Industry Statistics and Trends
Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe key trends
Freight rates have surged due to operational and supply chain disruption.
Port congestion, a container shortage, container scarcity, and continuous COVID-related restrictions in major manufacturing and shipping hubs have spurred a spike in freight rates.
Green initiatives shape future of freight transport.
As environmental regulations tighten, the industry anticipates a shift toward greener technologies, with automation and shore power infrastructure at the forefront of the industry’s eco-efficiency drive.
Access all insights and trends with purchase. View purchase options.
Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe
Industry Revenue
Total value and annual change from 2011-2029. Includes 5-year outlook.
Access the 5-year outlook with purchase. View purchase options
Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe market size (2019-2024)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 3.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €134.9bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
The pandemic spurred a decline in freight volumes in 2020
- The pandemic-induced dip followed a period of strong growth in freight volumes, with the gross weight of goods handled at EU ports climbing each year between 2013 and 2019.
Access all 6 market size insights and trends with purchase. View purchase options.
Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Technology advances to aid the industry’s eco-efficiency drive
- Growing adoption of new technologies is set to boost cost-efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts of shipping across Europe.
Access all 6 forward-looking insights and industry data forecasts with purchase. View purchase options.
Revenue
€134.9bn
Employees
121k
Wages
€X.Xbn
European Leaders & Laggards
* CAGR values are for the years 2019-2024.
Explore all 37 country performance rankings and data sheets with your membership purchase.
Biggest companies in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue (€m)
2024 | Profit (€m)
2024 | Profit Margin (%)
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mediterranean Shipping Company SA | 83,089.6 | 29,629.5 | 35.7 | |
AP Moller - Maersk A/S | 103,733.0 | 31,119.9 | 30.0 | |
CMA CGM SA | 64,474.7 | 22,991.7 | 35.7 |
Access statistics and analysis on all 10 companies with purchase. View purchase options.
Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe
Products & Services Segmentation
Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.
Access all segmentation data and analysis with purchase. View purchase options.
Top Questions Answered in this Report
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe in 2024?
The market size of the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe is €134.9bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry in 2024?
There are 6,055 businesses in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe has been declining at a CAGR of 3.1 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe is expected to grow.
What does the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe include?
Container Shipping and Liquid Bulk Transport are part of the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry.
Which countries have the most businesses in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe?
The European country with the most businesses in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry is Germany.
How competitive is the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport industry in Europe.
Related Industries
This industry is covered in 37 countries
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Greece
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Russia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in the Netherlands
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Belgium
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Italy
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Sweden
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Cyprus
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Latvia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Portugal
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Lithuania
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Hungary
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in the UK
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Denmark
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Germany
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Malta
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Croatia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in the UK
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Germany
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Ireland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in France
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Norway
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Switzerland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Poland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Finland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Slovenia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Bulgaria
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Spain
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Romania
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Czechia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Turkey
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Ireland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Estonia
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Iceland
- Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Companies in this industry transport bulk and non-bulk freight on vessels designed for the open sea or coastal waters. The industry includes scheduled and unscheduled activities, towing barges and oil rigs and renting vessels with crew for sea transport.
Related Terms
Freight RateDry BulkBunker CostsWhat's included in this industry?
Container ShippingLiquid Bulk TransportDry Bulk TransportTransporting Ro-Ro UnitsOther CargoCompanies
Mediterranean Shipping Company SAAP Moller - Maersk A/SCMA CGM SAIndustry Code
5012 - Sea and coastal freight water transport in Europe
View up to 10 companies with purchase. View purchase options.
Performance
Key Takeaways
The pandemic spurred a decline in freight volumes in 2020
View more insights with purchase. View purchase options.
Revenue Highlights
Trends
- Revenue
- 2024 Revenue Growth
- Revenue Volatility
Employment Highlights
Trends
- Employees
- Employees per Business
- Revenue per Employee
Business Highlights
Trends
- Businesses
- Employees per Business
- Revenue per Business
Profit Highlights
Trends
- Total Profit
- Profit Margin
- Profit per Business
Current Performance
Charts
- Revenue in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
- Employees in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
- Business in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
- Profit in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry (2011 -2029)
Analysis
What's driving current industry performance in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
Outlook
Analysis
What's driving the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry outlook?
