The current conflict in the Middle East has added fresh pressure to global energy and freight markets. The International Energy Agency says the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, tightening supply and pushing up oil and refined product prices.

For many businesses, the result is familiar: rising transport costs, pressure on margins, and the need to recover some of those costs through a fuel levy.

The challenge is not simply introducing a levy. It is applying that levy accurately, consistently, and in a way that matches your pricing model.

For businesses using Jiwa Financials, Opal Logic can develop a custom plugin that automatically applies a fuel levy to sales orders based on your own business rules. That might be a flat percentage across an order, a levy on selected products, or a more advanced model that varies by both product and customer.

Why businesses are revisiting fuel levies

As supply conditions tighten, freight-related costs can move quickly. The IEA reported in March 2026 that the Middle East conflict had disrupted roughly 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and oil products that would normally transit the Strait of Hormuz, while also lifting prices for diesel, jet fuel and LPG.

That kind of volatility makes manual surcharge processes harder to manage. Spreadsheets, ad hoc adjustments, and staff-by-staff decisions often lead to inconsistent charging and unnecessary administration.

Automating levy logic inside Jiwa Financials gives businesses a more controlled and scalable way to respond.

Common fuel levy models in Jiwa Financials

A custom Jiwa plugin can support different charging methods depending on how your business operates.

1. A fixed percentage based on total order value

The most straightforward model is a standard percentage applied to the total order value. Jiwa can calculate the surcharge automatically and add it to the sales order without manual intervention.

This works well when the business wants a simple, transparent method for recovering increased freight costs.

2. A levy applied only to selected products

In some businesses, only certain items should attract a fuel levy. That may include bulky products, freight-intensive lines, or categories where transport costs are materially higher.

A custom plugin can identify those products and apply the levy only where required, rather than across the full order.

3. A levy that varies by product and customer

Some businesses need more than a single rule. The charge may depend on the product, the customer, location, contract terms, or other commercial arrangements.

In that case, Opal Logic can build a more sophisticated rules-based plugin that evaluates the order and applies the appropriate levy automatically.

Why automation matters

When fuel-related costs change quickly, the ability to apply pricing rules consistently becomes more important.

A tailored Jiwa Financials solution can help your business:

• recover transport cost increases more accurately
• reduce manual processing
• improve consistency across sales orders
• adapt faster when levy rules change
• reduce billing disputes caused by inconsistent charging

Instead of relying on workarounds, your levy process becomes part of your normal order workflow.

Why Opal Logic

Opal Logic has extensive experience in Jiwa Financials custom development and understands that surcharge logic is rarely a one-size-fits-all. Some businesses need a basic percentage model. Others need rules that reflect product mix, customer agreements, freight exposure, or industry-specific pricing structures.

That experience allows us to design solutions that fit the way your business already operates, while keeping the process reliable and maintainable inside Jiwa Financials.

Closing

With the current Middle East conflict contributing to supply disruption and oil market volatility, many businesses are reviewing how they recover freight-related costs. The IEA says member countries released 400 million barrels from emergency reserves in March 2026 in response to the disruption, which shows the scale of the issue.

For Jiwa Financials users, a custom fuel levy plugin can turn a manual and inconsistent process into an automated one that reflects your own pricing rules.

If your business needs a smarter way to manage fuel levies in Jiwa Financials, Opal Logic can help. Contact us to discuss a custom solution tailored to your requirements.

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