Wedoany.com Report on Mar 9th, Brussels Airport has announced the expansion of its services for pharmaceutical and healthcare-related cargo, as part of DHL Air Cargo's cold chain network expansion plan. This initiative aims to strengthen DHL's global logistics capabilities in this field, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of pharmaceutical transportation.
According to an announcement from the DHL Group, this expansion is a core component of its €2 billion strategic investment in the DHL Health Logistics business. By reducing reliance on third-party airlines, DHL will strengthen its direct control over the transportation of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products, ensuring product integrity from origin to destination.
The existing Brussels to Cincinnati (CVG) route is already operational, utilizing Boeing 777 freighters, providing crucial support for pharmaceutical cold chain logistics. This aircraft features a new "DHL Health Logistics" livery and is dedicated to operating this key route connecting the pharmaceutical hub in the US Midwest with Europe's leading life sciences cluster. DHL stated that this service has been progressively refined and plans to further integrate resources to meet the growing demand for pharmaceutical transportation.
At the Brussels Airport end, this route is supported by a dedicated 45,000-square-meter pharmaceutical handling area within the BRUcargo zone, ensuring compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards for clinical-grade operations. DHL spokesperson Lorenzo Van de Pol noted that these flights are not overnight; the aircraft arrives in Brussels in the evening and departs back on the same evening.
Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding and Freight, said: "Life sciences and healthcare companies expect cold chain solutions that are reliable, compliant, and transparent from end to end—and these expectations are rising rapidly. Our expanded network combines DHL Air's global connectivity, a network of GDP-compliant sites, and significant investment in modern temperature-controlled facilities. The result is a more resilient and efficient logistics backbone serving customers who rely on perfect quality to deliver critical therapies to patients."
Through this service expansion, Brussels Airport will play a key role in helping DHL optimize its global pharmaceutical logistics network. Currently, over 35% of DHL's cargo business at Brussels Airport is related to pharmaceuticals, and the airport is already DHL's fourth-largest global cargo hub. This collaboration is expected to facilitate the rapid flow of pharmaceutical goods, ensuring temperature control and security during transportation.
