Freight forwarding market seen topping $277 billion by 2030

The Business Research Company says the global freight forwarding market is on track to exceed $277 billion by 2030, led by DHL Global Forwarding with an 8% share in 2025. The report points to digital tools, multimodal transport and customs expertise as the main forces reshaping a fragmented market.

Why it matters: - Freight forwarding sits at the center of global trade, linking air, ocean, road and rail networks. - The market’s growth reflects rising demand for shipment visibility, customs support and multimodal logistics. - The shift toward digital platforms and automation is changing how shippers manage cross-border supply chains.

What happened: - The Business Research Company released its Freight Forwarding Global Market Report 2026 covering market size, trends and forecasts for 2026-2035. - The report says the freight forwarding market will exceed $277 billion by 2030. - DHL Global Forwarding led the market in 2025 with an 8% share of global freight forwarding sales. - The report places the market in a moderately fragmented competitive landscape. - The top 10 companies accounted for 21% of market revenue in 2025. - Request a free sample of the report. - Access the detailed market report.

The details: - DHL Global Forwarding offers air and ocean freight, customs brokerage, multimodal transport and supply chain management. - Other leading companies by 2025 market share include DSV A/S at 4% and Kuehne + Nagel International AG at 4%. - Deutsche Bahn AG, Expeditors International of Washington Inc., A.P. Moller-Maersk Group and Nippon Express Co. Ltd. each held 1%. - UPS Supply Chain Solutions Inc. held 0.1%, C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. held 0.04% and Kerry Logistics Network Limited held 0.03%. - The market is forecast to grow at a 5% compound annual rate through 2030. - Freight forwarding is expected to make up about 7% of the larger general transport market by 2030. - The broader transport services industry is forecast at $12,477 billion by 2030, with freight forwarding representing about 2% of that total. - The general transport market is expected to reach nearly $3,899 billion by 2030. - Asia Pacific is projected to become the largest regional market by 2030 at $81 billion, up from $61 billion in 2025. - Asia Pacific growth is expected to run at a 6% CAGR. - The United States is expected to remain the largest single-country market at $63 billion by 2030, up from $51 billion in 2025. - U.S. growth is projected at a 4% CAGR. - The transportation and warehousing segment is expected to lead in 2030 with 59% of the market, or $164 billion. - Packaging and documentation, insurance and value-added services are also expected to contribute materially to growth. - The report segments the market by logistics model, transport mode, customer type and industry application. - Logistics models include first party, second party and third party logistics. - Transport modes include air, ocean, road and rail freight forwarding. - Customer segments include B2C and B2B. - Industry applications include industrial and manufacturing, retail, healthcare, media and entertainment, military, oil and gas, and food and beverages. - The report says international trade, global e-commerce and free trade agreements are the three main growth drivers through 2030. - International trade is expected to add about 2.5% annual growth. - Global e-commerce is expected to add about 2.3% annual growth. - Free trade agreements are expected to add about 2.0% annual growth. - The report says transportation and warehousing, packaging and documentation, value-added services and insurance could add more than $63 billion by 2030.

Between the lines: - The market remains open enough for a wide range of operators, but scale, customs expertise and digital capabilities still determine who wins share. - DP World’s March 2024 launch of a global freight forwarding network shows how incumbents are using technology and network expansion to compete. - The report’s emphasis on AI, cloud visibility and warehouse automation points to a sector moving from manual coordination toward software-driven logistics. - The competitive picture suggests consolidation pressure may rise as customers favor larger platforms with broader coverage and faster shipment data.

What's next: - Companies are expected to keep expanding multimodal networks along key trade routes. - More partnerships across borders are likely as forwarders try to improve customs handling and regional reach. - Investment in cloud-based platforms and warehouse automation is expected to continue as customers demand more transparency and faster turnaround. - Growth should remain strongest in Asia Pacific and the U.S. as trade volumes, manufacturing and digital customs tools support demand. - The report says future gains will come from better supply chain visibility, integrated logistics and customs digitization.

The bottom line: - Freight forwarding is becoming a bigger, more digital business, and the firms with the best networks and technology look best positioned for the next phase of growth.