DHL Global Forwarding extends sea-air multi-modal service to Africa

DHL Global Forwarding is enhancing Asia-Africa services by combining ocean and air freight services to eight new destinations in Africa.

Called DHL SeaAir, it now extends to Abidjan, Brazzaville, Kinshasa, Dakar, Luanda, Douala (Cameroon), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) and Pointe Noir (Congo-Brazzaville).

Combining the use of ocean and air freight, DHL SeaAir service allows customers to manage their supply chains more cost-effectively as the new service is 30 to 50 per cent faster than "pure ocean freight", with cost savings of 40 to 60 per cent compared to standard air freight, the company said.

"Trade between Asia and Africa rose more than 400 per cent in the past decade from 2001 through 2010," said DHL Global Forwarding Asia-Pacific chief Kelvin Leung.

"The accelerating rate of Asian trade and investment in Africa holds great promise for Africa's economic growth and development and maintaining this momentum is key. As such, the need for speedy and cost-effective connectivity between the two regions has never been greater," Mr Leung said.

With the new DHL service, shipments originating in Asia travel via ocean freight to Singapore, Dubai, Incheon, Sydney or Los Angeles, and onward via air freight to 169 destinations across the world.

For customers in Africa, shipments will be forwarded primarily through Dubai and then transferred into pre-booked air cargo space to be flown into Africa. This reliability not only stabilises the supply chains of customers in Africa throughout the year, but makes DHL SeaAir a viable alternative during peak season congestion as well.