DHL Express has forged robust partnerships with numerous Customs administrations, including those of Cambodia, Canada, Germany, and Sweden. These relationships reflect the parties’ commitment to transparency, innovation, and mutual understanding. This article presents the actions taken with each administration to translate a collaborative approach into real-world benefits, with the hope that others can adopt these practices.
Modernizing express clearance and boosting logistics activities in Cambodia
DHL Express Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) on 27 March 2025. The MoU underscores DHL’s commitment to operational excellence and the Cambodian government’s ambition of positioning the country as a critical node in the regional express logistics network.
The partnership focuses on three core Customs operational improvements:
- the digitalization of the Customs declarations submission process by connecting IT systems (currently, Customs declarations are submitted by DHL on paper).
- enhanced risk management by identifying and reporting suspicious activities or shipments and implementing robust internal processes to verify the accuracy of declared shipment values and contents. DHL is also participating in a technical working group whose tasks include developing risk
- regulatory simplification: as part of its reform and modernization programme, GDCE has been reducing documentation requirements for express consignments, streamlining the return process, and implementing pre-arrival processing.
Together, these measures will support the GDCE to direct scarce resources toward high-risk consignments while facilitating legitimate trade.
Collaborative efforts with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
DHL Express Canada has established a strong partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), collaborating with the Agency’s seven key gateways on operational efficiency and with its regional offices and headquarters on processes and reforms to address operational and regulatory challenges. This proactive engagement has ensured the highest compliance levels are upheld with existing and new regulatory requirements.
DHL was also involved in various strategic projects alongside CBSA. DHL was the first company to participate in testing the Courier Analytical Portal (CAP) pilot. This automated solution enables Customs authorities to conduct more effective risk analysis for low-value shipments. Before CAP, CBSA would conduct risk analysis based on each carrier’s systems. CAP enables CBSA to perform risk analysis using its own system-based data, which is received from carriers, thereby enhancing its targeting capabilities. CAP provides DHL with greater predictability and more efficient clearance. The company is also collaborating with CBSA on the E-Commerce Low-Value Inspection System (ELVIS) project, which aims to develop a more modern and future-oriented regulatory framework and IT systems, as well as to improve processes to support CBSA’s risk management. This initiative will also be rolled out at the national level.
Optimizing Customs processes at the DHL Express air hub in Germany
At the International DHL Express air hub in Leipzig/Halle, Customs-related processes are continuously enhanced to ensure operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction.
A key focus was to simplify the handling of “found shipments”, which refers to those shipments arriving without a shipping label or with illegible information on the label (HAWB/MAWB). Such shipments had to be brought under Customs supervision, and an extensive list of documents had to be provided to verify their status. In collaboration with the German Customs administration, the required documentation has been reduced by up to 90%. The simplification of the process cut down repetitive administrative work and freed officers to focus on more complex cases. It also reduced the risk of bottlenecks in one of Europe’s busiest express hubs, with the retention period for found shipments decreasing by more than half, from an average dwell time of 137 hours to under 30 hours. This turnaround speed at the hub ensures that shipments can get back on track and reach their respective customers within an acceptable timeframe, aligning with the expectations of an express service.
This initiative is part of the broader Simplification Programme, jointly developed by the German Customs Administration and DHL Express, with the objective of streamlining procedures, improving clearance efficiency, and reducing potential sources of error by setting automation solutions and using AI. In view of increasing shipment volumes and the growing complexity of trade regulations, it promotes a forward-looking approach to facilitating and controlling shipments transported by express carriers.
Sharing knowledge to enhance the fight against illicit trade in Sweden
Swedish Customs has a longstanding tradition of collaborating with compliant economic operators to strengthen the fight against commercial fraud and illicit trade. Under the “Cooperation Against Customs Crime” initiative, the Administration has signed agreements with various compliant stakeholders to make it more challenging for criminals to smuggle items into Sweden.
DHL Express Sweden has entered into such an agreement. In October 2025, the Customs Administration began delivering presentations to DHL staff on the risk indicators and procedures used by the Administration, as well as on how to handle the most common issues efficiently.
The training targets three categories of staff:
- The security team at DHL.
- DHL’s senior management and operations teams.
- Staff at all five DHL gateways in Sweden.
By ensuring private-sector staff are trained to spot red flags, Customs administrations can create hundreds of additional “eyes and ears” to expand their reach and enhance the fight against illicit trade.
Key partnership goals:
- Optimizing resource management by reducing paperwork and simplifying processes.
- Enhancing risk management by jointly developing and applying algorithms and data solutions.
- Increasing operational efficiency and reducing bottlenecks at busy hubs while maintaining effective control.
- Building capacity to get additional “eyes and ears” in the fight against illicit trade.
- Ensuring future readiness to be able to cope with rising e-commerce volumes and greater regulatory complexity.
The DHL Express collaborative initiatives with Customs administrations in Cambodia, Canada, Germany and Sweden underscore the power of partnership in achieving shared goals. As global commerce continues to evolve, these collaborations represent more than best practices; they’re essential strategies for future-proofing the global express logistics sector, enhancing Customs capabilities, and fostering sustained economic growth for all stakeholders. Equally important, they demonstrate how Customs administrations can save resources, increase detection rates, and implement reforms more effectively by working with a trusted private-sector partner. We remain committed to engaging openly with Customs administrations globally, embracing opportunities for “win-win” collaborations that deliver mutual benefits, strengthen operational efficiencies, and enhance international trade. As we look to the future, continued cooperation with Customs administrations globally will be pivotal in navigating the evolving landscape of global trade.
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