DHL Express Cutting Fuel Surcharges 2 Points Starting Aug. 3
- Aug 1
- 1 min read
Starting August 3, DHL Express will cut its import and export fuel surcharge calculations by two percentage points, according to an update on the company's website. At a jet fuel price of $3.51/gallon, for example, the export surcharge drops from 33.75% to 31.75% and the import surcharge drops from 37.5% to 35.5%. Rates adjust weekly based on U.S. Gulf Coast kerosene-type jet fuel spot prices and apply to transportation charges plus various service and added fees.
The move is notable because it runs counter to the industry trend: other parcel carriers have been raising fuel surcharges in recent quarters. DHL Express has not commented on the reason for the reduction. Supply chain consultancy Ebb Logistics noted that while a 2-point cut looks modest per shipment, it can add up to meaningful savings for companies with steady international parcel volume — though shippers should check how the change affects their specific negotiated agreements, since a lower published rate doesn't always translate into a proportional invoice reduction.
Context: fuel surcharges have been a growing burden on shippers amid ongoing disruption in the Strait of
Hormuz, prompting DHL Express to move to weekly surcharge updates back in April. Express shipments have been hit harder than ground, since jet fuel prices have climbed faster than diesel. Per the TD Cowen/AFS Freight Index, Q2 express fuel surcharges rose 65.4% year over year (driven by jet fuel prices and fee changes from FedEx and UPS), while average net ground fuel surcharges rose 40% year over year.
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