Parcels, pallets, planeloads and packed shipping containers are what people typically associate with DHL Group.
But this only scratches the surface of the company’s capabilities – some shipments are much more unusual.
Here are just five of the most extraordinary shipping highlights that DHL carried out in 2024.
From Kenya to the UK: Disabled chimpanzee Chocolat finds a new home
Earlier this year in August, DHL transported Chocolat, a disabled chimpanzee, from Kenya to the Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset in the UK.
She was saved as an infant in 2001 after surviving the illegal bushmeat trade in Congo, where poachers killed her mother.
Chocolat suffered injuries from shotgun pellets that left her with a paralysed hand and foot.
Her original rescuer kept her safe in Kenya for more than two decades.
This year, however, Chocolat needed a permanent home in a specialised sanctuary that could provide her with the best possible care.
DHL treated her journey as a high-priority transport, which began with a flight from Nairobi to East Midlands Airport in the UK and concluded with a road trip to Dorset.
A custom-built crate with snacks, such as fruit and sweet potatoes, ensured Chocolat’s comfort and safety.
A dedicated team of animal experts accompanied her throughout the trip, and she arrived in good spirits.
She was introduced to six other chimpanzees at her new home, giving her the family that she had been missing since her time in the wild.
License to deliver: Iconic James Bond artefacts travel from the Czech Republic to Austria
Also in August, DHL transported more than 130 pieces of James Bond memorabilia on a 330km journey from the Bond in Motion exhibition in Prague to the 007 Action display in Vienna.
Among the artefacts were 27 cars, eight motorcycles, costumes, parachutes and even James Bond’s driving license.
A standout highlight was the iconic Aston Martin DB5, one of the most famous cars in film history, featured in eight Bond movies from Goldfinger to No Time to Die.
Additionally, DHL delivered the high-speed ice dragster, more than 8m long, used in a thrilling chase across a frozen landscape in Die Another Day and the helicopter that James Bond destroyed in Spectre.
DHL utilised 22 trucks, including specialised enclosed car carriers with hydraulic lifts, ensuring maximum protection throughout the journey.
Record relocation: Moving 163 vultures in South Africa
In a landmark conservation effort, 163 Cape and African White-backed vultures were relocated in January 2024 from a rehabilitation facility near Pretoria to the Shamwari wildlife reserve in South Africa’s Eastern Cape.
Supported by various non-profit organisations, this operation was crucial for providing the critically endangered birds with a safe environment where they can breed and thrive with minimal human exposure.
Spanning more than 1,000km, the transport represented the largest vulture relocation project ever undertaken.
Using two 34-tonne trucks along with five support and security vehicles, DHL ensured the 18-hour journey for the precious cargo went as smoothly as possible.
More than 50 volunteers were involved in the project, carefully loading all birds in three hours.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to restore African vulture populations.
A logistical symphony: How London Philharmonic Orchestra’s instruments reached Japan
The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s tour of Japan in September 2024 was not only a celebration of music but also a complex logistical endeavour.
DHL transported approximately 60 valuable instruments, including double basses, cellos, timpani, and a harp, from the UK to the Hamamatsu Act City Concert Hall in Japan.
The operation required meticulous planning, covering roughly 9,500km by air and road.
For instance, DHL had to maintain a constant temperature between 17°C and 21°C to prevent wooden instruments from warping or cracking. Additionally, custom-built, shock-absorbing cases were used.
Despite a tight schedule, all instruments arrived on time and in perfect condition.
The tour began in Hamamatsu, then proceeded to Nagoya, Osaka, and concluded in Tokyo.
11 containers of hope: A mobile heart clinic shipped from Germany to El Salvador
Transporting a hospital? Yes, that’s possible, too. In February 2024, DHL delivered the world’s first mobile heart clinic across oceans, covering more than 9,000km from Bremen in Germany to Zacamil in El Salvador.
Developed by the German non-profit organisation Kinderherzen, the clinic provides lifesaving surgery for children with congenital heart defects in areas that lack specialised facilities.
The shipment consisted of 11 containers, transported by sea and road.
After a 15-day setup, international heart surgeons began offering free treatments to the country’s young patients.
The clinic remained in El Salvador until May 2024, before DHL transferred it to Burundi in East Africa, where it continued its mission.
