Multimodal Transport Companies

The multimodal transport market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 98.61 billion in 2025 to USD 159.30 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 7.1%. The market is driven by rising cross-border trade volumes, e-commerce expansion, and the need for faster, cost-efficient logistics across complex supply chains. The increasing preference for integrated road–rail–sea–air combinations is helping shippers reduce freight costs, optimize transit times, and improve delivery reliability. Meanwhile, sustainability targets are accelerating the shift from road-only movement toward lower-carbon rail and sea corridors. Technological advancements, such as IoT-enabled real-time tracking, predictive analytics, and automated documentation, are enhancing shipment visibility, reducing dwell times, and streamlining handoffs across nodes. At the same time, global investments in freight corridors, inland ports, and intermodal terminals are improving network connectivity and enabling smoother modal transitions.

The growing trend toward integrated and digitally coordinated logistics models is increasing the adoption of single-contract multimodal solutions, boosting demand for end-to-end planning, visibility, and control capabilities among shippers and 3PLs. Leading players, including DSV (Denmark), Deutsche Post AG (Germany), Kuehne+Nagel (Switzerland), NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS (Japan), and A.P. Moller - Maersk (Denmark), are expanding their global footprint through network upgrades, sustainability programs, and both organic and inorganic strategies, including partnerships and large-scale acquisitions, to strengthen multimodal capacity and service reach. As the market evolves, multimodal operators are focusing on expanding service portfolios across warehousing, customs brokerage, and value-added offerings, positioning themselves as integrated logistics orchestrators in a rapidly growing and increasingly efficiency-driven global transport landscape.

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DSV (Denmark) is one of the world's leading transport and logistics companies, operating in over 90 countries and providing integrated, end-to-end freight solutions across air, sea, road, and rail under a single multimodal offering.  With an asset-light model, DSV acts as a supply-chain orchestrator, rather than selecting transport partners, coordinating mode transitions, and delivering supporting services such as warehousing, consolidation, and customs clearance to ensure seamless cargo movement across its networks. Its core USP lies in its global network scale, strong carrier relationships, and digital visibility tools that provide real-time shipment and purchase-order-level control, enabling customers to optimize cost, lead time, and reliability across complex logistics flows. A recent milestone strengthening its multimodal capabilities is the completion of the acquisition of DB Schenker in April 2025 for approximately USD 15.32 billion, which significantly expands DSV’s footprint and positions it among the world’s largest logistics providers.

Deutsche Post AG (Germany) is one of the world's largest logistics and postal services companies, with operations in over 180 countries. Within its multimodal transport business, the company orchestrates freight forwarding and contract logistics services across air, sea, road, and rail modes, coordinating transport carriers, managing mode transitions, providing warehousing and value-added services, and offering real-time visibility and control through digital platforms. Its unique selling proposition lies in the combination of a global network scale, one-stop multimodal logistics capability, strong carrier relationships, and advanced digital supply chain technologies. A recent strategic advancement came in September 2025, when DHL Supply Chain agreed to acquire SDS Rx, a US-based specialist in final-mile delivery and transportation for long-term care facilities, specialty pharmacies, radio pharmacies, and health-system networks, thereby strengthening its life sciences & healthcare (LSHC) portfolio and enhancing its integrated time-critical logistics solutions across the full healthcare supply chain.

Kuehne+Nagel (Switzerland) is a leading global logistics company, operating across nearly 100 countries and providing integrated sea, air, road, and contract logistics solutions with a strong focus on multimodal transport. The company acts as an orchestrator rather than a carrier, linking ocean freight with inland drayage, rail, and road networks, managing carrier partnerships, and offering warehousing, customs brokerage, and digital visibility tools to ensure seamless end-to-end cargo movement. Its key differentiator lies in its global sea logistics strength, combined with inland connectivity, asset-light flexibility, and advanced digital platforms that help shippers reduce transit time, cost, and complexity in intermodal flows. Strengthening this capability further, Kuehne + Nagel recently announced the acquisition of a 51% majority stake in IMC Logistics, a leading US marine drayage and intermodal transport provider operating 49 locations across major seaports and rail hubs and handling nearly two million TEUs annually. This strategic investment enhances the company’s access to one of the most critical logistics networks in North America, improving flexibility and resilience in managing end-to-end intermodal solutions while retaining the IMC brand for continuity as it integrates with Kuehne + Nagel’s global sea-logistics network.

NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS (Japan) is a global full-service logistics and freight-forwarding company that delivers end-to-end supply chain solutions by seamlessly integrating air, ocean, rail, and road transport with warehousing, customs clearance, heavy haulage, security transportation, and value-added logistics services. Leveraging its extensive global network across 57 countries, nearly 3,000 operating locations, and more than 339 group companies, the company provides industry-specific, door-to-door multimodal solutions for sectors such as manufacturing, retail, automotive, chemicals, and life sciences. It operates through regional logistics segments, including Japan, Europe, East Asia, South Asia & Oceania, and the Americas, along with specialized units, such as Security Transportation, Heavy Haulage & Construction, and Logistics Support, which deliver additional capabilities, including real estate, consulting, and capital management. In its multimodal transport business, NIPPON EXPRESS integrates air, ocean, rail, and truck services under a single contract to ensure smooth mode coordination, improved cargo visibility, and optimized transit times, enabling efficient and cost-effective global logistics management. Its group structure, anchored by subsidiaries across the US, Europe, China, and South Asia & Oceania, supports consistent service delivery and strengthens its ability to connect international supply chains through fully integrated multimodal operations.

A.P. Moller–Maersk (Denmark) is a global integrated container-logistics company that connects and simplifies supply chains by combining ocean shipping, terminal operations, and end-to-end logistics services under a single, trusted partnership model aimed at driving digitalization and decarbonization across global transport. The company operates through three core segments: Ocean, which represents its container-shipping fleet and mainline/feeder services; Logistics & Services, which provides freight forwarding, contract logistics, warehousing and fulfilment, customs, air and inland transport; and Terminals, managed through APM Terminals, which develops and operates port and container-handling infrastructure. Together, these segments give Maersk both the sea-borne capacity and on-land execution capability to manage complex global supply chains. Its multimodal transport solutions are delivered primarily through the Logistics & Services segment, bundling ocean, inland (truck, rail, and barge), air, and warehousing into single-contract, door-to-door offerings such as “Managed by Maersk,” intermodal carrier-haulage, and sea-air combined services designed for resilience, speed, or cost optimization. Supported by integrated brands, acquired logistics platforms, and APM Terminals’ global port network, Maersk operates in around 130 countries with approximately 100,000 employees, a large owned and chartered fleet, and extensive warehousing and terminal footprints, enabling it to run end-to-end multimodal corridors with global consistency and control.

Market Ranking

The global multimodal transport market is moderately competitive, with leading logistics providers such as DSV (Denmark), Deutsche Post AG (Germany), Kuehne+Nagel (Switzerland), A.P. Moller–Maersk (Denmark), and NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS (Japan) collectively representing a significant share of global integrated freight activity. DHL maintains a leading position through its extensive air, ocean, and road network, strong contract logistics capability, and advanced digital visibility platforms that enable end-to-end coordination across regions. Kuehne + Nagel leverages its global sea-logistics leadership, combined with inland intermodal connectivity and data-driven orchestration, recently reinforced by its majority stake in IMC Logistics, to deepen access to North American drayage and rail hubs. Maersk advances its position by integrating ocean capacity with warehousing, inland haulage, and air freight under single-contract “Managed by Maersk” solutions, offering high control across door-to-door flows. NIPPON EXPRESS maintains a strong presence in Asia and globally through industry-specific multimodal solutions, supported by a wide regional subsidiary network and specialized services, including heavy haulage and security transport. Collectively, these players differentiate through global network reach, digital integration, and the ability to manage complex cross-border movements under unified multimodal service models.

Related Reports:

Multimodal Transport Market By Configuration (Two Mode, Three Mode, Hybrid/ Others), End-use Industry (Retail, Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare, Chemicals & Materials, Manufacturing), Region - Global Forecast to 2032

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