DHL Express has launched a new transpacific partnership with Polar Air Cargo, a subsidiary of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. The inaugural flight will take off from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) destined for Wilmington (ILN), Ohio, DHL’s central hub facility. The partnership guarantees DHL Express access to six Polar Air Cargo’s Boeing 747-400F aircraft in addition to the two B747-400F aircraft operational since 31 March 2008, providing significant additional capacity to eight key destinationsin Asia and the US.

DHL will utilise Polar Air Cargo’s scheduled weekday flights from Los Angeles, Wilmington and New York via Anchorage to the Asian destinations of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo. In addition, the partnership also covers an extended weekend schedule, with flights to Honolulu, Sydney, Sharjah and Leipzig.

Volume on DHL’s TransPacific routes has been steadily increasing in recent years and despite a slowdown in 2008, overall transpacific air cargo volume is expected to show double digit growth in the mid-term, the global express company said.

In a move to further strengthen its leading intra-regional position in Asia, DHL Express is also increasing the frequency of its dedicated Air Hong Kong flights from Hong Kong to Nagoya, Taipei, Seoul and Singapore from 27 October. Flights to these cities have been increased to six times per week, up from the current five times a week, representing a 20 per cent increase in capacity for each of these fourcities.