DSV has expanded its temperature-controlled healthcare logistics network in South Korea with the opening of a new Air ThermoDirect facility at Incheon International Airport, strengthening connections between the country’s growing pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sector and key markets in North America and Europe.
The new facility provides more than 2,000 square metres of temperature-controlled storage maintained between 2°C and 8°C, alongside direct access to the airport tarmac. DSV said the facility is designed to support GDP-compliant handling of temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments and reduce exposure during critical transfers between storage and aircraft.
Strengthening South Korea’s pharmaceutical supply chain
South Korea has become an increasingly important centre for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, supported by major production and research clusters around Seoul and the Songdo area.
For manufacturers of biologics, vaccines, clinical-trial materials and other temperature-sensitive products, maintaining controlled conditions throughout the international transportation process is a critical logistics requirement.
DSV’s Incheon investment adds dedicated cold-chain infrastructure at a major Asian air cargo gateway, providing pharmaceutical shippers with a combination of temperature-controlled storage, airport connectivity and specialised transportation capabilities.
The facility forms part of DSV’s expanding Air ThermoDirect network, which combines dedicated air capacity with specialised temperature-management solutions and shipment visibility. DSV’s broader AIR Direct network currently includes services linking Incheon with Chicago Rockford, Huntsville and Shanghai, alongside connections between Europe, Asia and North America.
Direct tarmac access targets handling risk
One of the key features of the Incheon operation is its direct tarmac access. For temperature-sensitive cargo, minimising the time spent outside controlled environments during airport handling can help reduce exposure to adverse temperatures and operational delays.
The new facility is designed to maintain shipments within the 2–8°C range while they await onward transportation. DSV also says the operation incorporates end-to-end visibility and reusable thermal packaging solutions.
The packaging approach forms part of the company’s wider strategy to reduce reliance on conventional single-use packaging while maintaining temperature integrity throughout the shipment journey.
Dedicated capacity for healthcare shipments
DSV is combining the Incheon facility with dedicated air transport capacity and thermal packaging technologies to provide an integrated solution for pharmaceutical and healthcare customers.
The company’s AIR Direct network is designed for time-critical and high-value cargo, including pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. DSV says the network provides dedicated capacity and hub-and-spoke operations intended to improve control, visibility and reliability for specialised shipments.
The Incheon expansion therefore adds an important Asian origin point to the company’s temperature-controlled logistics offering, particularly as pharmaceutical manufacturers increasingly serve international clinical and commercial markets.
DSV highlights resilience and visibility
Kenneth Kallström, Executive Vice President and Global Enterprise Vertical Head, Healthcare at DSV, said the expansion connects South Korea with major healthcare and life sciences markets.
“By expanding Air ThermoDirect into Korea through Incheon, we are connecting two of the world’s most important healthcare and life sciences markets with one of Asia’s leading pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical hubs. This investment strengthens the resilience, visibility and control that healthcare customers increasingly need across global supply chains.”
The investment comes as healthcare supply chains face increasing pressure to combine speed with temperature integrity, regulatory compliance and greater visibility. For pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers, dedicated cold-chain infrastructure at origin airports can provide an additional layer of control over international shipments.
Expanding Asia’s cold-chain infrastructure
The Incheon facility is the latest development in DSV’s broader expansion of its Air ThermoDirect network in Asia. The company has also expanded temperature-controlled air freight capabilities around Shanghai Pudong, including connections with Luxembourg and planned connectivity with Indianapolis.
With South Korea continuing to expand its pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing base, the addition of specialised airport infrastructure at Incheon gives DSV another platform for handling high-value healthcare cargo while connecting Asian production centres with global markets.
