Product Code: SR112025A6755
The global sea freight forwarding market size reached USD 83.4 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 107.4 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 2.77% during 2025-2033. The growing number of global and domestic trade activities, increasing demand for safe and fast delivery cargo, and rising cross-border e-commerce activities represent some of the key factors driving the market.
Sea freight forwarding comprises the transportation of a large number of goods by sea through cargo ships from the point of origin to a destination. It is transported through various containers, such as full container load (FCL) and less-than container load (LCL). It is cost-effective and safe to transport hazardous cargo as compared to other modes of transportation. It is environment-friendly and consumes less fuel as carbon emission is very low in this transportation. It can easily transport a heavy load over long distances and has fewer restrictions on transporting goods. It assists in improving security and simplifying sea freight logistics planning, execution, and management. Besides this, it aids in maintaining transparency throughout each stage of a shipment and increasing the profitability of a business. As a result, sea freight forwarding is employed in the automotive, electronics, agriculture, healthcare, textile, and manufacturing industries around the world.
Sea Freight Forwarding Market Trends:
At present, the increasing number of global and domestic trade activities across the globe represents one of the major factors impelling the growth of the market. In addition, the rising demand for sea freight forwarding due to the lesser restrictions as compared to other modes of transportation is propelling the growth of the market. Besides this, the increasing demand for low-cost cargo transportation methods is contributing to the growth of the market. Moreover, the rising demand for sea freight forwarding due to the increasing awareness about reducing the carbon footprint across the globe is offering lucrative growth opportunities to industry investors. Apart from this, the growing adoption of sea freight forwarding due to the rising demand for safe and fast delivery cargo around the world is offering a positive market outlook. Additionally, the increasing cross-border e-commerce due to the popularity of buying numerous goods online is strengthening the growth of the market. In line with this, the rising integration of artificial intelligence (AI), a global positioning system (GPS), and the internet of things (IoT) in the sea freight supply chain for tracking shipments in real-time is supporting the growth of the market. Furthermore, the growing demand for the transportation of cargo through seaways due to the rising air freight charges worldwide is positively influencing the market.
Key Market Segmentation:
Type Insights:
- Full Container Load (FCL)
- Less-than Container Load (LCL)
- Others
Services Insights:
- Packaging and Labeling
- Documentation and PO Management
- Charter Services
- Transportation and Warehousing
- Others
Vertical Insights:
- Retail and FMCG
- Manufacturing
- Consumer Appliances
- Healthcare
- Textile
- Others
Regional Insights:
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Asia Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- South Korea
- Australia
- Indonesia
- Others
- Europe
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Spain
- Russia
- Others
- Latin America
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Others
- Middle East and Africa
- The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include North America (the United States and Canada); Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and others); Europe (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, and others); Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, and others); and the Middle East and Africa. According to the report, Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, and others) was the largest market for sea freight forwarding. Some of the factors driving the Asia Pacific sea freight forwarding market included the growing number of import and export activities, introduction of online freight booking applications, thriving e-commerce industry, etc.
Competitive Landscape:
- The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape in the global sea freight forwarding market. Competitive analysis such as market structure, market share by key players, player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided. Some of the companies covered include Agility Logistics, Bollore Logistcs, C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., CEVA Logistics, Deutsche Bahn AG, Deutsche Post AG, Expeditors International, Geodis, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KG, Kerry Logistics Network Limited, Kuehne + Nagel, Sinotrans Limited, United Parcel Service Inc., Yusen Logistics Co. Ltd., etc. Kindly note that this only represents a partial list of companies, and the complete list has been provided in the report.
Key Questions Answered in This Report
- 1. What was the size of the global sea freight forwarding market in 2024?
- 2. What is the expected growth rate of the global sea freight forwarding market during 2025-2033?
- 3. What are the key factors driving the global sea freight forwarding market?
- 4. What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global sea freight forwarding market?
- 5. What is the breakup of the global sea freight forwarding market based on the type?
- 6. What is the breakup of the global sea freight forwarding market based on the services?
- 7. What is the breakup of the global sea freight forwarding market based on vertical?
- 8. What are the key regions in the global sea freight forwarding market?
- 9. Who are the key players/companies in the global sea freight forwarding market?
