New York City partners with DB Schenker to deliver critical medical supplies

DB Schenker will transport and deliver much needed personal protective equipment for health care workers in local area hospitals and elderly nursing homes in New York City. The cargo, which consists of personal protective equipment such as medical goggles, gloves and gowns, is being picked up in several locations throughout China, transported to the US on direct charter flights, and delivered to special Covid-19 distribution centers in the city.

“Global logistics is playing a vital role ensuring critical medical supplies and personal protective equipment gets to where it needs to be as quickly as possible,” said Hessel Verhage, CEO, DB Schenker Americas. “As a company, DB Schenker is committed to providing urgently needed air freight capacity to expand the global supply network in the fight against Covid-19,” he added.

The fuselage of Icelandair plane with DB Schenker branding

“We worked with New York City and their consultants to determine the most efficient, economical, and time-sensitive way to get much needed PPE from suppliers in China to New York City,” added Benno Forster, senior vice president and head of airfreight operations and procurement for DB Schenker Americas. “Our discussions included guidance related to Chinese Customs export clearance and compliance, US Customs import clearance regulations, warehousing and distribution, pricing, and even recommendations for the best-suited aircraft for transporting this precious cargo. We are very proud the City of New York chose to contract with us to transport these critical goods for the frontline healthcare workers throughout the city,” he said.

Through the end of May, DB Schenker will have operated over 100 charter flights between Shanghai (PVG), Shenzhen (SZX), Shandong (TNA), and Beijing (PEK) and Munich, Germany for European distribution and Newark, NJ, transporting more than 4,000 tonnes of medical supplies. In the coming weeks, DB Schenker will be adding charter flights to other destinations in the US, including Chicago, IL. DB Schenker has partnered with Icelandair converting three Boeing 767 passenger aircraft to an all-cargo configuration exclusively for DB Schenker’s use creating an additional 200 cubic feet of cargo space. The fuselage of the plane will include DB Schenker branding.