AI-related goods now constitute 53% of air cargo value for IATA members in the first half of the year, surpassing e-commerce as the top trans-Pacific freight driver. Semiconductors and data center equipment accounted for 42% of 2024 trade growth by value and 76% in Q1 2025. Taiwan has eclipsed mainland China in total U.S. import value due to high-value chip exports. Data center construction hit $50 billion in 2024 but remains under 2.5% of total U.S. construction, limiting domestic freight upside.
According to FreightWaves, AI-related goods now account for 53% of the value of air cargo carried by International Air Transport Association (IATA) member airlines in the first half of the year — officially displacing e-commerce as the dominant driver of trans-Pacific air freight out of Asia.
Structural Shift in Trade Composition
A joint study by DHL and NYU Business School found that AI-related goods — including semiconductors, data center equipment, and related materials — contributed 42% of global trade growth by value in 2024 and surged to 76% in Q1 2025. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis calculated that without AI-related imports, total U.S. imports would have declined by 10%. This reflects a fundamental reordering: high-value, low-volume shipments are now steering network investments across carriers and forwarders.
Taiwan Surpasses Mainland China in U.S. Import Value
“Taiwan is a larger trading partner than China, like mainland China, People’s Republic. And it’s all value related. It’s not volume. It’s all value. It’s because of semiconductors,” said Eric Kulisch, reporter covering international freight. While container flows from Taiwan remain weak, the dollar value of its exports clearing U.S. customs has grown so substantially that Taiwan now exceeds mainland China in total import value to the United States — a shift entirely attributable to semiconductor exports.
Airline and Integrator Realignment
Carriers are rapidly adjusting capacity: EVA Air, Korean Air, and Japan Airlines have added freighter capacity specifically targeting AI-related shippers. Meanwhile, FedEx and UPS are reorienting portions of their Asia-Pacific and intra-Asian networks toward this cargo type. Amazon recently inked a deal with Kuehne+Nagel — one of the world’s two largest freight forwarders — to manage the bulk of its AI logistics needs for AWS server farm construction.
Security and Geopolitical Risks Escalate
Cargo security has become a critical concern. A U.S.-based theft of a truckload of semiconductors highlighted the risk of domestic liquidation, with Eric Kulisch noting that sanctioned nations — including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea — serve as ready black-market buyers. Separately, a reported incident involving F-35 parts routed through Hong Kong on a UPS-managed shipment has intensified congressional scrutiny of forwarders handling Defense Department logistics and their reliance on foreign-flag carriers.
Limited Upside for Domestic Construction Freight
Despite data center construction reaching approximately $50 billion in 2024, it still represents less than 2.5% of total U.S. construction activity. Weakness in residential building — pressured by elevated interest rates — and persistent softness in commercial office space largely offset the data center surge, leaving overall construction freight demand nearly flat rather than experiencing broad-based growth.
Source: FreightWaves
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
