In the fast-paced world of global trade, U.S. businesses are constantly looking for ways to deliver quickly, reduce costs, and simplify customs procedures when sending bulk shipments to customers around the world. But shipping through traditional bulk carriers is often slow, costly, and lacks the flexibility businesses need when fulfilling multiple shipments to one country. Moreover, the Trump administration’s tariff increases and changes to de minimis rules have raised the cost and complexity of shipping to the U.S., making businesses look for new ways to save on shipping costs. DHL’s Breakbulk Express (BBX) service offers a powerful solution.
What is DHL Breakbulk Express (BBX)?
DHL Express Breakbulk (BBX) is a specialized shipping service that allows businesses to send multiple shipments as one consolidated shipment under a single air waybill (AWB) and customs invoice. After consolidation, the bulk shipment is loaded onto the transport vehicle or aircraft, with careful load procedures to ensure safe handling. Once the shipment clears Customs at the destination gateway, it is deconsolidated (“broken down”), with individual packages unloaded, transported to their final destinations, and delivered to individual receivers.
By consolidating multiple individual items into one shipment and sending it with fast express shipping from DHL, BBX saves you time, money, resources, and streamlines the entire process - from customs clearance to final delivery.
The top benefits of bulk shipping with Breakbulk Express (BBX)
1. Lower Your Customs Clearance Costs
Bundling shipments under a single customs declaration means you avoid paying clearance fees for every package. This allows businesses to cut importing costs significantly, enabling more competitive pricing for customers.
2. Make Your Deliveries Faster and More Reliable
Bulk shipping from DHL Express is much faster and more reliable than processing hundreds of individual shipments separately. Consolidation and single-entry clearance streamlines the entire journey, reducing risks of delays and lost packages.
Moreover, by offering the fastest, most reliable shipping option, you’re also empowered to fulfill international e-commerce orders quickly and efficiently. This reduces cart abandonment and increases customer satisfaction.
3. Simplify Documentation
Instead of preparing multiple air waybills and invoices, BBX allows you to submit one customs invoice, minimizing paperwork and administrative burdens.
4. Reduce Warehousing and Storage Costs
With consolidated shipping, there’s no need for temporary storage or expensive overseas distribution centers. Goods move directly from your facility to final recipients.
5. Enhance Supply Chain Efficiency
BBX reduces complexity in cross-border logistics, lowers inventory carrying costs, and optimizes last-mile distribution, all while keeping your shipments within DHL’s trusted express delivery network.
Bonus: Ship Sustainably
When you add DHL GoGreen Plus, you can reduce the carbon footprint of your BBX shipments by using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel.
How BBX Shipping Works
1. Consolidation at Origin
Create multiple packages (“baby shipments”) and combine them into one bulk or “mother” shipment, which is then collected from your location or supplier
2. Single Customs Entry
Instead of processing each package individually, all items move under one AWB and one Importer of Record until it clears customs, simplifying the clearance process.
3. Deconsolidation at Destination
After clearance, DHL Express sorts and delivers the pre-labeled baby shipments to their final recipients. Shipments are carefully lifted onto and off the transport deck, with attention to their width, shape, and form to ensure proper direction and secure stowage, preventing any shift during transit.
4. End-to-End International Shipping
With DHL’s global air express network, BBX shipments reach customers quickly and reliably within a few business days. For each shipment, an estimated delivery date is provided, allowing customers to plan accordingly and track their packages with confidence. This is in striking contrast to bulk shipping, which uses slow-moving ocean freight and can take weeks to arrive at its destination.
How does Breakbulk Express (BBX) compare with Loose Bulk Express (LBX) shipping?
Breakbulk Express (BBX) consolidates multiple packages into one shipment for a single customs clearance, then separates them for delivery, making it ideal for large orders to the same destination country (or to the European Union), with lower costs and less paperwork. Loose Bulk Express (LBX) consolidates shipments virtually without physical consolidation, offering simple handling and flexibility for smaller or varied shipments.
How does DHL Express Bulk Shipping Compare to Bulk Carriers?
