DHL UAE launches weekly trucking services to Yemen and Istanbul

The two new road express routes have been launched following successful trials which have seen demand for Yemen emanating from the oil and gas sector while that for Istanbul has come from cross-sector companies.

"These two new routes, which are additional direct trucking solutions under our Gulfwide Distribution Service, provide a fully integrated network, customs clearance, check-point management, track-and-trace facilities and committed transit times," explained Stephen Stanton, Middle East Road Network Manager, DHL. "It is a highly cost-effective alternative to air freight, particularly for the emerging heavy-weight consignments sector with less urgent transit time requirements."

The weekly Jebel Ali-Yemen route goes via Bahrain every Sunday with the Istanbul route, via Amman in Jordan, leaving each Monday.

The 3,500 kilometre journey to Yemen has an optimum transit time of six days while the 5,000 kilometre route to Istanbul comes in at eight days.

The introduction of the new routes boosts DHL's already expanding road express service out of Jebel Ali which has risen in the past year from an average of three daily trucking services to Bahrain to a currently daily tally of 10 departures to Bahrain and Kuwait.

"The new services are also a reflection of increasing demand for regionwide logistics services out of Jebel Ali which has consistently recorded 20% year-on-year growth since our facility in the free zone was launched four years ago," explained Stanton.

DHL's outbound heavyweight business from Jebel Ali Free Zone rose 235% last year compared to 2002.

"Given increasing demand, particularly for heavyweight deliveries, and new route offerings, we are confident that our road express trucking service will record an additional 25% growth by the end of this year," added Stanton.

To meet increasing road express demand, DHL UAE has grown its road transport fleet by 30% over the last two years and in April this year took delivery of its 100th vehicle.

"Investment in our road express Gulf Wide Distribution service is also a clear positioning statement that DHL is no longer simply an air express supplier but a provider of fully integrated and seamless logistics solutions," said David Wild, General Manager, DHL UAE.