How freight forwarders can stay resilient in a world of uncertainty
In a world of constant disruption and shifting trade flows, freight forwarders using tech and resilience shape the future of global trade.
The freight forwarding industry stands at a critical juncture in 2025, where adaptation is not merely beneficial but essential for survival. As global trade continues its evolution amid unprecedented disruptions, freight forwarders find themselves navigating a landscape defined by technological transformation, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifting customer expectations. The industry's ability to embrace change while maintaining operational excellence will determine which players emerge stronger in the years ahead.
The digital imperative: technology as the great equaliser
The most profound transformation reshaping freight forwarding is the relentless march of digitalisation. Kareem Naouri, Chief Executive Officer of Logistiaas, identifies this as the industry's single biggest operational challenge: “Freight forwarders coordinate cargo movement between various stakeholders, including shippers, truckers, ports and airports, customs authorities, carriers, warehouse operators, and consignees. Most of these stakeholders (and others, such as tax authorities) are digitising their processes, and freight forwarders are expected to keep up with these changes, which often happen in parallel, by developing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) connections with these parties or using their interfaces.”
“Freight forwarders must either invest in newer technologies with the right integrations or hire an extra workforce to handle the new manual work. At the same time, gross profit margins from freight forwarding are shrinking due to increased competition and price transparency, also driven by newer technology. So it is a thin line to walk,” he adds.
“Freight forwarders must either invest in newer technologies with the right integrations or hire an extra workforce to handle the new manual work.”
Kareem Naouri, Logistiaas
The integration of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain technologies is becoming the new standard. These technologies streamline operations, enhance transparency, and improve decision-making capabilities. Real-time tracking, predictive analytics, and automation tools now offer unprecedented visibility into supply chain operations.
Naouri envisions a future where AI agents could manage entire shipment processes autonomously. He illustrates this potential: “A freight forwarder may be giving an AI agent the following prompt: “I have a 40’ container to ship from Shanghai to Jebel Ali in two weeks. Please do the following: Check the rates and transit times of carriers A, B, C, and D, and book with the cheapest carrier, as long as the transit time is less than 20 days. Then, book a trucking request to my approved transporter to transport the container from the shipper to the port of loading. Make sure you don’t miss the port’s cut-off date. Then, read the shipper’s packing list and invoice, ensure the data is correct and compliant, and communicate it to the local customs and port authorities. Track the shipment, follow up with all parties, and let me know if there are any issues. Otherwise, please don’t bother me!”
Supply chain resilience in an uncertain world
Geopolitical volatility has become the new normal, forcing freight forwarders to develop more sophisticated risk management strategies. Niki Frank, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific, emphasises that their role extends beyond simple logistics coordination: “At DHL Global Forwarding, we are the strategic logistics partner for businesses navigating today’s complex global landscape. In an era where supply chain complexity and volatility are the norm, our role is to bring clarity, build resilience, and enable agility. With global trade continuing to grow despite uncertainties and climate disruptions, this role is more critical than ever.”
Frank says volatility is now an expected factor, and DHL Global Forwarding plans accordingly. From fluctuating freight rates to capacity constraints, the company’s strategy focuses on resilience, agility, and foresight.
“We start with diversification. Over the past few months, many of our customers have been adopting the ‘China Plus X’ strategy as they diversify their sourcing and production footprints, and we’re helping them operationalise it. It’s not about shifting away from China, but building multi-nodal supply chains that are more resilient and responsive. This is aligned with our key growth initiatives outlined in the Group’s Strategy 2030, where we set out to double down on geographic tailwinds, addressing the profound shift in growth of trade lanes, diversification of global supply chains, and the needs of fast-growing companies around the world. Specifically, we are targeting 20 high-growth countries, including Vietnam, India, and Mexico, which are seeing increased investments in recent years.”
“We are targeting 20 high-growth countries, including Vietnam, India, and Mexico, which are seeing increased investments in recent years.”
Niki Frank, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific
“Tensions and trade policy changes can cause cargo flows to move away from certain countries, but they can also open up new opportunities that require rapid scaling of capacity and resources. We are committed to helping our customers realise these opportunities. To navigate this landscape, we have created a scalable, asset-light network and gateway model that enables us to adapt to market volatilities, trading pattern changes, and customers’ evolving needs. We closely monitor geopolitical developments to minimise disruptions, optimise costs, and ensure timely deliveries even in the face of uncertainty,” says Yngve Ruud, Executive Vice President Air Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel.
Ruud adds that Kuehne+Nagel has built a scalable, asset-light network and gateway model that enables the company to adapt quickly to market volatility and shifting trade patterns. He highlights that its unique industry positioning allows the network to flex in line with customers’ evolving needs. The setup includes 30 gateways connected to over 90 origins, supported each week by 100 charters and 35,000 tonnes of commercial capacity.
Market dynamics and pricing pressures
The air freight market in 2025 reflects a delicate balance between stable global demand and sudden, unpredictable disruptions. According to Flexport’s August Air Freight Update, presented by Konstantina Georgaki, Senior Director, Airfreight at Flexport, global tonnage grew 6% year-on-year, with overall rates holding steady thanks to a 5% increase in global capacity. However, this stability masks underlying volatility in specific trade lanes.
For instance, capacity constraints from China and Hong Kong to the US recently emerged due to volcanic ash in Russia, while Europe-US lanes saw slight rate declines (-1% WoW) amid increased belly capacity from passenger flights.
