Rhenus has recorded significant growth in its China–Europe ocean and air freight operations during 2026, despite softer market demand, fluctuating capacity and ongoing uncertainty surrounding EU–China trade policy.
The logistics provider revealed the figures ahead of its participation at the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE), taking place in Shanghai from 5 to 10 November 2026.
China–Europe is Rhenus’ largest ocean freight trade lane by volume, with Europe also representing its primary destination for air cargo shipments originating in China. However, maintaining growth across both modes requires managing imbalanced trade flows and changing capacity availability.
In ocean freight, Rhenus increased its China-to-Europe volumes by approximately 26% year on year in 2026 to date.
Renee Toh, Global Head of Ocean Freight at Rhenus, said: “Our focus is on developing long-term customer relationships on this corridor.
“Bringing our teams in China and Europe together with our carrier partners gives us a stronger basis for understanding customers’ priorities and planning with them.”
Air freight operations have also continued to expand, with new customer acquisitions supporting growth on the China-to-Europe route despite weaker market conditions. According to Rotate, e-commerce volumes declined by 28% during July and August.
In the opposite direction, Rhenus increased its Europe-to-China air freight volumes by around 20%, outperforming the wider market, where demand fell by 5% year on year between January and August 2026, according to the same source.
High-tech has also emerged as one of the company’s fastest-growing air freight sectors on the China-to-Europe corridor.
Chris P. Bode, VP Air Freight at Rhenus, said: “Our strategy is to grow in sectors where specialist expertise makes a difference to customers’ businesses. High-tech is a clear priority on the China–Europe corridor. By combining sector knowledge with flexible access to airline capacity, we aim to turn this opportunity into sustained growth.”
Alongside operational challenges, changing EU–China trade policies continue to influence import costs and customer shipping decisions, adding further complexity to long-term supply chain planning.
