Rhenus Group is boosting its air freight presence in Southeast Asia to better support global trade as cargo flows increasingly shift toward the region. This expansion aligns with the ‘China+1’ strategy, where manufacturers are prioritizing Southeast Asia when it comes to sourcing, which is leading to increased cargo volumes and therefore also demand for more flexible, cost-effective logistics. Despite challenges such as weaker external demand and tariffs, Asia remains the fastest-growing segment in global trade, expected to contribute about 60% of growth in 2025 and 2026.
This year, Rhenus established new air freight gateways in Singapore and Bangkok, complementing its existing hub in Kuala Lumpur. These gateways optimize cargo flows across Southeast Asia and key global corridors. Kuala Lumpur focuses on inbound cargo from Europe and outbound shipments to Oceania. Singapore deals with inbound cargo from Asia and Oceania and outbound to the Americas, while Bangkok handles outbound freight to Europe, and acts as a multimodal hub supporting intra-Asia trade via air and trucking. These gateways offer comprehensive services including door-to-door transport, customs clearance, cargo consolidation, and value-added solutions. Digital tools such as real-time tracking and paperless documentation to streamline operations ensure smart efficiency. Sustainability is also a major focus: Rhenus deploys electric vehicles for local delivery and optimized routing and low-emission transport options. The company has committed to continued investment in Southeast Asia to ensure it meets customer requirements across the globe.
Chris Bode, Vice President Global Air Freight, Rhenus Air & Ocean, explained: “Southeast Asia is a focus growth area for Air Freight in Rhenus. The gateways are at the center of the company’s latest expansion plans, and go beyond delivering the global promise of reliable, customer-centric logistics solutions. They are designed with scalability in mind, and integrate the latest digital and sustainable logistics solutions, to give our global customers flexibility and efficiency.”
Joachim Hanssen, CEO APAC, Rhenus Air & Ocean, said, “With recent global developments, including the China +1 strategy, more businesses are set to include the Southeast Asian region as an increasingly important piece of their global logistics plans. Rhenus has been and remains committed to support our customers in these fast-growing markets. We are confident that our strategic plans to grow our capabilities in this region, by enhancing resilience and operational agility, will position us as a preferred partner to meet evolving regional and global trade needs.”
