DHL Express extends leasing contract with Bahrain airport

May 21, 2019: DHL Express has signed a contract with Bahrain International Airport (BIA) for another 10 years to extend the lease on its facility. 

Bahrain Airport Company's (BAC) chief executive Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, signed the lease extension along with Nour Suliman, the DHL Express chief executive for the Middle East and North Africa.

Other dignitaries present at the event were Bahrain's minister of transportation and telecommunications and BAC chairman Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, DHL Express Bahrain chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Ali Al Khalifa, DHL Express MENA head of operations Bachi Spiga, and DHL Express Bahrain HUB general manager Ali Aryan.

DHL Express has a footprint of 57,000 square metre at BIA, and accounts for 56 percent of the airport's airfreight traffic.

BAC described the express service provider as one of BIA's most important strategic partners and a key contributor to the Kingdom's economy.

Mohammed said that the agreement between BAC and DHL Express reflects the latter's continued confidence in Bahrain, which has served as the regional hub for its operations for 42 years.

"The agreement reinforces the Kingdom's position as a leader in air transportation services, which supports the growth of logistics companies. It is a milestone event that indicates the trust global companies have in the Kingdom, enhances BIA's reputation as an important aviation hub, and maintains our logistics connectivity with the rest of the world," he declared.

Suliman observed, "Bahrain's position in the Middle East makes it a focal point for our business and for the industry as a whole.

"It has a distinctive geographical position and a vision of becoming the logistics centre for the region.

BAC is currently improving the infrastructure at BIA through its Airport Modernisation Programme, said by it to be one of the most important national projects in the Kingdom's history.

The development programme is expected to open up new opportunities to establish partnerships with logistics companies across the Middle East, thereby opening the Kingdom up to new trade prospects".

Earlier this year, in February, US parcel giant FedEx signed a letter of intent for taking up warehouse space at BIA's new 25,000 square metre cargo area, sited near the northern runway.

The facility, which has two further tenants waiting in the wings, comprises warehouses, aircraft parking, and associated infrastructure aimed at handling air cargo traffic and e-commerce.

FedEx took a total of 9,000 square metre, of which 5,000 square metre will be warehousing and the rest will be manoeuvring area.