DHL Express has added next-day, intercontinental flights between the U.S., Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Operated by Polar Air Cargo, a dedicated Boeing 747-400F freighter will connect DHL's Cincinnati, OH hub with those in Bahrain and Hong Kong. In the process, DHL will boost its overall cargo capacity on that route by 80 tons, for U.S. exporters in the oil and gas, technology, communications, U.S. government and other industries According to DHL, the direct U.S.-Bahrain flight will shorten delivery times by as much as a full day for shipments to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The 747 freighter's journey from Bahrain to Hong Kong will give shippers a later pickup time out of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, for overnight service on the flight's final leg from Hong Kong to Cincinnati. In another company development, the North American facilities of DHL Express have achieved full certification by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA). The accreditation is awarded to facilities that meet the highest security standards in the handling of high-value and other commodities. DHL has 20 TAPA-certified sites in North America. Its locations in that region include the express hub in Cincinnati, gateways in Miami and New York City, and a principal gateway in Toronto, Ont.
