DHL launches temperature-controlled service

The demand for temperature sensitive products shipping has driven the express delivery company to equip its transcontinental rail service with temperature-controlled technology.

DHL Global Forwarding, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL, rolled out a unique temperature-controlled China-Europe rail service on Wednesday.

Dubbed the fastest rail connection between China and Europe, the service starts in Chengdu and runs along China's West corridor to DHL's intermodal hub in Malaszewicze and Lodz, Poland.

The service will provide an all-year multi-modal shipping solution for temperature sensitive products that traditionally unable to use the fast and cost-effective transcontinental West rail corridor, especially during harsh winter and hot summer months.

Powered by a diesel-electric engine, DHL containers allow internal temperatures to be controlled, tracked and remotely modified. According to Kelvin Leung, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding, Asia-Pacific, transportation costs in the innovative solution will be about 80 percent less compared with air cargo.

The China-Europe rail service was launched last year by DHL and YHF Logistics, operator of the rail service that runs along China's West corridor, the Chengdu Express Train.