PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1996044
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1996044
Freight forwarding involves the planning, coordination, and facilitation of the shipment flow for the international movement of goods across borders. Freight forwarders manage tasks such as negotiating freight rates, handling customs documentation, tracking containers, and consolidating freight shipments.
The main services in freight forwarding encompass transportation and warehousing, packaging and documentation, insurance, and value-added services. Warehousing involves the storage of goods for future sale, and its connection with freight forwarding is integral as warehouses enhance the reliability of freight forwarding companies. Various logistics models, including first-party logistics, second-party logistics, and third-party logistics, operate across different modes of transport such as air, ocean, road, and rail freight forwarding. Customers in freight forwarding include B2B and B2C, and these services find applications in diverse sectors such as industrial and manufacturing, retail, healthcare, media and entertainment, military, oil and gas, food and beverages, among others.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are impacting the freight forwarding market by increasing customs duties, documentation complexity, and compliance costs across international shipments. Manufacturing, retail, and oil and gas sectors in North America and Europe are most affected due to high trade volumes, while Asia-Pacific faces margin pressure on export-focused forwarding services. These tariffs are extending clearance timelines and increasing freight costs. However, they are also accelerating adoption of digital customs tools, diversified sourcing strategies, and value-added logistics services.
The freight forwarding market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides freight forwarding market statistics, including freight forwarding industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a freight forwarding market share, detailed freight forwarding market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the freight forwarding industry. This freight forwarding market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The freight forwarding market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $213.94 billion in 2025 to $225.99 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of international trade flows, rising complexity of customs regulations, growing demand for freight consolidation services, increased reliance on third-party logistics providers, expansion of global manufacturing networks.
The freight forwarding market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $279.18 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in digital forwarding solutions, rising focus on carbon-efficient shipping routes, expansion of cross-border e-commerce logistics, growing demand for real-time tracking and analytics, increasing adoption of integrated logistics platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of digital freight platforms, rising demand for end-to-end shipment visibility, growing integration of customs automation solutions, expansion of sustainable freight forwarding practices, enhanced focus on supply chain transparency.
The growing expansion of the e-commerce industry is expected to drive the growth of the freight forwarding market in the coming years. The e-commerce industry, short for electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods and services online. Freight forwarding in the e-commerce sector involves managing and coordinating the international shipment of goods, including customs clearance, documentation, and transportation, to ensure efficient and timely deliveries for online retailers and their customers. For example, in August 2023, according to Shopify Inc., a Canada-based e-commerce company, the projected valuation of the global e-commerce sector was $6.3 trillion by 2023. Over the next few years, this figure is expected to increase, making 21.2% of all retail purchases online by 2024. As a result, the growing expansion of the e-commerce industry is fueling the growth of the freight forwarding market.
Major companies in the freight forwarding market are incorporating digital technology solutions to boost operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, and respond to evolving market demands. These digital technology solutions consist of various tools and platforms aimed at improving business processes and customer interactions. For example, in March 2024, DP World, a logistics company based in the UAE, launched a global freight forwarding network that focuses on integrating advanced digital solutions into its logistics operations. This initiative features more than 100 new offices worldwide, offering a comprehensive array of services, including order management, customs, and last-mile delivery.
In March 2024, Mediterranean Shipping Company, a transport and logistics firm headquartered in Switzerland, acquired Clasquin for an undisclosed sum. This strategic acquisition aims to strengthen MSC's position in the logistics and supply chain management sector, enabling the company to provide more comprehensive services to its clients. Clasquin is a logistics firm based in France that specializes in freight forwarding.
Major companies operating in the freight forwarding market are Savino Del Bene S.p.A., A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, CMA CGM Group, Deutsche Bahn AG, DSV Panalpina A/S, DHL Global Forwarding, C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., Nippon Express Co. Ltd., Expeditors International of Washington Inc., Sinotrans Limited, GEODIS SA, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, Kerry Logistics Network Limited, UPS Supply Chain Solutions Inc., CJ Logistics Corporation, DACHSER SE, Bollore Logistics, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics GmbH & Co. KG, Agility Public Warehousing Company K.S.C.P., Yusen Logistics Inc., Kintetsu World Express Inc., CTS International Logistics Corporation, LX Holding, Yusen Logistics Co. Ltd., Dimerco Express Group, Ceva Logistics LLC, Logisteed Co. Ltd., Seko Logistics
North America was the largest region in the freight forwarding market in 2025. The regions covered in the freight forwarding market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the freight forwarding market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The freight forwarding market includes revenues earned by entities by planning and coordinating of the movement of commodities across international borders. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Freight Forwarding Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses freight forwarding market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for freight forwarding ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The freight forwarding market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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