According to The Loadstar,
Ecommerce surges overtake traditional freight
Tougher customs treatment of low-value airfreight shipments is threatening to reverse some of the ecommerce sector’s rapid growth according to new analysis from Trade and Transport Group. The consultancy’s latest report estimates that cross-border ecommerce accounted for almost 18% of intercontinental air cargo traffic last year despite representing only around 6% of global online sales.
China remains overwhelmingly the dominant origin accounting for more than 80% of cross-border ecommerce revenue. This volume is made up almost entirely by three platforms — Temu Shein and AliExpress which together account for close to 100% of Chinese ecommerce exports.
Rapid declines reshape market flows
Trade and Transport Group found that revenue had fallen 4.5% in the first six months of 2026 with all major markets except Asia Pacific recording significant declines.
A large part of this has been the US market experiencing the effects of tighter low-value shipment rules. Following the removal of the US de minimis duty exemption ecommerce traffic from China fell from around 110000 tonnes a month to approximately 35000 tonnes. Trade and Transport noted however that the market had begun to normalise since May.
New charges further squeeze direct routes
The consultancy warned of further pressure in the EU following the introduction of a €3-per-item customs charge on low-value e-commerce shipments last month. They stated that consequences could extend beyond individual platforms and routes disrupting established logistics patterns further.
Tighter customs treatment is expected to encourage more local inventory and fulfilment reducing direct China-to-consumer traffic. It will also prompt a shift from pre-labelled parcels to consolidated shipments further altering how goods move across borders.
Modal shifts threaten air cargo demand
This structural change moves more ecommerce freight from air to sea particularly in large European and North American markets according to the report. Consequently cross-border ecommerce supply chains begin resembling traditional retail models closely carrying potential implications for long-term air cargo demand.
Source: The Loadstar
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
