The global freight forwarding market reached 208.1 billion euros in 2025 with 4.4% growth, but is projected to slow to 2.5% in 2026 according to Transport Intelligence.
Three trends you need to act on
Trend 1: Geopolitical disruptions
The Middle East conflict in February 2026 cut air cargo capacity by 22% on Asia-Europe routes. Action: book early and use multimodal solutions like rail and truck.
Trend 2: Manufacturing shift
Production is moving to Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Mexico. Action: choose logistics partners with strong Southeast Asia coverage.
Trend 3: Specialization beats scale
B2B clients now value forwarders with customs brokerage, project logistics, and e-commerce fulfillment capabilities over just low quotes.
What this means for you
- Partner with forwarders offering multiple transport modes
- Prefer forwarders with in-house customs resources
- Plan early for emerging markets