Global Maritime Logistics and Services Market Assessment, By Cargo Type [Dry Bulk, Liquid Bulk, Containerized Goods, General Cargo], By Vessel Type [Container Ships, Bulk Carriers, Tankers, Ro-Ro, Vessels, LNG/LPG Carriers, Offshore Support Vessels, Cruise Ships], By Industry Type [Food and Beverages, Manufacturing, Oil and Ores, Electrical and Electronics, Others], By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018-2032F

Global maritime logistics and services market is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.21% during the forecast period 2025-2032, growing from USD 12.40 billion in 2024 to USD 20.09 billion in 2032F, driven by a combination of infrastructure modernization, technology integration, and shifting global sourcing strategies. The maritime logistics and services market isn’t just moving goods anymore; it’s navigating a complex new world of fragmented trade corridors, climate accountability, and digital pressure. As global supply chains recalibrate in the post-COVID, post-globalization age, maritime logistics have emerged as both a lifeline and a pressure point.

Report Attributes	Details
Base Year	2024
Forecast Period	2025-2032F
Historical Period	2018-2023
Projected Growth Rate	CAGR of 6.21% between 2025 and 2032
Revenue Forecast in 2032	USD 20.09 billion

In addition, the climate-induced shipping disruptions (from low water levels in the Panama Canal to cyclone risks in Southeast Asia) have forced shippers and ports to build redundancy into their routing. Rising bunker fuel prices and the IMO’s tightened emissions standards are making green shipping initiatives go from “optional” to “urgent.” And major economies — including India, China, the EU, and the U.S. are pouring billions into smart port infrastructure, seeking a mix of resilience, real-time visibility, and decarbonization.

Meanwhile, the shifting center of global manufacturing and raw material extraction is redrawing maritime maps. The old East–West shipping dominance is giving way to a far more multipolar system, including new corridors such as India–Africa, China–LATAM, and Northern Europe–Arctic–Asia (via the Northern Sea Route). Maritime freight players are adapting with vessel diversification, regional transshipment hubs, and alliances between shipping lines and inland logistics operators. This is a market no longer just defined by tonnage or TEUs, but by the ability to stay agile in a choppy, high-stakes, and geopolitically sensitive trade world.

For instance, Maersk continues to strengthen its end-to-end logistics capability. In October 2024, it acquired Germany-based B2C Europe to deepen its last-mile connectivity in Europe and accelerate its full-service logistics ecosystem.

Global Infrastructure Upgrades and Port Digitization Leading to Growth

One of the most potent growth drivers in maritime logistics and services is the massive global push toward infrastructure modernization. Developing nations are racing to expand coastal capacities while developed economies focus on digital port transformation and emission-compliant upgrades. The rise of “smart ports”, equipped with IoT sensors, digital twin monitoring, autonomous cranes, and AI-powered berthing systems, is reducing congestion and idle times, allowing carriers to optimize vessel utilization and turnaround. Countries such as Singapore, the Netherlands, and South Korea are setting the global benchmark, while emerging economies are catching up quickly.

For instance, in December 2023, Indonesia’s government inaugurated the Patimban Port Phase II expansion under a USD 3.07 billion Japan-backed smart port initiative. The port now features automated cargo handling and integrated customs clearance, aimed at easing the strain on Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok port and supporting the country’s EV and automotive exports.

Meanwhile, in India, the Sagarmala Programme continues to gather steam. As of March 2025, over 272 port modernization projects were executed, with digital cargo visibility solutions and direct port delivery (DPD) systems being rolled out across major gateways such as JNPT and Mundra, along with USD 4.82 billion (INR 40,000 crore) budgetary support for ‘Sagarmala 2.0’.

These capacity and tech-led improvements are not only de-bottlenecking trade but also enabling new long-haul and transshipment capabilities.

Energy Transition and Liquid Cargo Expansion Drives Maritime Logistics and Services Market Demand

The industry is seeing a significant uptick in liquid bulk movement, especially in the LNG/LPG segment, as economies phase out coal and transition to cleaner fuels. Energy security concerns post-2022 (Russia-Ukraine war, OPEC volatility) have triggered long-term LNG supply contracts and investments in floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs). This is increasing demand for purpose-built tankers and refrigerated carriers that require specialized port infrastructure and optimized routing.

For instance, in August 2024, Germany’s RWE and QatarEnergy signed a 15-year LNG supply deal, with shipments routed through new LNG terminals in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven. The contract involved dedicated LNG carriers from Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, signaling how energy geopolitics is now directly reshaping maritime fleet deployment.

Simultaneously, maritime players are integrating green fuels into operations. Maersk’s first green methanol-powered container ship was deployed in September 2023, connecting Northern Europe and China, setting a precedent for low-emission transcontinental shipping.

This dual push, in fuel type and fuel cargo, is creating new long-haul demand and fundamentally expanding the role of maritime transport in the global energy transition.

Manufacturing Industry as the Prime Mover of Ocean Trade

The industry verticals dependent on maritime freight, manufacturing, remain the most dominant, and their influence is only growing due to different factors. From automotive parts to heavy machinery, electronics to white goods, manufacturers rely heavily on ocean routes for both inbound raw materials and outbound finished goods. What’s driving this dominance today is a mix of factors: cost arbitrage, supplier diversity, just-in-time delivery pressures, and regional trade deals. The automotive sector has seen a resurgence in maritime exports due to rising demand for electric vehicle components and battery-grade materials.

