DHL Express eyes freighter conversion

DHL Express will replace its A300B4-200 fleet with 13 A300-600s, which it will convert to freighters for a 2013 roll-out.
The first A300-600 is scheduled to enter the EADS’ EFW division conversion line in early June and will be delivered to DHL’s Leipzig hub in October.
The A300-600s have a 49-tonne payload and burn around 20 per cent less fuel than the A300B4-200s. This will enable DHL to approach its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, DHL Express managing director network operations Europe Bryan Jamison said.
Deutsche Post DHL has announced a first quarter operating profit increase of 23 per cent from a year ago to US$906 million. The DHL unit, including express parcel delivery and ocean and airfreight forwarding, contributed $523 million to the group profit, up from $315 million in the same period in 2010.
Global freight forwarding revenue jumped 14.9 per cent to $5.2 billion reflecting double-digit growth in global ocean and airfreight volume and in European overland transport. Profit increased over 30 per cent to $99 million.