Outlook for transport and logistics in Europe for 2026
According to various transport consultancies, professional associations and media outlets, the outlook for the logistics and transport sector in 2026 is satisfactory in terms of market development and economic performance, but challenging in terms of the changes that are expected.
In terms of growth, the sector's production in Europe is expected to grow by around 2% and 3.7% in 2026, which could be lower than the average global growth rate of 3.6% due to the slowdown in activity on the continent. In any case, despite the modest growth, logistics and transport are expected to lead the way in job creation and regional economic dynamism in the coming year.
One of the most notable aspects in 2026 will be the technological trends that will definitively affect the operations of logistics and transport companies. Among all technologies, Artificial Intelligence will go from being an expectation to an everyday reality, with applications in predictive maintenance (reducing breakdowns by up to 70%) and real-time network optimisation. These improvements will enable the application and development of so-called ‘elastic’ logistics. This refers to companies adopting more flexible models to manage fluctuating demand and unpredictable business patterns through the use of advanced data analytics. On the other hand, warehouse automation will be developed, which will allow for the consolidation and even standardisation of the use of advanced robotics and digital twins in distribution centres, improving processing speed, which is especially necessary in e-commerce.
Challenges and regulations: The most challenging aspect for the transport and logistics sector is expected to come from...
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