International Freight Forwarding Market Report 2026

International Freight Forwarding Market Overview

• International Freight Forwarding market size has reached to $117.71 billion in 2025 • Expected to grow to $155.16 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% • Growth Driver: E-Commerce Boom Fuels Growth In The International Freight Forwarding Market • Market Trend: Digital Transformation Of Global Freight Procurement Operations • Asia-Pacific was the largest region in 2025.

What Is Covered Under International Freight Forwarding Market?

International freight forwarding is a service provided by specialized companies or individuals that manage the logistics and transportation of goods from one country to another. The purpose of freight forwarding is to ensure that goods are shipped efficiently and cost-effectively while navigating the complexities of international trade. The main types of international freight forwarding are freight transportation, warehousing and distribution, customs brokerage, freight consolidation, and value-added services. Freight transportation involves the movement of goods from one location to another using various modes of transport, ensuring that products reach their destinations safely and efficiently. They were transported by several modes of transportation, such as the ocean, road, air, and rail, for various customers, including business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C). They are used by several end-users, such as manufacturing, e-commerce and retail, automotive, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, food and beverage, consumer goods, and others.

What Is The International Freight Forwarding Market Growth Forecast?

The international freight forwarding market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $155.16 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing e-commerce driven cross-border shipments, rising investments in digital logistics platforms, expansion of nearshoring and reshoring strategies, growing demand for supply chain resilience, increasing regulatory complexity in global trade. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of digital freight forwarding platforms, rising demand for end-to-end shipment visibility, growing use of automated customs documentation, expansion of multimodal freight solutions, enhanced focus on carbon-efficient shipping routes.

Global International Freight Forwarding Market Segmentation

1) By Services: Freight Transportation, Warehousing And Distribution, Customs Brokerage, Freight Consolidation, Value-Added Services 2) By Mode Of Transportation: Ocean, Road, Air, Rail 3) By Customer: Business-To-Business (B2B), Business-To-Consumer (B2C) 4) By End-User: Manufacturing, E-Commerce And Retail, Automotive, Healthcare And Pharmaceuticals, Oil And Gas, Food And Beverage, Consumer Goods, Other End-Users Subsegments: 1) By Freight Transportation: Ocean Freight, Air Freight, Land Freight (Road and Rail), Multimodal Freight 2) By Warehousing and Distribution: Inventory Management, Order Fulfillment, Cross-Docking, Distribution Center Services 3) By Customs Brokerage: Import Customs Clearance, Export Customs Clearance, Tariff and Duty Management, Regulatory Compliance Services 4) By Freight Consolidation: Less-than-Container Load (LCL), Less-than-Truckload (LTL), Full-Container Load (FCL), Groupage Services 5) By Value-Added Services: Packaging and Labeling, Supply Chain Consulting, Insurance Services, Temperature-Controlled Logistics, Risk Management

What Is The Driver Of The International Freight Forwarding Market?

The rise of the e-commerce industry is expected to propel the growth of the international freight forwarding market going forward. The e-commerce industry refers to purchasing and selling products and services over the Internet, allowing businesses and customers to make transactions electronically without physical interaction. The e-commerce industry is growing due to convenience and accessibility, mobile commerce growth, logistics and delivery services, and internet penetration. International freight forwarding supports e-commerce by managing global shipping logistics, customs clearance, cost management, tracking, and regulatory compliance to ensure efficient and timely delivery of goods across borders. For instance, in December 2025, according to US Census Bureau, a US-based government agency, e-commerce sales in the third quarter of 2025, adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, reached US$310.3 billion, reflecting a 5.1% increase from the third quarter of 2024 and accounted for 16.4% of total retail sales. Therefore, the rise of the e-commerce industry is driving the growth of the international freight forwarding industry.

Key Players In The Global International Freight Forwarding Market

Major companies operating in the international freight forwarding market are DHL Group, United Parcel Service of America Inc., FedEx Corporation, Kühne + Nagel International AG, DSV Panalpina A/S, Schenker Deutschland AG, Nippon Express Co. Ltd., GEODIS SA, DACHSER Group SE & Co. KG, CJ Logistics Corporation, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KG, Kintetsu World Express Inc., Yusen Logistics Co. Ltd., Sankyu Inc., Agility Public Warehousing Company, Bolloré Logistics Netherlands B.V, Dimerco Express India Private Limited, Uber Freight LLC, CEVA Logistics India Private Limited, Sinotrans India Private Limited, Panalpina Welttransport Holding AG

Global International Freight Forwarding Market Trends and Insights

Major companies operating in the international freight forwarding market are focusing on leveraging digital freight procurement platforms such as enterprise freight procurement platforms to enhance efficiency, cost transparency, and decision making. Enterprise freight procurement platforms are cloud-based systems that enable shippers and freight forwarders to digitally manage freight rate sourcing, benchmarking, tendering, booking, and execution across multiple carriers and transport modes, enabling capabilities such as real time rate comparison, automated RFQ workflows, and centralized shipment execution. For instance, in April 2025, Freightos, an Israel-based digital freight booking and logistics technology company, launched the Freightos Enterprise Suite, a digital freight procurement platform designed to support global shippers and freight forwarders in managing end to end international freight procurement and execution, featuring integrated rate benchmarking, automated RFQ and tender workflows, and direct booking and execution across air, ocean, and ground transportation. The Freightos Enterprise Suite improves cost control, procurement automation, and end to end visibility across international freight forwarding operations.

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

In February 2025, JAS Worldwide, a US–based provider of global logistics and supply chain solutions including air, ocean, and multimodal freight forwarding services, acquired International Airfreight Associates B.V. (IAA) for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, JAS aims to strengthen its global logistics portfolio by enhancing its service offerings in key European markets and expanding capabilities in managing time critical perishable and multimodal freight forwarding operations. International Airfreight Associates B.V. is a Netherlands based provider of specialized air, ocean, and road freight forwarding services with operations focused on time sensitive perishable goods and general cargo across Europe.

Regional Outlook

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the international 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 International Freight Forwarding Market?

The international freight forwarding market includes revenues earned by entities by providing services such as transportation management, cargo insurance, documentation handling, cargo tracking, packing, and crating. 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 International Freight Forwarding Market Report 2026?

The international 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 international 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?