Worldwide shipping firm DHL has announced that it will work with the electronics and technology firm Siemens to develop state-of-the-art technologies for parcel deliveries.

Siemens has become a global partner of the DHL Innovation Initiative and will support the parcel delivery firm with know-how and technological expertise.

Both DHL and Siemens identified the development of integrated transport solutions and the recently launched Megacities Program as the first areas to see cooperation.

Petra Kiwitt, head of DHL Solutions & Innovations, the driving force behind the agreement, said that the logistics firm has found in Siemens a partner that shares its vision of "future-oriented concepts".

"Since both companies operate on a global scale, the partnership will open up many opportunities for synergies in the various markets," she added.

The two firms also want to improve the performance of the intelligent delivery vehicle SmartTruck, which already operates in Berlin and makes sending a parcel to Germany more efficient.

DHL recently unveiled plans for its $3 million (£2 million) Sustainable Supply Chain Centre in Singapore to boost shipping in the Asia-Pacific region.