GITNUXREPORT 2025

Freight Industry Statistics

Global freight industry projected to reach $15.5 trillion by 2027.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Sustainable freight transportation solutions can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25%

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The shift to electrification in trucking could save up to 0.3 gigatons of CO2 annually by 2040

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Urban freight transport accounts for about 25% of city traffic and emissions

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The maritime shipping industry emits approximately 940 million tons of CO2 annually, representing about 2.5% of global emissions

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The freight industry’s carbon footprint can be reduced by adopting alternative fuels, which account for about 14% of total freight fuel consumption in 2022

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Investing in telematics can save trucking companies up to 20% annually on fuel costs

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The European Union aims to cut freight-related emissions by 55% by 2030, through modernization and sustainable practices

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Approximately 90% of global trade by volume is carried by ships

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The Asia-Pacific region accounts for nearly 45% of global container throughput

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The world's largest port, the Port of Shanghai, handled over 47 million TEUs in 2022

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The global container shipping industry is responsible for transporting about 60% of the world's goods by value

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The annual global freight volume is approximately 11.8 billion metric tons

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The average delivery time for e-commerce parcels in North America is 3.4 days

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The average age of trucks on U.S. roads is approximately 9.4 years

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The average payload capacity of a standard freight container is approximately 24 tons

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The average shipping cost per kilogram in international shipping ranges from $4 to $8, depending on the region and mode

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The average delay for container ships at congested ports is around 1.7 days, caused by port congestion and labor strikes

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The average age of container ships in operation globally is approximately 12 years, indicating a relatively modern fleet

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The global freight industry is projected to reach a value of $15.5 trillion by 2027

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The U.S. trucking industry generates over $700 billion annually

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The average shipment size in Europe is approximately 5.2 tons

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The global air freight market was valued at around $139 billion in 2022

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Approximately 60% of global freight transportation is containerized

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The freight rail sector accounts for about 8% of freight transport in the U.S.

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The total maritime shipping fleet consists of over 54,000 vessels worldwide

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In 2022, cross-border e-commerce logistics grew by 23% globally

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The average fuel cost for freight carriers in the U.S. is approximately $0.50 per mile

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The global cold chain logistics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2023 to 2030

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The average vacancy rate for warehouse space in the U.S. stands at 4.3%, indicating strong demand

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E-commerce logistics accounts for approximately 20% of total freight volume in North America

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The global freight forwarding market size was valued at $183 billion in 2022

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The use of AI in freight logistics is projected to save the industry over $80 billion annually by 2030

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The average cost per mile for freight rail in North America is approximately $0.02

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The worldwide market for freight management software is projected to reach $29 billion by 2025

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The volume of e-commerce deliveries increased by 30% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic

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About 70% of freight shipments in Germany are transported via road

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The average utilization rate of freight trucks in Europe is approximately 78%, indicating room for efficiency improvements

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The global logistics industry employs over 68 million people worldwide

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The cost of last-mile delivery in the U.S. has increased by 12% over the past year due to labor shortages

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The global freight industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2023 to 2030

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The U.S. inland waterways transportation is responsible for about 150 million tons of freight annually

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The e-commerce logistics market is expected to reach $938 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 15%

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The total value of global freight insurance is estimated to be around $2 trillion

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About 80% of freight shipments in Australia are transported via road

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The average turnover rate for truck drivers in North America is about 80% annually, indicating high industry turnover

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The global cold storage capacity has increased by approximately 35% in the past five years

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The global observable fleet of electric trucks is expected to reach 1 million units by 2030, up from just a few thousand in 2023

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The cargo theft rate in freight transport is estimated to be 0.15% of total cargo value annually

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The global logistics automation market size is projected to reach $109 billion by 2028

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The freight industry contributes roughly 7% to the world’s GDP, highlighting its economic significance

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Approximately 65% of goods transported by sea are linked to manufacturing industries

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The global logistics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% through 2030, driven by e-commerce expansion

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The average dwell time of containers at ports has decreased by 15% in 2023 due to automation

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The adoption of blockchain technology in freight logistics is projected to reduce administrative costs by up to 30%

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Automated warehouses can increase sorting accuracy by over 99%, according to industry reports

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The average ELD (Electronic Logging Device) compliance rate among U.S. trucking firms is around 85%, improving safety and efficiency

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Key Highlights

The global freight industry is projected to reach a value of $15.5 trillion by 2027
Approximately 90% of global trade by volume is carried by ships
The U.S. trucking industry generates over $700 billion annually
The average shipment size in Europe is approximately 5.2 tons
The global air freight market was valued at around $139 billion in 2022
Approximately 60% of global freight transportation is containerized
The average delivery time for e-commerce parcels in North America is 3.4 days
The freight rail sector accounts for about 8% of freight transport in the U.S.
The total maritime shipping fleet consists of over 54,000 vessels worldwide
In 2022, cross-border e-commerce logistics grew by 23% globally
The average fuel cost for freight carriers in the U.S. is approximately $0.50 per mile
Sustainable freight transportation solutions can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25%
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for nearly 45% of global container throughput

The freight industry is steering toward a $15.5 trillion global marketplace by 2027, with innovations like AI and electrification poised to transform how nearly 70 million workers, trillions of dollars worth of goods, and a third of the world’s emissions are managed across shipping lanes, railways, trucks, and warehouses worldwide.

