Freight Forwarding Market Report 2026

Freight Forwarding Market Overview

• Freight Forwarding market size has reached to $213.94 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $279.18 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% • Growth Driver: Rise Of E-Commerce Industry To Drive Market Growth • Market Trend: Integrating Digital Technologies To Streamlining Supply Chain Operations • North America was the largest region in 2025.

What Is Covered Under Freight Forwarding Market?

Freight forwarding refers to logistics planning, coordination, and flow of shipment for the movement of goods throughout international borders. The freight forwarder carries out freight rate negotiations, customs documentation, container tracking, and freight consolidation. Freight forwarding involves the international movement of goods via single or multiple carriers. The main types of services in freight forwarding are transportation and warehousing, packaging and documentation, insurance, and value-added services. Warehousing means storing goods that will be sold later. Warehousing and freight forwarding are interconnected as the warehouses increase the reliability of the freight forwarding company. The different logistics models include first-party logistics, second-party logistics, and third-party logistics and involve various modes of transport such as air freight forwarding, ocean freight forwarding, road freight forwarding, rail freight forwarding. The several types of customers include B2B, B2C. These are used in various applications such as industrial and manufacturing, retail, healthcare, media and entertainment, military, oil and gas, food and beverages, and others.

What Is The Freight Forwarding Market Growth Forecast?

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.

Global Freight Forwarding Market Segmentation

1) By Services: Transportation And Warehousing, Packaging And Documentation, Insurance, Value-Added Services 2) By Logistics Model: First Party Logistics, Second Party Logistics, Third Party Logistics 3) By Mode Of Transport: Air Freight Forwarding, Ocean Freight Forwarding, Road Freight Forwarding, Rail Freight Forwarding 4) By Customer Type: Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Business-To-Business (B2B) 5) By Application: Industrial And Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Media And Entertainment, Military, Oil And Gas, Food And Beverages, Other Applications Subsegments: 1) By Transportation And Warehousing: Land Freight Services, Ocean Freight Services, Air Freight Services 2) By Packaging And Documentation: Custom Packaging Solutions, Documentation And Customs Clearance 3) By Insurance: Cargo Insurance, Liability Insurance 4) By Value-Added Services: Inventory Management, Order Fulfillment, Supply Chain Consulting

What Is The Driver Of The Freight Forwarding Market?

The increasing expansion of e-commerce industry is expected to propel the growth of freight forwarding market going forward. The e-commerce industry, short for electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. Freight forwarding in the e-commerce sector involves the management and coordination of the international shipment of goods, including customs clearance, documentation, and transportation, to ensure efficient and timely deliveries for online retailers and their customers. For instance, in August 2023, according to Shopify Inc., a Canada-based e-commerce company, the projected valuation of the worldwide e-commerce sector will be $6.3 trillion by 2023. Over the next few years, that amount is anticipated to rise, making 21.2% of all retail purchases online by 2024. Therefore, the increasing expansion of e-commerce industry is driving the growth of freight forwarding industry.

Key Players In The Global Freight Forwarding Market

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, Bolloré 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

Global Freight Forwarding Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the freight forwarding market are integrating digital technologies solutions to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and adapt to changing market demands. Digital technology solutions encompass a range of tools and platforms designed to enhance business processes and improve customer experiences. For instance, in March 2024, DP World, a UAE-based logistics company, launched a global freight forwarding network aimed at integrating advanced digital solutions into its logistics operations. This initiative includes over 100 new offices worldwide, providing a comprehensive range of services such as order management, customs, and last-mile delivery.

What Are Latest Mergers And Acquisitions In The Freight Forwarding Market?

In March 2024, Mediterranean Shipping Company, a Switzerland-based transport and logistics company, acquired Clasquin for an undisclosed amount. This strategic acquisition is aimed at enhancing MSC's position in the logistics and supply chain management sector, allowing the company to offer more comprehensive services to its clients. Clasquin is a French-based logistics firm that specializes in freight forwarding.

Regional Outlook

North America was the largest region in the freight forwarding market in 2025. The regions covered in this market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in this market report are Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Taiwan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Canada; Italy; Spain.

What Defines the Freight Forwarding Market?

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.

How is Market Value Defined and Measured?

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.

What Key Data and Analysis Are Included in the Freight Forwarding Market Report 2026?

The freight forwarding market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides market statistics, including Market Report 2026?global market size, regional shares, competitors with the market share, detailed market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the freight forwarding Market Report 2026? The market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the Market Report 2026?