DHL Global Forwarding has launched direct export services from Central Eastern Europe to Asia via the port of Koper, Slovenia.

    The new export solution, linking Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia directly with the Asian business centers of Hong Kong, Keelung, Pusan, Shanghai and Singapore, is unique in the market.

    Customers who forward their LCL (Less-Than-Container-Load) shipments via Koper achieve significantly shorter transit times than on the route via ports in northern Europe. This means ocean freight can now be delivered from Central Eastern Europe to Asia even faster.

    "Trade between North Asia and Eastern Europe has grown rapidly over the last decade at an average rate of 32 percent growth per year,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO, North Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding.

    “China's imports from central and east European countries grew even faster, registering an average annual rate of 38.7 percent. These figures substantiate a need for the introduction of these new trade routes to serve the North Asian markets more efficiently.”

    Together with the Koper gateway, the network of DHL logistics centers in the countries of origin and at destinations ensures smooth, uninterrupted forwarding of shipments along the entire route.

    Containers are first opened in Asia prior to deconsolidation and delivery to final destinations. Customers can trace their LCL shipments by a web-based freight tracking system providing continuous information about the cargo's condition.

    Amadou Diallo, CEO for DHL Global Forwarding, Africa and South Asia Pacific, said speed and connectivity were crucial elements for customers in Singapore as they were constantly looking for better trading experiences with counterparts in Eastern Europe.

    “With full visibility of cargo movements, expert personnel and strong infrastructure in terms of warehouses to handle LCL shipments of all kinds, we are well positioned to meet our customer demands in the Eastern Europe to Singapore trade lanes,” he said.

    Marc Meier, senior vice-president, ocean freight and head of global LCL at DHL Global Forwarding, said in addition to meeting increased demand for shorter transit times to fast-growing regions in Asia, the new LCL service offered a 30 percent more CO2 efficient option for customers, compared with the previous routes that ran via the North European ports.

?source:http://www.cargonewsasia.com/category.aspx?id=7?