Global logistics group Kuehne+Nagel has entered into a long-term strategic collaboration with Amazon, aimed at supporting new business opportunities and strengthening services for the technology and e-commerce giant, the company announced on 21 September 2026.
What Does the Agreement Cover?
The agreement builds on the two companies’ existing commercial relationship and centres on three priorities: scale, innovation and the development of tailored services for Amazon and its affiliates.
Stefan Paul, CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, said the company was excited to enter the long-term collaboration with Amazon, describing it as built on a shared focus on scale, innovation and customer value. He said Kuehne+Nagel’s global network, digital capabilities and supply chain expertise were well positioned to support Amazon’s evolving business needs, enabling the company to accelerate future growth opportunities and create lasting value for customers.
How Does the Deal Extend into AWS Infrastructure?
A notable element of the collaboration is its scope beyond conventional freight and logistics services. It also covers Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing arm of Amazon, and the full infrastructure lifecycle associated with it. This includes construction, equipment deployment, maintenance, upgrades and expansion projects tied to AWS data centres and related facilities.
Kuehne+Nagel said the expanded relationship is designed to support the resilience, scalability and operational efficiency of supply chains serving the continued growth of global cloud infrastructure, an area that has become increasingly central to logistics providers as hyperscale data centre construction accelerates worldwide.
What Financial Structure Underpins the Partnership?
The agreement is supported by a call option on existing Kuehne+Nagel shares. The option can be settled in cash or, at Amazon’s election, through shares. Vesting of the option will depend on commercial milestones and services delivered over a period of up to seven years, linking the financial arrangement directly to the operational performance of the collaboration rather than a fixed timeline alone.
Kuehne+Nagel has appointed a third-party financial institution to undertake hedging transactions involving its shares in support of the arrangement, a structure increasingly used in large-scale commercial partnerships to manage exposure associated with equity-linked incentive arrangements.
Why Does This Partnership Matter for Global Logistics?
The collaboration reflects a broader trend of major logistics providers deepening ties with large technology and e-commerce companies, whose supply chain needs increasingly span traditional freight forwarding, last-mile delivery and the physical infrastructure required to support digital services. Amazon’s continued expansion of AWS, one of the world’s largest cloud computing platforms, has created growing demand for specialised construction, equipment logistics and facility maintenance services delivered at scale and pace.
For Kuehne+Nagel, one of the world’s leading integrated logistics companies, the agreement represents an opportunity to diversify its service offering beyond conventional sea and air freight forwarding into infrastructure-linked logistics support, a segment expected to see sustained investment as cloud and e-commerce operators continue to scale their physical footprints globally.
Neither company disclosed the financial value of the agreement or specific volume commitments associated with the collaboration.