For instance, in February 2024, Bosch India reported a 28% increase in outbound shipping volumes of automotive components, primarily routed through Nhava Sheva to Germany and Brazil. The surge was driven by EV supply chain growth and OEM contracts in Europe.

Additionally, shifting production bases are rerouting intermediate goods via sea to new hubs in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. Maritime freight, therefore, acts as the physical enabler of this dispersion, making it indispensable for global manufacturing resilience.

Asia-Pacific Holds Largest Global Maritime Logistics and Services Market Share

The Asia-Pacific region remains the epicentre of maritime freight, not just due to its manufacturing base, but also due to its evolving trade corridors, integrated logistics ecosystems, and rapid port investments. The region accounts for over half of global container throughput, driven by China, India, Japan, South Korea, and emerging players such as Vietnam and the Philippines. In addition, companies in the market are projected to launch highly advanced products to address the rising demand and expand market product portfolio.

For instance, in January 2025, DP World launched a multimodal logistics corridor connecting Chennai Port to Sri Lanka and Gulf hubs using feeder vessels and smart warehousing, designed to handle up to 250,000 TEUs per year. The move is expected to reduce export lead times by 20% for Indian electronics and pharma companies.

China, while facing slowing export growth, continues to dominate with ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan, and Shenzhen investing in full automation and AI-assisted customs. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is stepping up with mega-port projects in Indonesia and Vietnam. Overall, the APAC region is not only the highest volume contributor but also the most dynamic in terms of trade evolution and logistics innovation.

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Impact of U.S. Tariffs on Global Maritime Logistics and Services Market

The imposition of tariffs by the United States on imports, especially from China and other trade partners, has been a major influence on the global maritime logistics and services industry. These tariffs under the policies of the U.S.-China trade war and Section 232/301 tariffs have effectively derailed the usual trade patterns and resulted in diversions in shipping lanes, volumes, and supply chain strategies. Early on, the tariffs created an uptick in pre-emptive imports as firms scrambled to load up with merchandise prior to the imposition of duties, sending short-term demand for container shipping up. Eventually, though, increased costs resulted in falling imports in some sectors, curtailing cargo volumes on important trade routes such as the Trans-Pacific route. Others shifted production to Vietnam, India, and Mexico to eschew tariffs, changing the global patterns of maritime trade and spurring demand for regional shipping services. Moreover, U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs also influenced bulk shipping, as lower imports hurt dry bulk carriers. Subsequent uncertainty compelled logistics companies to pursue more flexible strategies, such as nearshoring and supply chain diversification. Although the tariffs tightened margins for certain shipping operators, they also incited investments in durable logistics networks and digital solutions to cope with trade uncertainty. Generally, the U.S. tariffs have reformulated maritime trading dynamics, highlighting the importance of flexibility in a growingly protectionist world economy.

Report Scope

“Global Maritime Logistics and Services Market Assessment, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018-2032F”, is a comprehensive report by Markets and Data, providing in-depth analysis and qualitative and quantitative assessment of the current state of global maritime logistics and services market, industry dynamics, and challenges. The report includes market size, segmental shares, growth trends, opportunities, and forecasts between 2025 and 2032. Additionally, the report profiles the leading players in the industry, mentioning their respective market share, business models, competitive intelligence, etc.

Report Attribute	Details
Segments Covered	Cargo Type, Vessel Type, Industry Type
Regions Covered	North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East and Africa
Key Companies Profiled	A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company Limited, Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., CMA CGM S.A., Hapag-Lloyd AG, Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd., HMM Co., Ltd., Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd.
Customization Scope	15% free report customization with purchase
Pricing and Purchase Options	Avail the customized purchase options to fulfill your precise research needs
Delivery Format	PDF and Excel through email (subject to the license purchased)

In the report, the global maritime logistics and services market has been segmented into the following categories: 

• By Cargo Type
  • Dry Bulk
  • Liquid Bulk
  • Containerized Goods
  • General Cargo
• By Vessel Type
  • Container Ships
  • Bulk Carriers
  • Tankers
  • Ro-Ro
  • Vessels
  • LNG/LPG Carriers
  • Offshore Support Vessels
  • Cruise Ships
• By Industry Type
  • Food and Beverages
  • Manufacturing
  • Oil and Ores
  • Electrical and Electronics
  • Others
• By Region
  • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
  • South America
  • Middle East and Africa

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

The market remains consolidated, but the nature of competition is evolving. It’s no longer about who owns the biggest fleet, but who offers the smartest, greenest, and most integrated logistics solutions. Top players are investing heavily in digital freight platforms, integrated customs clearance, and AI route optimization. Newer players, including niche carriers and regional transshipment operators, are emerging with flexibility as their USP. Strategic alliances and digital freight marketplaces such as Hapag-Lloyd’s collaboration with Freightos are becoming essential for scaling customer experience and competitive edge. In the coming years, competition will hinge on digital readiness, ESG compliance, and end-to-end service depth, not just vessel size or port calls. For instance, in April 2025, CMA CGM S.A. launched ZEBOX APAC, its tech accelerator for maritime and logistics startups in Singapore, to embed AI, blockchain, and IoT into its operations across the region.

Key Players Operating in the Global Maritime Logistics and Services Market are:

• A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S
• China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company Limited
• Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A.
• CMA CGM S.A.
• Hapag-Lloyd AG
• Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd.
• HMM Co., Ltd.
• Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation
• ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.
• Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd.

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