Singapore Changi Airport and DHL Launch New Coldchain Hub to Boost Healthcare Logistics Growth

Written By: Binoy Mehera

Binoy Mehera

A curious mind driven by a passion for storytelling, I find inspiration in uncovering hidden perspectives, exploring diverse experiences, and shaping ideas into narratives that leave an impact. With three years of experience in journalism and content creation, I have developed a strong instinct for identifying meaningful stories, blending research with creativity, and presenting information in a way that connects with readers. My storytelling journey is guided by a fascination for culture, travel, lifestyle, and the human experiences that define our world. I aim to create narratives that not only inform but also spark curiosity, evoke emotions, and offer audiences a deeper understanding of every story.

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September 4, 2026 8:28 PM

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Changi Airport Group (CAG) and DHL Global Forwarding have proposed to construct a healthcare logistics building in Singapore’s Changi Airport. The building will be the location of the new DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub at Changi Nexus One of the Changi Airfreight Centre and will take advantage of its location to manage the distribution of sensitive healthcare and life sciences shipments.

Designed with advanced temperature-controlled capabilities and direct airside connectivity, the facility will improve the handling of high-value pharmaceutical and healthcare cargo that requires strict temperature management and rapid transportation. Its strategic location within Changi’s airfreight precinct is expected to strengthen Singapore’s role as a regional gateway for specialised healthcare logistics.

The development forms part of DHL Group’s wider expansion strategy for its life sciences and healthcare business. It is aligned with the company’s EUR 2 billion investment in DHL Health Logistics under Strategy 2030, which focuses on expanding specialised infrastructure, strengthening operational capabilities and developing tailored logistics solutions for the global healthcare sector.

Through these investments, DHL aims to reinforce its international healthcare supply-chain network while responding to rising demand for reliable transportation of pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines and other temperature-sensitive medical products.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to play an increasingly important role in the expansion of the global pharmaceutical market. Growth is being supported by ageing populations, broader access to healthcare services and increasing adoption of advanced and innovative therapies across major economies.

According to IQVIA projections, pharmaceutical sales across 12 major Asian markets, including China, Japan, India, South Korea and Singapore, are expected to record a compound annual growth rate of around 3.7% between 2024 and 2029.

This continued expansion is likely to generate stronger demand for specialised healthcare logistics services, particularly temperature-controlled transportation and cold-chain infrastructure. The planned DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub at Changi Airport is therefore positioned to support growing pharmaceutical trade flows across Asia-Pacific while enhancing Singapore’s importance within the global healthcare logistics network.

Praveen Gregory, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia said, “Healthcare supply chains across Asia-Pacific are evolving rapidly as demand grows for biologics, specialty medicines and other temperature-sensitive products that require greater precision, resilience and speed. As one of DHL’s strategic healthcare logistics hubs globally, Singapore is uniquely positioned to support this growth through its world-class connectivity, specialised logistics infrastructure and trusted regulatory environment. The country’s pharmaceutical cold chain market is gearing up for steady growth with projected volumes2 set to increase at approximately 7% annualised growth rate from 14 million kilograms in 2028 to 17 million kilograms by 2031. Our investment in the DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub is thus critical to meet future demand, as we enhance our cold-chain capabilities and help customers build more resilient supply chains to move critical healthcare products with greater confidence, reliability and control.”   

Lim Ching Kiat, Executive Vice President of Air Hub & Cargo Development, Changi Airport Group said, “We are pleased to deepen our longstanding partnership with DHL Group through its new facility at Changi Nexus One. This investment reflects the growing importance of healthcare and life sciences logistics, and builds on Changi’s strengths in air connectivity, airside infrastructure and specialised cargo handling. Leveraging Changi Airport’s extensive connectivity and DHL’s established air freight forwarding footprint in Singapore, we look forward to supporting the safe, efficient and reliable movement of time- and temperature-sensitive shipments across Asia-Pacific and beyond.” 

Targeted for completion by the end of 2027, the DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub will be a 3,047-square-metre healthcare logistics facility located at Changi Nexus One. The facility will be developed in line with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards to support the safe and reliable movement of sensitive healthcare and life sciences products.

The new hub will be equipped to handle shipments requiring strict temperature conditions, including 2°C to 8°C and 15°C to 25°C environments. It will feature advanced cold-chain infrastructure such as GDP-qualified cold rooms, direct airside access and real-time temperature monitoring systems to maintain product quality throughout the transportation process.

With dedicated temperature-controlled transfer solutions connecting aircraft, the DHL facility and customer warehouses, the hub will create a continuous and secure cold-chain network. These capabilities will help protect the integrity of pharmaceutical and healthcare products while ensuring smooth movement of critical shipments through Singapore and across the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The DHL Singapore Coldchain Hub will complement Changi Airport’s existing healthcare cargo infrastructure, which already provides temperature-controlled handling capabilities across the airport ecosystem. Changi currently supports specialised airside thermal protection solutions, including cool dollies, alongside more than 9,000 square metres of airside-fronting temperature-controlled handling space with an annual capacity exceeding 375,000 tonnes.

Located within the Changi Airfreight Centre, Changi Nexus One is an advanced air logistics facility offering nearly 8,000 square metres of warehouse space and direct apron connectivity to enable faster and more efficient cargo operations.

The facility also reflects Changi Airport’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development. Changi Nexus One is the first building at the airport to achieve both BCA Green Mark Platinum certification and Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy Building certification, highlighting its focus on energy efficiency and environmentally responsible operations.