Freight and logistics market seen topping $11.39 trillion by 2035

The global freight and logistics market is projected to grow from $6.81 trillion in 2025 to $11.39 trillion by 2035, driven by e-commerce, infrastructure spending and supply chain reconfiguration. Asia-Pacific leads the market with a 43% share as companies, governments and carriers adapt to faster parcel flows, greener fleets and digital operations.

Why it matters: - Freight and logistics is moving from a back-office function to a strategic growth engine as trade routes, delivery networks and warehouse operations are reworked. - The market’s projected rise to $11.39 trillion by 2035 signals sustained demand across parcel delivery, forwarding, infrastructure-linked freight and digital logistics tools. - E-commerce growth, nearshoring and infrastructure investment are changing where freight moves and how quickly it gets there.

What happened: - Market Research Future valued the global freight and logistics market at $6.81 trillion in 2025 and expects it to reach $7.17 trillion in 2026. - The market is projected to climb to $11.39 trillion by 2035, implying a 5.28% compound annual growth rate. - Asia-Pacific holds about 43% of the market and leads regional growth at a 5.92% CAGR. - The report was published July 6, 2026. - A sample report and full report links are available here and here.

The details: - Global e-commerce sales crossed $6.3 trillion in 2024 and are projected to top $8 trillion by 2027. - Every additional $1 billion in online retail spending generates an estimated 12 million to 15 million more parcel shipments a year. - The courier, express and parcel segment was valued at about $820 billion in 2025. - Domestic parcels make up about 63% of CEP revenue, while international volumes are growing fastest. - The Universal Postal Union recorded 22% growth in international small-packet volumes between 2022 and 2024. - Governments across Asia and the Middle East are investing more than $1.4 trillion in ports, highways and rail corridors this decade. - India’s PM Gati Shakti plan covers more than $1.2 trillion in estimated infrastructure investment and aims to cut logistics costs from 14% of GDP to 8% by 2030. - India’s Dedicated Freight Corridor will add 2,800 kilometers of high-speed freight rail capacity by 2028. - The European Commission has set aside €25.8 billion for cross-border transport corridors under the Connecting Europe Facility for 2021–2027. - USMCA-linked manufacturing integration is boosting cross-border freight flows between the U.S. and Mexico. - U.S. Class I railroads spent $25 billion on maintenance and capacity additions in 2023–2024. - The United Kingdom is growing at a 5.08% CAGR as post-Brexit trade rules push more digitization. - ASEAN growth is supported by tariff reductions and rules-of-origin harmonization under RCEP, contributing to a 6.05% CAGR. - The African Continental Free Trade Area is expected to raise intra-African trade by 52% by 2030. - Digital logistics can lower total landed costs by 15% to 25%. - Platform-intermediated loads could account for 30% of North American truckload volumes by 2032. - The American Trucking Associations estimated a U.S. driver shortfall of 82,000 by end-2024, widening to 160,000 by 2031. - The International Road Transport Union says 40% of Europe’s commercial drivers are older than 55. - The EU’s CSRD will require large companies to disclose Scope-3 logistics emissions starting in 2026. - Green bonds for low-emission fleet conversions and energy-efficient warehouses raised $8.2 billion globally in 2024. - The International Energy Agency expects electric heavy-duty truck registrations to exceed 500,000 units annually by 2030. - DHL Group has announced a €2 billion investment to electrify its European last-mile fleet and aims for 60% electric vans by 2030. - Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and Oxagon logistics zones have more than $16 billion in committed investment. - Brazil’s Santos–Guarulhos logistics corridor is receiving BRL 14 billion through 2029. - The top five logistics operators together hold an estimated 12% to 16% of global revenue, showing a fragmented market despite consolidation at the top. - DSV’s €14.3 billion purchase of DB Schenker in September 2024 created the world’s largest logistics company by forwarding revenue.

Between the lines: - The market is being shaped by two forces at once: rising shipment density from e-commerce and a shift in supply chains toward regional, faster and more resilient routes. - Infrastructure spending matters as much as demand growth because freight networks cannot absorb parcel expansion without ports, corridors, hubs and rail capacity. - Technology is starting to redefine pricing power and margins, especially in brokerage, visibility software and automated planning. - Labor shortages and emissions rules are turning automation and electrification from efficiency plays into operational necessities. - Asia-Pacific’s lead reflects a mix of manufacturing scale, consumer demand and public investment rather than one single driver.

What's next: - Autonomous and semi-autonomous trucking pilots in Texas, Arizona and Germany could expand if regulators and operators align on safety and corridor rules. - Aurora Innovation and Daimler Truck plan commercial autonomous service on the Dallas–Houston lane by 2027. - AI-orchestrated supply chains are expected to push about 45% of supply chain decisions into autonomous execution by 2028. - Generative AI and digital twins are likely to shorten planning cycles from days to minutes. - Micro-fulfillment centers, electric cargo bikes and light EVs are expected to gain share in same-day urban delivery. - Cold-chain logistics should expand as biologics and personalized medicine increase demand for temperature-controlled transport.

The bottom line: - Freight and logistics is no longer just about moving goods. The industry is becoming a technology- and infrastructure-driven system where speed, visibility, emissions performance and regional resilience determine who wins.