Dachser said it is shoring up its charter program on the route between Hong Kong and Europe with a long-term contract to ensure that the logistics provider will be "in a position" to offer its customers reliable air freight capacity from January 2022 to March 2024.

In a statement, Dachser said in the future, it will operate a Boeing 747-400F on the Hong Kong–Liège route and vice versa.

Flying at fixed times, this aircraft can accommodate up to 100 metric tons of freight.

"Demand for air freight is at an all-time high," says Timo Stroh, head of Global Air Freight at Dachser. "Air freight capacity is in extremely short supply. So we'll continue to rely on a strong network with our own capacity and to plan early on, predictively, and long-term."

To avoid dispatch bottlenecks, Dachser Air & Sea Logistics operates at smaller airports like Liege in Belgium which is well-connected to the logistics provider's overland transport network, which in turn speeds up pickup and delivery processes.

"Our integrated network expertise means we can offer a complete solution from a single source — from the factory to the end customer. Especially in challenging times, ensuring stable and reliable market operations calls for intelligent and creative solutions," Stroh said.

"By establishing its own air freight network with dedicated capacity, Dachser is creating security and stability for its customers on the most important freight routes between Europe, Asia, and the US during a time of great capacity shortage," it added.

Dachser noted that in 2021 alone, it handled 175 charter flights involving twelve regular dispatch locations and 15 destinations.

"We're responding to market demand by offering our customers planning transparency and reliable service through fixed transit times," Stroh says.