Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the international air cargo market handled 62.3 million metric tons of freight, marking a 1.3% increase year-over-year.
- Air cargo demand surged by 11.3% in 2021, with e-commerce contributing 25% of total volumes.
- DHL Express handled 2.1 billion shipments in 2022, with air cargo comprising 40% of its network.
- The U.S. trucking industry transported 72.5% of the nation's freight by value and over 72.1% by tonnage in 2022.
- Rail freight in Europe carried 463 billion tonne-kilometers in 2021, representing 18% of total inland freight.
- U.S. road freight revenue hit USD 937 billion in 2022, with trucks moving 10.47 billion tons of goods.
- Container shipping accounted for 90% of global non-bulk cargo trade volume in 2022, with 180 million TEUs shipped worldwide.
- In 2022, the global container port throughput reached 807 million TEUs, up 2.6% from 2021.
- Dry bulk carriers transported 5.3 billion tons of cargo in 2022, led by iron ore at 1.2 billion tons.
- The global cargo shipping market size was valued at approximately USD 14.18 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 16.52 trillion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.07%.
- Global freight and logistics market revenue reached USD 5.4 trillion in 2022, expected to grow to USD 12.2 trillion by 2030 at a CAGR of 10.7%.
- The Asia-Pacific region dominated the cargo shipping market with 45% share in 2022, valued at USD 6.38 trillion.
- Maritime transport emissions accounted for 3% of global GHG emissions in 2018, with projections to rise to 17% by 2050 without mitigation.
- By 2030, the cargo industry aims for net-zero emissions through adoption of alternative fuels like LNG and hydrogen.
- Electrification of freight trucks could reduce CO2 emissions by 40% by 2040 in Europe.
Air cargo grew modestly in 2023 while logistics and shipping are accelerating toward greener, more digital operations.
Related reading
Air Cargo Statistics
Air Cargo Statistics Interpretation
More related reading
Land Freight
Land Freight Interpretation
More related reading
Maritime Cargo
Maritime Cargo Interpretation
More related reading
Market Size & Economic Impact
Market Size & Economic Impact Interpretation
More related reading
Sustainability & Future Trends
Sustainability & Future Trends Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Cargo Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cargo-industry-statistics
Samuel Norberg. "Cargo Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cargo-industry-statistics.
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Cargo Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cargo-industry-statistics.
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