DHL Global Forwarding has launched a dedicated 100-tonne weekly air freight service for organizations and governments shipping goods from China to Africa and the Middle East.

The freight forwarder said it will consolidate cargo from across China into Guangzhou and air freight them via Dubai to their various destinations across Africa and the Middle East, all within two or three days — capitalizing on Dubai’s strategic geographical location.

The bulk of the cargo is expected to comprise personal protective gear such as masks, gloves, hand sanitisers and goggles. Equally, part of the cargo will head to other countries in the Middle East to plug the demand gap there.

DHL said the service will operate for four weeks starting April 21, but the forwarder said it is actively seeking to secure routes to all of Africa and boost capacity to the Middle East and Africa in the longer term.

“DHL Global Forwarding is bolstering logistics support to our customers in the region who need to ensure stable supply chains, especially for medical and critical supplies during this critical period. With multiple flight cancellations that have strained worldwide air freight capacity, we remain committed to leveraging our capabilities, global network and customized solutions to ensure that goods and critical resources continue to reach people and communities in Africa and the Middle East,” said Amadou Diallo, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa.

With its geographical location and superior infrastructure as a transit hub, Dubai plays a key role as a gateway between China and the rest of Africa and the Middle East.

DHL said Africa is Dubai’s third-largest trading partner in volume terms and Africa’s non-oil trade with Dubai has been growing steadily over the last decade, accounting for 10.5% of the emirate’s total non-oil foreign trade in 2018.