IN Brief:
- Rhenus reports approximately 26% year-on-year growth in China-to-Europe ocean freight volumes during 2026 to date.
- Europe-to-China air freight increased around 20%, against weaker market demand reported by Rotate.
- The company operates through 16 Greater China offices with more than 550 employees supporting international freight services.
Rhenus has reported approximately 26% year-on-year growth in China-to-Europe ocean freight volumes during 2026 to date, alongside higher air cargo activity in both directions. The logistics provider also increased Europe-to-China air freight volumes by around 20%, despite weaker demand across the wider market. The figures were released ahead of the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, taking place from 5 to 10 November.
The growth figures describe freight handled by Rhenus rather than total activity across the China–Europe trade corridor. The company has not published absolute volumes for the affected services, making it impossible to establish the precise number of containers or tonnes represented by the reported increases. Its figures nevertheless provide a measure of how the logistics provider’s own operations have developed during the year.
China–Europe is Rhenus’s largest ocean freight trade lane when movements in both directions are considered together. In air freight, Europe is the principal destination for cargo moved by the company from China. The corridor therefore combines substantial ocean freight activity with air transport services used for different shipment requirements and delivery schedules.
International freight movements are affected by differences in cargo flows between the two directions of a trade lane. Import and export demand may not be balanced in volume, equipment requirements, or timing, creating challenges for the positioning of containers and the allocation of transport capacity. Those differences influence freight forwarding operations even when the overall route remains commercially active.
Ocean freight normally involves booking space with shipping lines and coordinating the movement of containers through departure and arrival ports. Freight forwarders also manage collection, documentation, customs arrangements, and onward distribution according to their contractual responsibilities. The availability of vessel capacity and suitable equipment can therefore affect shipment arrangements independently of demand for the goods themselves.
Rhenus’s approximately 26% increase applies specifically to ocean freight moving from China to Europe during 2026 to date. The company has not provided an equivalent percentage for westbound cargo moving in the opposite direction or a breakdown of the increase by country, commodity group, or shipping service.
Changes in European and Chinese trade policy are among the factors affecting the corridor. Tariffs, customs requirements, and other regulatory measures can influence import costs and sourcing decisions. Their effects depend on the goods involved, the countries concerned, and the specific measures applicable to each transaction.
Capacity conditions also vary across transport modes. Ocean freight movements depend on vessel schedules and container equipment availability, while air cargo requires suitable airline capacity and ground handling arrangements. Shifts in either market can affect the options available to freight forwarders, particularly when customers need to move goods within a defined delivery period.
Rhenus has increased its China-to-Europe air freight business through new customer wins, although it has not disclosed the percentage increase for that direction. The company identified high-technology goods as one of its faster-growing air cargo categories on the corridor, reflecting demand for specialist transport arrangements associated with technical products and equipment.
In the opposite direction, Europe-to-China air freight volumes increased by approximately 20%. Rhenus compared this performance with data from Rotate indicating a 5% year-on-year reduction in wider market demand on the Europe-to-China route between January and August 2026.
The figures cover different datasets and reporting periods. Rhenus’s increase refers to its own volumes during 2026 to date, while the Rotate measure concerns wider market demand during January–August. The two percentages should not be treated as an exact calculation of the company’s change in market share.
Rotate data cited by Rhenus also show that e-commerce air freight volumes declined by 28% during July and August. The company did not specify the full geographical coverage of that figure in its published commentary. It therefore provides context for weaker activity in the relevant e-commerce market rather than evidence that all China–Europe air freight demand fell at the same rate.
The company’s Greater China operations comprise more than 550 employees across 16 offices, linked with its European network. Shanghai and Hong Kong provide principal air freight gateways, with services covering cargo consolidation, handling, customs brokerage, warehousing, and inland transport. These activities connect international transport capacity with the physical collection and distribution of individual shipments.
Consolidation allows freight from multiple consignments to be grouped for transport where suitable, while customs and handling operations prepare goods for departure or release after arrival. The arrangements must accommodate different shipment sizes, documentation requirements, and transport schedules. The suitability of a particular gateway also depends on origin and destination locations, handling capabilities, and available airline or shipping line services.
Rhenus has recently extended its specialist activities in China through the opening of an energy logistics office in Fuzhou. That development concerns a separate part of the company’s operating network and should not be treated as the source of its reported freight growth. The new figures relate to activity across the wider China–Europe corridor.
The company expects specialist logistics requirements to remain a focus of its development, particularly in high-technology supply chains. Such shipments may involve equipment sensitivity, delivery coordination, or specialised handling requirements, with the precise arrangements determined by the products and transport services concerned.
Rhenus’s reported growth demonstrates an increase in its own freight volumes during 2026 against a market characterised by variable capacity and uneven demand. The absence of absolute volume figures limits the assessment of its scale relative to competing operators. Full-year reporting will provide the next opportunity to establish whether the reported growth has continued through the final months of 2026.
