DHL Express Fuel Surcharge Update

The new table is structurally more expensive than the one it replaces. In the overlapping range ($1.91–$3.07/gal), export and import surcharges both increase by roughly 2 pp at every bracket—meaning shippers will pay more even if fuel prices return to pre-crisis levels. The expanded ceiling accommodates fuel prices up to $4.51/gal, where surcharges will reach 39.75% on exports and 43.50% on imports. Weekly updates, driven by the Strait of Hormuz volatility, will allow surcharges to ratchet up or down much faster than the prior monthly cadence. The underlying calculation method—a rolling DOE average of US Gulf Coast jet fuel spot prices—is unchanged, but the lookup table it feeds into will be permanently more expensive. DHL has reserved the right to change the index and table again without notice.

💡 The new index table is ~2 pp more expensive at every overlapping bracket—this is a permanent structural increase, not a temporary spike.
💡 The expanded ceiling means surcharges can now approach 40% export / 43.5% import in a severe fuel scenario.
💡 Weekly updates replace monthly, increasing invoice variability and complicating cost forecasting.
💡 Shippers should audit contractual fuel caps and discount structures before April 1 to understand exposure under the new table.
💡 Geopolitical conditions remain fragile—shippers should model at current elevated prices, not assume a near-term correction.