DHL Global Forwarding transports COVID-19 vaccines to Japan

DHL Global Forwarding has been tasked with transporting vaccines to Japan. The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Japan at the end of last week. After customs clearance, DHL also handles the interim storage. Deep freezers at the facility ensure safe storage at -70 degrees until final distribution to vaccination centers in Japan.

(Bonn) DHL Global Forwarding, the specialist in air and sea freight of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has been commissioned to transport vaccines to Japan, further expanding its share in global vaccine logistics. The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Japan at the end of last week. Additional transports via the DHL Global Forwarding hub in Belgium will take place throughout the year. DHL also takes care of the necessary customs clearance and interim storage in Japan before the vaccines are distributed to various vaccination centers in the country.

Logistics plays a crucial role

“With the development of a vaccine, the world has taken another important step in combating COVID-19. Now it is crucial to make this accessible to as many people as possible,” said Tim Scharwath, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. “Logistics plays a crucial role in this. It is our responsibility to bring the vaccines wherever they are urgently needed, and we are aware of our responsibility.”To safely store the COVID-19 vaccine doses at -70 degrees before they are finally distributed in Japan, new deep freezers have been installed in a DHL warehouse. Additionally, operations at the warehouse have been ramped up, and the project is creating new jobs for people in the region.

Seamlessly managing complex tasks

“We are proud to contribute to providing the people in Japan with vaccinations against the coronavirus, which has severely impacted life and the economy in Japan. While our well-established cold chain network, combined with the expertise of DHL Global Forwarding in pharmaceutical logistics, is key to the success of these transports, none of this would be possible without our employees, who have meticulously planned every detail to manage such a complex task seamlessly,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding for the Asia-Pacific region.In DHL’s global network, more than 9,000 specialists work to seamlessly connect pharmaceutical and research organizations, wholesalers and distributors, as well as hospitals and other healthcare providers along the value chains. With this further assignment, the logistics expert for air, sea, and road freight continues to strengthen its global position in vaccine distribution.DHL’s portfolio for the healthcare sector includes more than 150 pharmaceutical companies, 20 depots for clinical trials, 100 certified stations, 160 GDP-certified warehouses, 15 GMP-certified locations, 135 medical express locations, and an international express network for timely delivery in 220 countries and territories.Photo: © DHLwww.dhl.com