Environmental Sustainability and Emissions

Sustainable freight transportation solutions can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25%
The shift to electrification in trucking could save up to 0.3 gigatons of CO2 annually by 2040
Urban freight transport accounts for about 25% of city traffic and emissions
The maritime shipping industry emits approximately 940 million tons of CO2 annually, representing about 2.5% of global emissions
The freight industry’s carbon footprint can be reduced by adopting alternative fuels, which account for about 14% of total freight fuel consumption in 2022
Investing in telematics can save trucking companies up to 20% annually on fuel costs
The European Union aims to cut freight-related emissions by 55% by 2030, through modernization and sustainable practices

Environmental Sustainability and Emissions Interpretation

These freight industry insights reveal a promising roadmap toward sustainability, where electrification, alternative fuels, technological innovations, and ambitious policy targets collectively hold the potential to significantly slash emissions—turning our cargo networks from climate culprits into champions of the planet.

Global Trade and Transport Volumes

Approximately 90% of global trade by volume is carried by ships
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for nearly 45% of global container throughput
The world's largest port, the Port of Shanghai, handled over 47 million TEUs in 2022
The global container shipping industry is responsible for transporting about 60% of the world's goods by value
The annual global freight volume is approximately 11.8 billion metric tons

Global Trade and Transport Volumes Interpretation

With nearly half of global container throughput's bustling heartbeat pounding through Asia-Pacific’s ports and ships ferrying over 60% of the world's trade value, the freight industry’s seaborne symphony underscores that without these maritime arteries, the world’s economic bloodstream would run perilously dry.

Infrastructure and Logistics Operations

The average delivery time for e-commerce parcels in North America is 3.4 days
The average age of trucks on U.S. roads is approximately 9.4 years
The average payload capacity of a standard freight container is approximately 24 tons
The average shipping cost per kilogram in international shipping ranges from $4 to $8, depending on the region and mode
The average delay for container ships at congested ports is around 1.7 days, caused by port congestion and labor strikes
The average age of container ships in operation globally is approximately 12 years, indicating a relatively modern fleet

Infrastructure and Logistics Operations Interpretation

While North America mellows through e-commerce deliveries in just over three days and ports grapple with delays, the freight industry balances a fleet of relatively fresh ships and trucks—averaging around a decade old—highlighting both modernization efforts and the persistent complexities of global shipping costs, capacity, and congestion.

Market Size and Economic Impact

The global freight industry is projected to reach a value of $15.5 trillion by 2027
The U.S. trucking industry generates over $700 billion annually
The average shipment size in Europe is approximately 5.2 tons
The global air freight market was valued at around $139 billion in 2022
Approximately 60% of global freight transportation is containerized
The freight rail sector accounts for about 8% of freight transport in the U.S.
The total maritime shipping fleet consists of over 54,000 vessels worldwide
In 2022, cross-border e-commerce logistics grew by 23% globally
The average fuel cost for freight carriers in the U.S. is approximately $0.50 per mile
The global cold chain logistics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2023 to 2030
The average vacancy rate for warehouse space in the U.S. stands at 4.3%, indicating strong demand
E-commerce logistics accounts for approximately 20% of total freight volume in North America
The global freight forwarding market size was valued at $183 billion in 2022
The use of AI in freight logistics is projected to save the industry over $80 billion annually by 2030
The average cost per mile for freight rail in North America is approximately $0.02
The worldwide market for freight management software is projected to reach $29 billion by 2025
The volume of e-commerce deliveries increased by 30% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic
About 70% of freight shipments in Germany are transported via road
The average utilization rate of freight trucks in Europe is approximately 78%, indicating room for efficiency improvements
The global logistics industry employs over 68 million people worldwide
The cost of last-mile delivery in the U.S. has increased by 12% over the past year due to labor shortages
The global freight industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2023 to 2030
The U.S. inland waterways transportation is responsible for about 150 million tons of freight annually
The e-commerce logistics market is expected to reach $938 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 15%
The total value of global freight insurance is estimated to be around $2 trillion
About 80% of freight shipments in Australia are transported via road
The average turnover rate for truck drivers in North America is about 80% annually, indicating high industry turnover
The global cold storage capacity has increased by approximately 35% in the past five years
The global observable fleet of electric trucks is expected to reach 1 million units by 2030, up from just a few thousand in 2023
The cargo theft rate in freight transport is estimated to be 0.15% of total cargo value annually
The global logistics automation market size is projected to reach $109 billion by 2028
The freight industry contributes roughly 7% to the world’s GDP, highlighting its economic significance
Approximately 65% of goods transported by sea are linked to manufacturing industries
The global logistics market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% through 2030, driven by e-commerce expansion

Market Size and Economic Impact Interpretation

With the freight industry soaring toward a $15.5 trillion valuation by 2027—powered by e-commerce growth, technological innovation, and a global fleet of over 54,000 vessels—it's clear that while driver turnover and rising last-mile costs challenge the roads and warehouses, the sector’s unstoppable expansion and strategic shifts, including AI and cold chain logistics, will continue to shape our interconnected world.

Technological Innovations and Automation

The average dwell time of containers at ports has decreased by 15% in 2023 due to automation
The adoption of blockchain technology in freight logistics is projected to reduce administrative costs by up to 30%
Automated warehouses can increase sorting accuracy by over 99%, according to industry reports
The average ELD (Electronic Logging Device) compliance rate among U.S. trucking firms is around 85%, improving safety and efficiency

Technological Innovations and Automation Interpretation

As automation and blockchain revolutionize freight logistics with faster port dwell times, soaring accuracy in warehouses, and reduced costs, the industry is clearly shifting gears toward a smarter, more streamlined future—if only the trucks can keep up with the tech.