DHL Express has inaugurated a EUR 218 mn expansion of its MENA hub and main office at Bahrain International Airport (BIA), BNA reported on Monday. The new 54k square meter expansion can accommodate 12 DHL aircraft and process over 2 mn shipments annually.

A big boost for MENA operations: Prior to the expansion, DHL Express operated a total area of 57k sqm at BIA and accounted for 56% of the airport’s freight operations. The logistics company inked an MoU with Bahrain in 2019 to extend its lease on the facility at BIA for another 10 years.

The company already has a firm presence in MENA: DHL Express MENA has been operating in Bahrain since 1976 and currently has activities in 19 countries across the MENA region. In 2019, DHL Express opened a USD 5.5 mn facility in the Logistics District at the Dubai World Trade Center to support e-commerce growth in the region. DHL Express also launched the Mobile Middle East and Africa (MEA) Innovation Center in Dubai in 2021, a first-of-its-kind 450 square meter facility to support the development of logistics innovation in the Middle East.

Recent expansions: DHL Express recently inaugurated a EUR 48.3 mn Airport Gateway and Services Center at Abu Dhabi to serve as the primary warehouse for DHL’s Middle East Road Network, facilitating bonded cross-dock truck operations that connect UAE with the GCC and the Levant. The logistics company has also expressed interest in expanding its operations in Egypt to form a logistics hub for the African continent.

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