DHL has become the first internationalforwarder to obtain the CATA(China Air Transport Association)domestic airfreight licence, enablingthe company to operate its new DHLDomestic Airfreight service in seventeenChinese cities. Up till now, China’sdomestic logistics market was servedonly by Chinese state-owned and localcompanies.

The launch, together with its First inChina strategy, makes DHL the only internationallogistics company offeringboth domestic express and domesticairfreight services, the company saidin a statement.

DHL has acquired seventeen domesticairfreight licences, enabling thecompany to provide airfreight servicesto Shanghai, Beijing, Dalian, Shenyang,Qingdao, Tianjin, Chengdu, Xiamen,Urumqi, Nanjing, Ningbo, Xi’an, Kunming,Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhenand Wuhan. The service wouldmainly cater to the clothing, electronics,transport and bio-tech industries.It would co-operate with major freightcarriers, including Air China Cargo,China Cargo Airlines, China SouthernAirlines and Shanghai Airlines.

DHL also plans to develop a totalof thirty CATA licensed branches andwarehouses, covering seventy cities,within the next five years.