DHL Global Forwarding plays important role in COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Japan

DHL Global Forwarding plays important role in COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Japan

• DHL Global Forwarding contracted for vaccine distribution to Japan
• First successful delivery to Japan completed end of last week
• Pharma freezers at DHL facility in Japan ensure vaccine is stored at -70 degrees until final delivery

(PRESS RELEASE) BONN, 15-Feb-2021 — /EuropaWire/ — Deutsche Post DHL Group announces that its air and ocean freight specialist DHL Global Forwarding has been contracted for the vaccine distribution to Japan, further expanding its global presence in vaccine logistics. The first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines successfully arrived end of last week. Further shipments will be delivered in various batches by air from the DHL Global Forwarding hub in Belgium to Japan throughout the year. Customs clearance and delivery to a temporary storage facility in Japan, as well as dispatching the vaccines to vaccination facilities across Japan are all being handled by DHL.

“The world has taken another milestone in effectively combating COVID-19 with the development of the vaccines. Now it is essential to make it available to as many people as possible”, says Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. “Logistics plays a key role here. It is our job to get the vaccine to where it is urgently needed, and we accept the responsibility.”

To safely store the vaccine at -70 degrees until the final domestic delivery in Japan, deep freezers were installed at a DHL storage facility. Further, warehouse operations have been ramped up and this project will create additional job opportunities for local workers in the area.

“We are proud to play a role in helping the people of Japan receive their vaccinations for COVID-19, which has upended lives and businesses here. While DHL Global Forwarding’s well-established cold-chain network and pharmaceutical logistics expertise were key to the success of the shipment, our dedicated employees were the true unsung heroes who meticulously planned every last detail to manage an extremely complex operation seamlessly,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

Across DHL’s dedicated global network, more than 9,000 specialists work to connect pharmaceutical and research organizations, wholesalers and distributors, as well as hospitals and healthcare providers across the value chain. With this contract, the logistics expert for air, ocean and road freight expands its global presence in vaccine distribution.

DHL’s portfolio for the healthcare industry includes 150+ pharmacists, 20+ clinical trials depots, 100+ certified stations, 160+ GDP-qualified warehouses, 15+ GMP-certified sites, 135+ medical express sites, and an international network covering 220 countries and territories.

Media contact:

David Stöppler
Pressesprecher für die Themen DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Freight

Deutsche Post DHL Group
Charles-de-Gaulle-Str. 20
53113 Bonn

Tel.: (0228) 182 9944

Twitter: @dpdhl_stoeppler

SOURCE: Deutsche Post AG