DHL launches AI tool TradeNavigator for customs data

DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight arm of DHL Group, has launched DHL TradeNavigator, a new AI-powered tool within its TradeConnect environment. TradeNavigator allows customers to query their customs declaration data using natural language and receive answers, analytics, charts, and actionable insights on duty spend, clearance performance, tariff exposure, and compliance trends, according to DHL.

The launch comes as customs management grows more complex amid shifting trade regulations. Citing Thomson Reuters’ Global Trade Report 2026, DHL noted that 72% of businesses see tariff volatility as the most impactful regulatory change, while 65% are adjusting sourcing patterns to mitigate tariff exposure. Despite this, many organisations still depend on fragmented reports and manual processes to analyse customs data, a gap TradeNavigator is designed to close.

The tool builds on TradeConnect, which has already integrated local customs declaration data from more than 75 countries into a single harmonised environment, giving customers a consolidated view down to the declaration line-item level. DHL said pilot testing confirmed the tool’s ability to surface patterns and potential declaration inconsistencies across multiple countries within seconds.

Greg Nichols, Senior Vice President Global Customs at DHL Global Forwarding, said customs data remains an underutilised source of supply chain intelligence, and that TradeNavigator helps convert it from a reporting burden into a decision-making asset. He added that pilot deployments had already helped customers uncover hidden duty spend patterns, detect recurring clearance bottlenecks, and improve visibility into tariff exposure across global trade lanes.

Customers can use the tool to identify which countries or product categories drive the highest customs duties and which show the longest clearance cycle times, drilling down to uncover root causes and optimisation opportunities, DHL said.

The company stressed that TradeNavigator operates entirely within DHL’s secure environment and data protection standards, and complements, rather than replaces, its team of more than 4,000 dedicated customs experts, who handle over 30,000 customs declarations daily. Customs and compliance decisions, DHL said, remain governed by customer policy, applicable law, and the scrutiny of experienced professionals.