the launch of its new Airbus A330-300 with 33% more freight capacity per flight. The aircraft landed in Ho Chi Minh City on February 20 and connects the fast growing markets of Malaysia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.

This is the first of four A330-300 aircrafts 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.

Following its conversion from passenger to freight use, the A330-300 feature a range of upgrades, including reinforcements to its fuselage, floor structure, and door frame shell. Additionally the model has 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 of 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 Vietnam, where the local e-commerce market is growing at 35% per annum. Subsequent A330-300 slated for deployment later this year will also focus on intra-Asia connections as the region’s middle-class—and its consumption rates—continues to expand.

“Rising income levels and Internet access have powered a veritable e-commerce revolution in Asia’s cross-border trade,” said Sean Wall, executive vice president of Network Operations and Aviation, DHL Express Asia-Pacific. “Yet there is still immense upside despite the amount of growth so far. The new A330-300 will provide cost-efficiency and high-volume capacity—carrying more than 20 per cent extra cargo than other mid-range cargo aircrafts—needed for businesses to take advantage of these intra-Asian opportunities.”

"We are thrilled to introduce the first Airbus A330-300 into our commercial operations," said Shoeib Reza Choudhury, DHL-VNPT Express Ltd.’s general director. “The new freighter will enhance our capability to provide better services and better capacity for our customers in the Vietnamese market. This new freighter, combined with the newly opened service center in Binh Duong last December, allow us to better support the growth potential we see in Vietnam. We will continue investing to expand our trade network and enhance our ability to deliver excellent service with simplicity in order to maintain our leading position in the Vietnamese international express market.”