DHL Launches Direct LCL Services From Vietnam

DHL has launched direct less-than-containerload (LCL) service from Vietnam to Germany, Italy and the US.

The guaranteed, weekly dirct services connect Ho Chi Minh City to Hamburg, Germany; Genoa, Italy' and Los Angeles, CA. DHL says using its in-house carrier Danmar Lines will save one week of transit time.

According to DHL, the two European destinations facilitate trade with Vietnam's largest export region , accounting for trade valued at $12.2 billion in Vietnamese products in 2008.

“Following closely, the US is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner, receiving $11.86 billion worth of goods from the fast-growing Southeast Asian nation last year.”

DHL also noted, “In the face of the global economic slowdown, Vietnam remains a resilient export economy and key sectors including agricultural goods, apparel, crude oil, furniture, technology and textiles will benefit from DHL's flexible new service.” In the first six months of 2009, garment and apparel-related industries accounted for $10 billion worth of exports from Vietnam, contributing well over a third of the nation’s export trade which totaled $27.6 billion in the period.

DHL Global Forwarding recently strengthened its commitment in the fast-growing fashion logistics industry in Vietnam with the launch of its “textainers” and garments-on-hangers products designed to support Vietnamese garment exporters. This is a system of transporting hanging garments, says DHL, which are among the most effective ways of transporting apparel over great distances and protecting the garments. The company also announced plans to establish the “DHL Fashion and Apparel Center for Excellence” in Vietnam.

DHL points out that, with this new service offering, DHL now serves 54 destinations in the US with its inland network via Los Angeles and 26 European destinations through Genoa and Hamburg. “DHL currently operates the world’s largest LCL network with more than 2,000,000 cubic meters of LCL freight handled annually via 45,000 point-pairs,” observes Clas Thorell, head of LCL management Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding. DHL carries more than 97% of its total volumes in house.

DHL