The China+1 strategy has also influenced cargo flows in Southeast Asia, increasing cargo volumes and creating greater demand for more resilient, flexible and cost-effective logistics solutions.
Despite weaker external demand, elevated tariffs, and persistent policy uncertainty, Asia is expected to remain the biggest driver of global growth, contributing about 60%[1] in 2025 and 2026. Trade lanes between Asia and the world are seeing growth as well, as manufacturers prioritize Southeast Asia for their sourcing needs. According to IATA, air freight volumes, as of September 2025 saw the Europe/Asia corridor grew by 12.4%[2] YoY, reflecting a strategic shift in trade flows toward Southeast Asia as cities such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur increase in importance as key inbound and outbound hubs for European cargo. Trade between China and ASEAN totaled 3.67 trillion yuan[3], a YoY increase of 9.6%, compared to a 9.3% YoY decrease in terms of China's trade with the United States.
"Southeast Asia is a focus growth area for Air Freight in Rhenus. The gateways are at the center of the company's latest expansion plans, and go beyond delivering the global promise of reliable, customer-centric logistics solutions. They are designed with scalability in mind, and integrate the latest digital and sustainable logistics solutions, to give our global customers flexibility and efficiency," said Chris Bode, Vice President Global Air Freight, Rhenus Air & Ocean.
From Southeast Asia to the World: Strategic Integration into global freight corridors
In 2025, Rhenus set up air freight gateways in key trade hubs in the region – Singapore & Thailand (Bangkok) and with the already existing Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) - to optimize cargo flows across Southeast Asia and with global trade lanes. The strategic gateways strengthen the presence of Rhenus across key corridors, including (and not limited to):
- Kuala Lumpur facilitates inbound cargo from Europe and outbound cargo to Oceania.
- Singapore handles inbound cargo from Asia or Oceania, and outbound cargo to the Americas.
- Bangkok manages outbound cargo to Europe and serves as a multi-modal hub to enhance Intra-Asia trade capabilities through regional air freight and cross-border trucking.
Joachim Hanssen, CEO APAC, Rhenus Air & Ocean, said, "With recent global developments, including the China +1 strategy, more businesses are set to include the Southeast Asian region as an increasingly important piece of their global logistics plans. Rhenus has been and remains committed to support our customers in these fast-growing markets. We are confident that our strategic plans to grow our capabilities in this region, by enhancing resilience and operational agility, will position us as a preferred partner to meet evolving regional and global trade needs."
Looking ahead, Rhenus will continue to identify strategic investment opportunities in Southeast Asia and the overall APAC region, as part of its commitment to support and facilitate its customers globally.
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About Rhenus
The Rhenus Group is one of the leading logistics specialists with global business operations and annual turnover amounting to EUR 8.2 billion. 41,000 employees work at 1,330 business sites in more than 70 countries and develop innovative solutions along the complete supply chain. Whether providing transport, warehousing, customs clearance or value-added services, the family-owned business pools its operations in various business units where the needs of customers are the major focus at all times.
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