DHL Global Forwarding is expanding its U.S. customs clearance capacity by 40%, hiring more than 200 new agents on top of its existing team of 500 brokers, according to a report. The logistics provider is also launching a digital platform and an AI agent to assist with customs filing and tariff decisions later this year, CEO Tim Robertson said.

This expansion comes as ocean shipping volumes from Asia to North America have declined by 7% year-over-year, with exports from China showing the most significant drop. Data from the IndexBox platform confirms this downward trend, which contrasts with the typical seasonal increase in volumes ahead of the holiday shopping season. The National Retail Federation forecasts container volumes in August and September to be down 1.7% and 6.8% respectively from 2024 levels.

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Robertson described the current period as “the most atypical peak season that we have seen,” including compared to the pandemic years. While volumes from China are “incredibly soft,” DHL is experiencing double-digit demand growth for freight from Vietnam to the U.S., and from Asia to Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. To support high-tech and e-commerce sectors, the company has initiated dedicated charter flights from Vietnam and Taiwan to major U.S. hubs.

DHL is responding to the volatile environment by offering multimodal solutions, such as hybrid sea-air routes, and warehouse services to help importers manage costs and diversify sourcing. Mark Kunar, CEO of DHL Supply Chain North America, noted increased customer interest in using foreign trade zones to defer tariff payments.

Rivals FedEx (FDX) and UPS (UPS) are facing similar challenges. FedEx reported a $150 million earnings hit in its first quarter due to volume declines from China and anticipates an additional $300 million in customs-related costs this fiscal year. UPS reported a 35% volume slide in May and June following new e-commerce tariffs, despite a 22% increase in Chinese exports globally, leading to over 100 flight cancellations.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform