Freight Forwarding Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Mode of Transport (Air Freight Forwarding, Ocean Freight Forwarding, Road Freight Forwarding, and Rail Freight Forwarding), By Customer Type (B2C and B2B), By Application (Industrial & Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Food & Beverages, and Others), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 236.21 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.17%
Fastest Growing Segment	B2C
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 338.31 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Freight Forwarding Market will grow from USD 236.21 Billion in 2025 to USD 338.31 Billion by 2031 at a 6.17% CAGR. Freight forwarding involves the strategic coordination of freight movement on behalf of shippers, utilizing various transport modes to ensure goods reach their final destination efficiently. The primary drivers supporting market growth include the intensification of international trade necessitated by globalization and the increasing demand for optimized supply chain management. Additionally, the expansion of cross-border e-commerce requires robust logistics intermediaries to navigate complex customs regulations and guarantee timely delivery, thereby stimulating industry demand.

However, a significant challenge that could impede expansion is geopolitical instability, which disrupts established trade routes and creates volatility in operational costs. Such uncertainty complicates capacity planning and hinders the smooth flow of global commerce, forcing companies to constantly adapt to shifting restrictions. Despite these obstacles, specific sectors maintain robust activity levels. According to the International Air Transport Association, in 2024, global air cargo demand increased by 9.4 percent in September compared to the same period in the previous year.

Key Market Drivers

The expansion of cross-border e-commerce activities acts as a primary catalyst for the Global Freight Forwarding Market, fundamentally altering logistics requirements. As consumers increasingly source products from international marketplaces, forwarders are compelled to reconfigure their networks to accommodate high-frequency, time-sensitive parcel shipments. This shift has notably increased reliance on air cargo services to ensure the rapid delivery speeds demanded by modern retail standards, while also necessitating advanced tracking capabilities. According to the International Air Transport Association, July 2024, in the 'Air Cargo Market Analysis', global air cargo demand rose by 14.7 percent in May 2024 compared to the previous year, a surge largely attributed to booming e-commerce and capacity constraints in maritime shipping. To support this escalating volume, the industry is actively scaling its infrastructure; according to the International Air Transport Association, in 2024, available cargo tonne-kilometers (ACTKs) increased by 6.7 percent in May, reflecting the sector's operational adaptation to rising throughput.

Concurrently, the growth in international trade volumes and globalization remains a fundamental driver of market expansion. Despite geopolitical headwinds, the resurgence of merchandise trade following previous contractions is revitalizing demand for freight forwarding services across sea and land routes. Forwarders are essential in navigating the complexities of this recovering trade environment, managing customs brokerage, and optimizing multimodal transport solutions for exporters who are re-establishing global connections. This recovery provides a stable baseline for industry revenue, moving beyond the volatility of the pandemic era. According to the World Trade Organization, April 2024, in the 'Global Trade Outlook and Statistics' report, world merchandise trade volume is projected to increase by 2.6 percent in 2024, signaling a robust recovery in the movement of goods that directly underpins the forwarding industry's trajectory.

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Key Market Challenges

Geopolitical instability presents a substantial barrier to the progress of the global freight forwarding market by introducing unpredictability into established logistics networks. When conflicts arise in key transit regions, they force operators to abandon standard shipping lanes in favor of longer, more secure routes. This deviation increases transit times and operational expenses, complicating the ability of freight forwarders to guarantee delivery schedules. The volatility forces companies to divert capital toward covering fluctuating insurance and fuel surcharges rather than investing in volume growth.

The disruption of critical maritime chokepoints demonstrates the severity of this issue on trade flows. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in 2024, weekly container ship transits through the Suez Canal declined by 67 percent compared to the previous year due to regional security concerns. Such drastic reductions in capacity availability require freight forwarders to constantly realign their supply chain strategies. Consequently, the sector faces restricted expansion potential as resources are consumed by the need to manage risk and absorb costs related to unstable trade environments.

Key Market Trends

The adoption of sustainable logistics and decarbonization strategies has emerged as a critical operational priority, driven by tightening environmental regulations and shipper demands for carbon-neutral supply chains. Freight forwarders are increasingly integrating green solutions, such as sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and electric vehicles, to mitigate the environmental impact of transport operations. This shift extends beyond compliance, becoming a competitive differentiator for logistics providers aiming to secure long-term contracts with eco-conscious multinational corporations. According to Kuehne+Nagel, April 2025, in the 'Annual Report 2024', the company's air logistics division sourced 29 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in 2024, representing a 21 percent increase compared to the previous year, highlighting the sector's tangible commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

Simultaneously, the acceleration of digital transformation and process automation is reshaping the industry's traditional service models. Providers are moving away from manual, paper-based quoting processes toward dynamic, digital-native platforms that offer instant pricing and booking capabilities. This technological evolution streamlines operations, reduces transactional friction, and enhances the customer experience by providing immediate access to capacity across various transport modes. According to Freightos, April 2025, in the 'The State of Online Freight 2025' report, half of the top global freight forwarders and four of the five largest ocean carriers now offer instant online freight quotes, marking a significant departure from 2015 when no major provider offered such digital capabilities.