Adding to the complexity are geopolitical factors, particularly tariff deadlines in key manufacturing hubs. For instance, Taiwanese electronics exporters accelerated shipments ahead of new tariffs on August 7, pushing rates above US$10/kg, while Indian exporters rushed to meet an August 27 deadline.
She further noted that new product launches from Samsung, Dell, and Apple, expected in late August and September, are likely to drive upward rate pressure from South China and Vietnam.
Kuehne+Nagel's approach exemplifies proactive market adaptation. Recognising Vietnam's emergence as a leading growth market, the company is operating 14 flights weekly between Vietnam and the US with Apex, a K+N group company, serving strong air cargo demand driven by high-tech, electronics, and semiconductor shipments. This strategic positioning demonstrates how forward-thinking forwarders anticipate market shifts and scale resources accordingly.
The e-commerce evolution and its implications
According to the latest e-commerce data from Aevean, the US now accounts for only 15% of China’s e-commerce exports, down from 31% a year ago, while Europe has emerged as a key beneficiary, with Hungary, Belgium, and the United Kingdom recording a combined increase of over 53,000 tonnes. Together, Europe’s top three destinations received the equivalent of six additional daily widebody freighters’ worth of e-commerce in May–July 2025 compared to the same period last year.
“In many ways, e-commerce has reshaped air freight. It’s no longer just about speed; it’s about precision, personalisation, and reliability. But this trend is also evolving. Recently, we’re seeing a bit of a slowdown in general e-commerce volumes, especially out of Europe and the Middle East. That said, specialised cargo such as high-value goods, pharma, and tech is still growing, and that’s where we’re also placing our focus.
“Tensions and trade policy changes can cause cargo flows to move away from certain countries, but they can also open up new opportunities which require rapid scaling of capacity and resources.”
Yngve Ruud, Kuehne+Nagel
In Asia, we’re seeing strong demand on Intra-Asia routes, driven by supply chain shifts to Southeast Asia. That’s a big opportunity, and we’re expanding our capabilities to support it. At the same time, flight operations to and via the Middle East have resumed, but with longer flight times due to airspace restrictions, which affect payload capacity. These are the kinds of operational realities we help our customers navigate every day,” says Frank.
Advanced technology integration: The visibility revolution
Technology plays a crucial role in modern freight forwarding operations, providing unprecedented visibility and control. Advanced cargo visibility solutions, exemplified by Logistiaas's integration with Wakeo, provide real-time intelligence that often exceeds carrier-provided data accuracy.
“Wakeo uses inputs from multiple sources, such as carriers, satellites, ports, airports, and other sources, and uses their proprietary machine learning algorithms to come up with shipment Estimated Times of Arrival (ETAs) that are often more accurate than the data provided by carriers. We also alert our users and their customers in case of changes to ETAs. Giving an example, he said, “Recently, a vessel lost 50+ containers into the sea, causing disruptions around the port of Callao/Lima, Peru. Some of our clients had shipments on that vessel, and they were alerted of their potential involvement in the incident.”
The competitive landscape increasingly centres on platform differentiation. “Kuehne+Nagel sets myKN apart by focusing on an intuitive user experience, comprehensive real-time visibility, and seamless integration across supply chain processes. Unlike many platforms that offer basic shipment tracking, myKN provides clients with advanced analytics, predictive insights, and streamlined booking capabilities, enabling smarter decision-making and faster responses to changing demands.
Kuehne+Nagel is also investing in risk prediction and mitigation tools that leverage a wealth of data to make data-driven decisions about optimal transport solutions for customers. By coupling deep market expertise with transparent communication, we provide clients with visibility and confidence, ensuring that logistics operations stay resilient and responsive no matter what the market brings,” mentions Ruud.
Frank explains that myDHLi gives customers real-time visibility, predictive analytics, and control over their shipments, critical when dealing with sudden shifts in capacity or rates. He notes that in July, capacity increased on Asia–Europe and Middle East–Asia lanes but dropped sharply on Intra-Asia and Asia–North America routes, disruptions that can upend planning overnight and highlight the importance of accurate data.
“We also offer multimodal flexibility across air, ocean, rail, and road, so customers can pivot quickly. When belly space tightens, we look at freighter options. When rates spike, we explore hybrid models. And we’re seeing this unfold in real time: although global air cargo volume growth has slowed to just 0.6% in 2025, demand for high-value and time-critical shipments remains strong, especially in emerging markets and tech-driven sectors.”
Looking ahead: building adaptive resilience
The freight forwarding industry's future belongs to companies that can build operations that not only withstand disruptions but actually become stronger and more effective through them. This represents a fundamental shift from traditional resilience thinking to adaptive capability building.
Frank says, “We’re moving from a world of linear, cost-optimised supply chains to one that’s multi-nodal, risk-balanced, and digitally enabled. Geopolitics is a big driver. Tariffs, sanctions, and shifting alliances are pushing companies to rethink their sourcing strategies. As outlined in the DHL Trade Atlas 2025, global trade is still growing despite all the noise, albeit in a different manner. Trade continues to find its way amidst disruptions, and we see countries like India, Vietnam, and Indonesia in Asia emerging as new powerhouses. Businesses that will thrive in the long run will be those that can stay nimble in response to the changes.”