Volatility
Analysis
What influences volatility in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
Charts
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix
Life Cycle
Analysis
What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
Charts
- Industry Life Cycle Matrix
Products and Markets
Highlights
Trends
- Largest Market
- Product Innovation
Key Takeaways
Europe's coal comeback has boosted dry-bulk transport volumes. The spike in natural gas prices led to an unexpected short-term increase in demand for coal for electricity generation, encouraging demand for dry bulk transport.
Products and Services
Charts
- Products and Services Segmentation
Analysis
How are the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry's products and services performing?
Analysis
What are innovations in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry's products and services?
Major Markets
Charts
- Major Market Segmentation
Analysis
What influences demand in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
International Trade
Highlights
- Largest Importer
- Smallest Importer
- Total Imports into Europe
- Largest Exporter
- Smallest Exporter
- Total Exports into Europe
Heat maps
- Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
- Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
Data Tables
Value and annual change (%) included
- Number of Imports and Exports by European Country (2024)
Geographic Breakdown
Business Locations
Heat maps
- Share of Total Industry Revenue by Region (2024)
- Share of Total Industry Enterprises by Region (2024)
- Share of Total Industry Employment by Region (2024)
- Share of Total Industry Wages by Region (2024)
Industry Geographic Breakdown
Data Tables
Values and annual change provided for 37 European countries:
- Revenue (2024)
- IVA (2024)
- Enterprises (2024)
- Employment (2024)
- Exports (2024)
- Imports (2024)
Competitive Forces
Highlights
Trends
- Concentration
- Competition
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer Power
- Supplier Power
Key Takeaways
Major multinational shipping companies dominate container shipping markets. The size and scale of vessels required for container shipping ensures that only a select number of companies have the resources to conduct these operations.
Supply Chain
Charts
Buyer and supply industries
Companies
Market Share
Charts
- Industry Market Share by Company (2019-2024)
Companies
Data Tables
Top 10 companies by market share:
- Market share (2024)
- Revenue (2024)
- Profit (2024)
- Profit Margin (2024)
Data Tables
- Countries of operation for Mediterranean Shipping Company SA
- Countries of operation for AP Moller - Maersk A/S
- Countries of operation for CMA CGM SA
- Countries of operation for Evergreen Marine Corp (Taiwan) Ltd
- Countries of operation for Hapag-Lloyd AG
- Countries of operation for Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation
- Countries of operation for HMM Co., Ltd.
- Countries of operation for Orient Overseas (International) Ltd
- Countries of operation for Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd
- Countries of operation for Unifeeder A/S
External Environment
Highlights
Trends
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key Takeaways
Tighter emissions regulations are likely to spur increased costs for operators. The inclusion of maritime emissions in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme from January 2024 will cut into bottom lines.
External Drivers
Analysis
What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
Financial Benchmarks
Highlights
Trends
- Profit Margin
- Average Wage
- Largest Cost
Key Takeaways
Volatile oil prices have spurred profit fluctuations. Increased oil prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a significant rise in bunker costs.
Cost Structure
Charts
- Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
-
Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
- Marketing
- Depreciation
- Profit
- Purchases
- Wages
- Rent
- Utilities
- Other
Analysis
What trends impact cost in the Sea & Coastal Freight Water Transport in Europe industry?
Key Ratios
Data tables
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
Country Benchmarks
European Leaders & Laggards
Data Tables
Top and boottom five countries listed for each:
- Revenue Growth (2024)
- Business Growth (2024)
- Job Growth (2024)
European Country Performance
Data Tables
Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:
- IVA/Revenue (2024)
- Imports/Demand (2024)
- Exports/Revenue (2024)
- Revenue per Employee (2024)
- Wages/Revenue (2024)
- Employees per Establishment (2024)
- Average Wage (2024)
Structural Comparison
Data Tables
Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe
- Concentration
- Competition
- Barriers to Entry
- Buyer Power
- Supplier Power
- Volatility
- Capital Intensity
- Innovation
- Life Cycle
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
Where does IBISWorld source its data?
IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools.
To learn more about specific data sources used by IBISWorld's analysts globally, including how industry data forecasts are produced, visit our Help Center.
