DHL Global Forwarding Supports International Organization in Securing Humanitarian Shipments to Afghanistan

• DHL Global Forwarding facilitates the transport of over 300 containers of school supplies via multimodal solutions
• Alternative rail-road route bypasses traditional regional roadblocks
• Strategic planning ensures continuity through the Chinese New Year period
  

In today’s increasingly complex global supply chain landscape, flexibility, diversification, and reliability have become the benchmarks of logistics excellence. DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of DHL Group, recently demonstrated the power of a resilient supply chain by facilitating the transport of  humanitarian supplies from Ningbo, China, to Kabul, Afghanistan, through dynamic multimodal integration and proactive planning.

Due to regional geopolitical tensions, traditional ocean freight routes via Karachi, Pakistan, to Afghanistan have been repeatedly disrupted. In December 2025, DHL’s China Rail & Multimodal team received an urgent request from the DHL Global Forwarding Humanitarian Logistics team to identify an alternative route for a large shipment of school supplies from Ningbo in East China to Kabul. The scope expanded rapidly over the next month to more than 300 40-foot high-cube containers. Faced with high volumes and a strict timeline, DHL delivered reliable logistics excellence in an unpredictable environment.

Resource Integration: Customized Block Train Solutions

Given the volume and urgency, block trains were identified as the most efficient solution for ensuring speed and control. DHL formulated a multimodal solution by rail with cross border road feeder and secured eight dedicated block trains. Powered by a robust internal resource allocation that provided a stable foundation for the entire operation, cargo pickup began immediately on January 9, and the first train departed from East China rail port on January 16.

Proactive Planning: Resilience Through the Chinese New Year

The project coincided with the Chinese New Year holiday, a period typically marked by congestion and delays. To mitigate these risks, DHL strategically arranged four block train departures before the holiday, two during the season, and two after. This plan maximized the use of available road feeder resources to ensure optimal lead time and operational control throughout the peak holiday period.

Dynamic Adjustment: Rapid Response to Regional Volatility

As the first batch neared final delivery in late February, escalating conflict in Iran and border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan created new safety risks. Maintaining round-the-clock communication, DHL Global Forwarding rerouted the cargo to the more secure Mazar-e-Sharif warehouse in northern Afghanistan. On March 2, the first 10 containers arrived successfully. The entire shipment is currently being delivered to the Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul warehouses, with final distributions to local schools underway to ensure students receive their supplies in time for the new semester.

“This was a complex project in a challenging period of time. It was well planned and implemented through a close partnership between the Humanitarian community and DHL teams through a multimodal solution. We are very proud that DHL contributed to this humanitarian project,” highlighted Thomas Kowitzki, VP, Global Head of China Rail/Multimodal at DHL Global Forwarding.

This project is a testament to DHL’s core value of "Connecting People, Improving Lives", while underscoring DHL’s expertise in solving complex challenges through diversified logistics solutions, even in extreme environments.