Delhivery helps import 1,000 oxygen concentrators, says more en route

MUMBAI: Logistics and supply chain startup Delhivery has helped to import 1,000 oxygen concentrators, co-founder Sahil Barua said in a post on LinkedIn on Sunday.

The company announced its plans to provide logistical support for importing oxygen concentrators from China last week as India has been hit by a shortage of air cargo capacity, especially from the neighbouring country, the company had said.

“Airborne and inbound. Our first set of 1,000 oxygen concentrators have landed and are in distribution to hospitals, administrators and organisations around the country,” Barua wrote.


He said that 38,444 more oxygen concentrators are expected to arrive through all of next week.

"What began as two charters has expanded to over 15 charters with 1,000+ tonnes of medical equipment, and counting,” he said, adding that the company did this with the support of SpiceJet, Indigo Ethiopian, ACS, Skywell Aviation, Lion Air cargo, and WWP.

According to the founder, Delhivery’s first landing slot was refused, which is when it received help from FedEx Asia. The Indian embassies in Tel Aviv, Beijing and Shanghai helped the company expedite the clearance process, he added.

Oxygen concentrators are portable machines that tap oxygen from the air for use by patients at home. A Delhivery spokesperson said last week that the company is providing logistical support on an urgent and subsidised basis, and not importing the material itself. The company had received a lot of queries on the import of essentials.

Delhivery imported the material on behalf of different organisations including Zomato and Action Covid-19 Team Grants (ACT Grants), which announced a plan to raise Rs 75 crore for home health management, oxygen solutions, vaccinations and to supplement the medical workforce.

“And finally, many, many thanks to our friends at Zomato, ACT and all of the hospitals, organisations and charities on whose behalf we have the privilege of carrying the most important goods we have moved through our network to date,” Barua said.