Traditional bulk carriers consolidate items by shipping them in containers. This kind of shipping is typically reserved for transporting large quantities of raw goods in standardized units. Shippers using bulk carriers for breakbulk shipping usually transport bulk commodities or oversized cargo such as grains, liquids, and oil, as this shipping method is particularly suitable for handling such cargo securely and efficiently. These shipments are usually transported on container ships and take several weeks to arrive at their destination.
Barges are often used for oversized or unconventional cargo that cannot be containerized, providing a cost-effective solution for heavy or non-standard shipments. In some cases, the consolidated shipment may be transported on a specialized vessel designed for the efficient handling of breakbulk cargo. Additionally, supplementary equipment and specialized procedures are employed in breakbulk shipping to enhance the safe handling and transportation of heavy or oversized cargo.
Breakbulk Express Shipping (BBX) by DHL Express, on the other hand, is ideal for e-commerce parcel distribution, offering more flexibility and the ability to get items to customers quickly. This is best for retailers with steady flow of orders into a given market, for example, shipping from the U.S. to the EU, or from China to Canada. These shipments are transported on DHL's fast air express network and arrive at their destination within a few business days.
Advantages and Disadvantages Compared to Other Shipping Methods
The advantages of Breakbulk Express (BBX) shipping include lower costs, faster delivery, simplified documentation, and improved supply chain efficiency compared to slower, traditional breakbulk or bulk shipping. BBX solutions are designed to reflect the geographic coverage and global operations of modern businesses, ensuring alignment with your international supply chain needs. BBX also overcomes the disadvantages of other methods, such as the higher resource requirements, longer turnaround times, and port infrastructure limitations often seen with breakbulk shipping. This makes DHL’s BBX a faster, more efficient and reliable choice for many businesses.
Requirements for Using DHL BBX
To take advantage of Breakbulk Express, businesses should meet the following conditions.
Contractual Agreement
Request a DHL Express Credit Business Account and contact your account representative to create a formal agreement with DHL Express that allows you to utilize our Breakbulk solutions.
Ship to a Single Import Gateway
All parcels in a consolidated shipment must enter the same destination gateway.
Be a Valid Importer of Record
A designated IOR must be listed for customs compliance.
Meet Minimum Volumes
Businesses must meet minimum volumes to qualify for BBX shipping.
Provide Accurate Data
Provide detailed line-item information for each baby shipment (receiver name, description, HTS codes, origin, value, Incoterms, currency consistency).
Provide a DEC Invoice
A DEC (detailed customs invoice) for the mother shipment is required for clearance.
How to Set Up DHL Breakbulk Express
1. Request a DHL Express Credit Business Account: Contact DHL to discuss your BBX needs and set up your account.
2. Integrate DHL Express API: Connect your e-commerce or ERP platform with MyDHL API for seamless label generation and tracking.
3. Prepare Shipments: Generate a parent AWB for the mother shipment, then create child AWBs for each individual package.
4. Provide Complete Electronic Data: Submit all required customs details in advance to avoid clearance delays.
5. Schedule Pickup: DHL collects and consolidates your shipments for air transport and rapid delivery.
Choose DHL Express for Your Bulk Shipping Needs
As the global leader in logistics and express delivery, DHL Express offers unmatched reliability, speed, and cost efficiency for businesses shipping internationally. Whether you’re an online business, a large-scale distributor, or a manufacturer serving multiple customers abroad, DHL Breakbulk Express enables businesses like yours expand your global reach by streamlining the shipping services you offer to overseas buyers, helping you cut costs, speed up deliveries, and simplify complex customs processes, all under one optimized solution.
With bulk shipping (BBX) by DHL Express, you benefit from:
A single, streamlined customs process
Faster delivery times (typically 3–4 days worldwide)
Reduced costs on duties, storage, and documentation
Access to DHL’s global support and tracking systems
Partner with DHL Express to Get the Lowest Shipping Rates
Request a DHL Express Credit Business Account today to set up BBX, save up to 85% on shipping costs, and unlock a smarter, more efficient way to ship globally. Partner with the leading international specialists to secure your brand positioning in the global marketplace.
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