Box trade defies geopolitical turmoil with strong 2025 growth
- Global box volumes rose 4.7% in 2025, outperforming muted forecasts despite geopolitical and trade policy headwinds
- Asia drove growth, led by Southeast Asia, while transpacific volumes weakened under US-China tariff pressure
- Emerging markets strengthened their role in global trade, with Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America, and the Indian Subcontinent posting some of the fastest growing import and export volumes
Predictions of a sluggish year for container shipping proved wide of the mark in 2025, as global volumes rebounded strongly despite escalating geopolitical and economic pressures