Table of Contents
1 Preface
2 Scope and Methodology
- 2.1 Objectives of the Study
- 2.2 Stakeholders
- 2.3 Data Sources
- 2.3.1 Primary Sources
- 2.3.2 Secondary Sources
- 2.4 Market Estimation
- 2.4.1 Bottom-Up Approach
- 2.4.2 Top-Down Approach
- 2.5 Forecasting Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Introduction
- 4.1 Overview
- 4.2 Key Industry Trends
5 Global Sea Freight Forwarding Market
- 5.1 Market Overview
- 5.2 Market Performance
- 5.3 Impact of COVID-19
- 5.4 Market Forecast
6 Market Breakup by Type
- 6.1 Full Container Load (FCL)
- 6.1.1 Market Trends
- 6.1.2 Market Forecast
- 6.2 Less-than Container Load (LCL)
- 6.2.1 Market Trends
- 6.2.2 Market Forecast
- 6.3 Others
- 6.3.1 Market Trends
- 6.3.2 Market Forecast
7 Market Breakup by Services
- 7.1 Packaging and Labelling
- 7.1.1 Market Trends
- 7.1.2 Market Forecast
- 7.2 Documentation and PO Management
- 7.2.1 Market Trends
- 7.2.2 Market Forecast
- 7.3 Charter Services
- 7.3.1 Market Trends
- 7.3.2 Market Forecast
- 7.4 Transportation and Warehousing
- 7.4.1 Market Trends
- 7.4.2 Market Forecast
- 7.5 Others
- 7.5.1 Market Trends
- 7.5.2 Market Forecast
8 Market Breakup by Vertical
- 8.1 Retail and FMCG
- 8.1.1 Market Trends
- 8.1.2 Market Forecast
- 8.2 Manufacturing
- 8.2.1 Market Trends
- 8.2.2 Market Forecast
- 8.3 Consumer Appliances
- 8.3.1 Market Trends
- 8.3.2 Market Forecast
- 8.4 Healthcare
- 8.4.1 Market Trends
- 8.4.2 Market Forecast
- 8.5 Textile
- 8.5.1 Market Trends
- 8.5.2 Market Forecast
- 8.6 Others
- 8.6.1 Market Trends
- 8.6.2 Market Forecast
9 Market Breakup by Region
- 9.1 North America
- 9.1.1 United States
- 9.1.1.1 Market Trends
- 9.1.1.2 Market Forecast
- 9.1.2 Canada
- 9.1.2.1 Market Trends
- 9.1.2.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2 Asia-Pacific
- 9.2.1 China
- 9.2.1.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.1.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.2 Japan
- 9.2.2.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.2.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.3 India
- 9.2.3.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.3.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.4 South Korea
- 9.2.4.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.4.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.5 Australia
- 9.2.5.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.5.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.6 Indonesia
- 9.2.6.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.6.2 Market Forecast
- 9.2.7 Others
- 9.2.7.1 Market Trends
- 9.2.7.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3 Europe
- 9.3.1 Germany
- 9.3.1.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.1.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.2 France
- 9.3.2.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.2.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.3 United Kingdom
- 9.3.3.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.3.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.4 Italy
- 9.3.4.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.4.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.5 Spain
- 9.3.5.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.5.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.6 Russia
- 9.3.6.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.6.2 Market Forecast
- 9.3.7 Others
- 9.3.7.1 Market Trends
- 9.3.7.2 Market Forecast
- 9.4 Latin America
- 9.4.1 Brazil
- 9.4.1.1 Market Trends
- 9.4.1.2 Market Forecast
- 9.4.2 Mexico
- 9.4.2.1 Market Trends
- 9.4.2.2 Market Forecast
- 9.4.3 Others
- 9.4.3.1 Market Trends
- 9.4.3.2 Market Forecast
- 9.5 Middle East and Africa
- 9.5.1 Market Trends
- 9.5.2 Market Breakup by Country
- 9.5.3 Market Forecast
10 Drivers, Restraints, and Opportunities
- 10.1 Overview
- 10.2 Drivers
- 10.3 Restraints
- 10.4 Opportunities
11 Value Chain Analysis
12 Porters Five Forces Analysis
- 12.1 Overview
- 12.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
- 12.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
- 12.4 Degree of Competition
- 12.5 Threat of New Entrants
- 12.6 Threat of Substitutes
13 Price Analysis
14 Competitive Landscape
- 14.1 Market Structure
- 14.2 Key Players
- 14.3 Profiles of Key Players
- 14.3.1 Agility Logistics
- 14.3.1.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.1.3 Financials
- 14.3.2 Bollore Logistcs
- 14.3.2.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.2.3 Financials
- 14.3.3 C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc.
- 14.3.3.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.3.3 Financials
- 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis
- 14.3.4 CEVA Logistics
- 14.3.4.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.4.3 SWOT Analysis
- 14.3.5 Deutsche Bahn AG
- 14.3.5.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.5.3 SWOT Analysis
- 14.3.6 Deutsche Post AG
- 14.3.6.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.6.3 Financials
- 14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis
- 14.3.7 Expeditors International
- 14.3.7.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.8 Geodis
- 14.3.8.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.9 Hellmann Worldwide Logistics SE & Co. KG
- 14.3.9.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.10 Kerry Logistics Network Limited
- 14.3.10.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.11 Kuehne + Nagel
- 14.3.11.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.12 Sinotrans Limited
- 14.3.12.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.13 United Parcel Service Inc.
- 14.3.13.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.13.2 Product Portfolio
- 14.3.14 Yusen Logistics Co. Ltd.
- 14.3.14.1 Company Overview
- 14.3.14.2 Product Portfolio
Kindly, note that this only represents a partial list of companies, and the complete list has been provided in the report.