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Asia Pacific drives global freight growth with strong exports, especially in technology and e-commerce
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The region sustains high air and ocean freight demand across major global trade lanes
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Demand is outpacing capacity flexibility as early peak season surges, congestion, and rerouting reduce usable cargo space
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Freight pricing is increasingly volatile with rates on an uptrend due to strong demand, constrained capacity, and higher costs
Asia Pacific remains the engine of global freight growth, but tightening capacity, earlier peak-season demand and rising rates are putting increasing pressure on both air and ocean supply chains, according to the latest DHL market reports.
“While the region remains the center of gravity for global freight, the conditions supporting that growth are becoming more constrained,” DHL said in its latest Insights piece, citing its DHL Air Freight Market Update for May 2026 and Ocean Freight Market Update for June 2026.
The air cargo report indicates that demand rose 5% year-over-year in April 2026 and remains up 4% year-to-date.
Asia accounts for about half of total global volumes and is growing 8% over the same period.
Similarly, the ocean freight market report shows demand is up 4% year-to-date, driven by continued export strength out of Asia, even as short-term volatility emerges due to geopolitical disruptions and earlier tariff effects.
“What is shifting is not demand itself, but how that demand interacts with the network,” said Niki Frank, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. “Peak season is arriving earlier and with greater intensity, compressing volumes into shorter windows and putting immediate pressure on capacity and pricing.”
This earlier peak season is coming in stronger and is expected to be more prolonged than usual, driven by a combination of inventory build-up ahead of the third quarter, rising cost expectations, and strong export momentum out of Asia.
At the same time, DHL noted that the market is becoming more reactive at a transactional level. This means shippers are being more proactive by anticipating constraints and adjusting booking patterns.
Tech-related demand
Air freight demand in the region continues to be driven by high-value semiconductor shipments with the tight race in the artificial intelligence sector.
“AI-related equipment, such as data centers, are significantly contributing to the demand growth,” said Fabio Weiss, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific senior vice president for Air.
“The tech sector is sustaining strong volumes and reinforcing Asia’s dominance in premium trade lanes,” he said.
READ: DHL adding 160,000 sqm to Asia Pacific data center logistics network
In ocean freight, demand also remains resilient across Asia–Europe and transpacific routes and intra-Asia trades, supported by shifting manufacturing patterns and sustained export volumes. At the same time, demand is becoming more time sensitive.
One of the key catalysts in this shift is new bunker adjustment factors that will take effect July 1 and expected to be higher than current levels.
“Shippers are accelerating cargo movements to secure space ahead of expected cost increases and tighter availability—a dynamic consistent with early peak season demand patterns,” said Bjoern Schoon, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific senior vice president for Ocean Freight.
Capacity has limited flexibility
Capacity, meanwhile, is expanding but not fully in line with the pressure sources.
In air freight, global capacity rose 2% year-on-year in May 2026, with Asia Pacific contributing most of that growth at 8%.
However, the increase is “highly selective” as airlines prioritize long-haul, high-yield routes, while passenger belly capacity declined by 3% year-on-year.
For ocean freight, nominal fleet capacity continues to grow but effective capacity remains constrained by congestion, rerouting, and longer transit times.
These factors are taking away about 17% of usable capacity from the system.
Even as additional sailings are introduced, effective capacity remains limited as demand outpaces supply, leaving fewer options for unplanned or last-minute shipments. The result is a market in which capacity exists, but at a premium, where or when it is needed.
Availability influences rates
With strong demand and rigid capacity, rates are unsurprisingly increasing.
Global air freight spot rates are at an average $3.67 per kilogram, up 48% year-on-year, reflecting sustained demand and elevated operating costs.
In ocean freight, rates are up 24% year-on-year and more than 80% higher than first-quarter levels, driven by bunker charges, strong demand and constrained effective capacity, based on the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index.
READ: Ocean freight rates seen to stay high, volatile until end-2026, according to DHL
“As peak season demand builds, space availability is becoming a key determinant of pricing. The current market is one where rates are increasingly responsive, often on an upward trajectory, in response to short-term demand conditions across key Asia-origin corridors,” DHL said.
READ: Globalization holds up against geopolitics, tariff chaos—DHL report
Looking ahead, demand from Asia Pacific is expected to remain resilient with dynamic e-commerce, technology shipments, and continued supply chain diversification.
Capacity growth, on the other hand, will be more guarded with airlines seen to continue focusing on high-yield corridors while ocean freight remain constrained by congestion and longer transit times.
READ: Asia Pacific driving global trade resilience amid US tariff shifts
