Singapore-based logistics firm Apex Logistics is cooperating with U.S. authorities amid an investigation into its alleged role in the smuggling of Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, according to statements from the company's owner and confirmed by its majority shareholder.
Swiss logistics company Kuehne+Nagel, which acquired a controlling stake in Apex Logistics in May 2021 and completed full ownership in October 2025, said that Apex is "fully cooperating with the relevant authorities regarding this isolated matter within a wider U.S. government investigation." Kuehne+Nagel added that it has not been contacted by authorities directly and declined to provide further comments due to the ongoing nature of the inquiry.
Founded in Shanghai in 2001 and headquartered in Singapore since its incorporation there in 2016, Apex Logistics specializes in cross-border logistics and supply chain management, handling air, sea, rail, and road transportation. The company operates globally across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania and was ranked as China's top airfreight forwarder in 2025.
According to sources familiar with the U.S. investigation, Apex is suspected of facilitating shipments of Nvidia-powered AI servers that were transported from Taiwan to the United States, then on to a third Asian location outside of China, before finally being delivered to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, the servers reportedly crossed into mainland China. The focus of the investigation is understood to be on the segment of the supply chain involving exports from the United States to Southeast Asia.
Apex acknowledged awareness of U.S. concerns regarding a limited number of shipments it handled in 2024 that may have involved equipment ultimately forwarded to restricted destinations. The company emphasized its commitment to full regulatory compliance and its cooperation with the authorities.
The investigation occurs against the backdrop of heightened U.S. export controls introduced since 2022 restricting the sale of advanced AI chips, including specialized "H20" models, to China due to concerns over their potential military applications. Nvidia's chips are widely used globally to power AI model training and deployment, often integrated into servers installed in data centers.
Sources also identified the California-based firm Super Micro Computer as the assembler of the servers at the center of the investigation. However, it was noted that Apex does not have a direct business relationship with Super Micro but instead manages shipments on behalf of the servers’ purchasers.
This probe aligns with broader U.S. efforts to clamp down on transshipment practices, a logistics method where goods are transferred between vessels or modes of transportation en route to their final destinations. U.S. authorities have identified Singapore, among other economies, as potential hubs used by Chinese exporters to circumvent American tariffs.
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong addressed these issues during the National Day Rally on August 23, stating that while the country will not permit its territory to be used for illicit trade activities, it cannot fully trace and verify every product and its supply chain passing through Singapore. His remarks coincided with the imposition of higher U.S. tariffs on Singaporean exports, linked to allegations of forced labor and concerns over goods rerouted to evade trade restrictions.