Germany-based Rhenus Group has committed to deliver about 200 million essential medical supplies to support COVID-19 relief efforts in several countries across Asia, Europe and Africa. The deliveries of the medical supplies are being managed by Rhenus teams to countries including France, Italy, Djibouti and Canada.
As part of the endeavour, Rhenus Greater China delivered the first batch of 100 million medical items in Europe, Africa and Canada during March and April 2020. In addition to surgical and N95 masks, the shipment included COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment (PPE) to aid healthcare professionals in those countries. The officials also delivered another 20 million masks to France and 922 kilograms of personal protection equipment to Myanmar in April 2020.
In India, Rhenus team supported the needs of the Indian Health Ministry and Red Cross to distribute 5 million essential medical equipment including masks, ventilators, goggles, temperature meters and protective suits in medical centres and hospitals across 60 locations.
As governments around the world rapidly evolve their policies and measures to curb the pandemic, Rhenus is demonstrating fluidity and adaptability to overcome unprecedented logistics challenges, such as arranging dedicated charters to ensure the safe and punctual delivery of healthcare items. Backed by the logistics company’s extensive supply chain network, Rhenus offices throughout the region are working round the clock to deliver a seamless experience to help fight the pandemic.
Other significant efforts include:
- Thorough sanitisation of all cargo and warehouses to minimise the possibility of COVID-19 infection to staff and recipients
- The arrangement of additional security guards to ensure that the cargo and delivery trucks are safe during the journey
- The extension of working hours for Rhenus Asia-Pacific warehouses, which are now operational around the clock, to coordinate the process of all urgent deliveries
“The logistics industry has seen unprecedented obstacles amidst the pandemic. Yet it is also opportune for us to rethink our way of working and emerge stronger. I am proud that our employees have shown exceptional resilience and creativity to leverage our long-established expertise and bring much-needed resources to front liners and those in need. In this global fight, we remain committed to provide the best and most reliable transport solutions and do our part to support our customers and the communities we are in,” COO Rhenus Air & Ocean Jan Harnisch said.
Other successful deliveries to boost relief efforts against COVID-19 include:
- 62 tonnes disposable medical masks to Mainland China and Hong Kong by Rhenus Indonesia
- 3 million masks to the United States and Dominican Republic by Rhenus Singapore
- N95 masks, thermal scanners, PPE kits, handwash liquid and hand sanitiser, and disposable protective masks to customers in Mainland China, Myanmar, Hong Kong and the United States by Rhenus offices in Japan, Myanmar, Philippines, and South Korea