Segmental Insights

The Business-to-Consumer (B2C) segment has emerged as the fastest-growing category within the global freight forwarding market due to the sustained rise in cross-border electronic commerce. This growth is fueled by increasing consumer demand for direct international purchases, which requires freight forwarders to manage complex logistics chains for smaller and more frequent shipments. As online retail platforms expand globally, logistics providers are adapting their operations to handle end-to-end delivery and customs clearance efficiently. Consequently, the shift toward direct-to-consumer distribution models is actively reshaping the industry landscape and driving significant segmental expansion.

Regional Insights

Based on market analysis from reputable industry reports, the Asia Pacific region maintains a dominant position in the Global Freight Forwarding Market. This leadership is primarily driven by the dense concentration of manufacturing bases in major economies like China and India, which generates substantial export volumes. Furthermore, the rapid expansion of the cross-border e-commerce sector and increasing trade agreements within the region fuel the demand for efficient logistics services. Continuous government investments in port infrastructure and transportation networks also support this growth, ensuring the region remains a central hub for international cargo movement.

Recent Developments

• In November 2024, C.H. Robinson announced the successful implementation of proprietary generative artificial intelligence technology to automate the entire lifecycle of freight shipments. This advanced system is capable of interpreting incoming emails and replicating human actions to execute tasks such as generating price quotes, accepting loads, and scheduling deliveries. By automating routine transactions that previously required manual intervention, the technology has reduced processing times for these tasks from hours to just seconds. This breakthrough enables the company to handle thousands of shipments daily with greater efficiency while allowing its workforce to focus on more complex strategic logistics challenges.
• In October 2024, DHL Global Forwarding significantly expanded its sustainability efforts by renewing a strategic partnership with IAG Cargo to utilize an additional 60 million liters of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. This agreement, characterized as the largest of its kind between an airline and a customer, covers emissions for both 2024 and 2025 and is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 165,000 metric tons of CO2e. The collaboration supports the company's "GoGreen Plus" service, which enables customers to decarbonize their supply chains. The fuel used in this initiative is certified and derived from waste sources such as used cooking oil.
• In September 2024, the Danish transport and logistics company DSV signed a definitive agreement to acquire DB Schenker from Deutsche Bahn in a transaction with an enterprise value of EUR 14.3 billion. This acquisition represents a transformative consolidation in the Global Freight Forwarding Market, creating a world-leading player with a combined workforce of approximately 147,000 employees across more than 90 countries. The merger is designed to significantly strengthen the organization's global network, expertise, and competitiveness. Additionally, the company committed to investing EUR 1 billion in Germany over the next few years to support long-term growth and promote modern workplaces within the combined entity.
• In January 2024, Kuehne+Nagel launched a pioneering Book & Claim insetting solution specifically for electric vehicles, marking a significant advancement in sustainable logistics. This initiative established the company as the first logistics service provider to extend such an insetting option beyond low-emission fuels to battery-electric trucks. The innovative solution allows customers to claim carbon reductions achieved by electric vehicles, even if their specific goods cannot be physically transported on these trucks due to charging infrastructure or range limitations. By bridging these operational challenges, the offering aims to accelerate fleet electrification and help reduce the financial premium associated with sustainable road transport.

Key Market Players

• Kuehne + Nagel International AG
• Schenker AG
• CMA CGM Group
• DHL Group
• Nippon Express Co., Ltd.
• Allcargo Logistics Ltd.
• C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.,
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KG

By Mode of Transport	By Customer Type	By Application	By Region
Air Freight Forwarding Ocean Freight Forwarding Road Freight Forwarding Rail Freight Forwarding	B2C and B2B	Industrial & Manufacturing Retail Healthcare Oil & Gas Food & Beverages Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Freight Forwarding Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Freight Forwarding Market, By Mode of Transport:

• Air Freight Forwarding
• Ocean Freight Forwarding
• Road Freight Forwarding
• Rail Freight Forwarding

• Freight Forwarding Market, By Customer Type:

• B2C and B2B

• Freight Forwarding Market, By Application:

• Industrial & Manufacturing
• Retail
• Healthcare
• Oil & Gas
• Food & Beverages
• Others

• Freight Forwarding Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE