2020 Top 50 Global Freight

2020 Essential Revenue and Operating Information for the 50 Largest Global Freight Carriers

Up Front

Freight carriers across the world experienced dramatic market shifts and volume swings in 2020.
The new trade deal between U.S., Mexico and Canada provides market certainty for North American trade.
The world’s largest freight carriers have navigated unprecedented circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rankings

Rank This Year Rank Last Year Company Headquarters Freight Revenue (Millions) Total Revenue (Millions) Freight Revenue Share
1 1 FedEx Corp. USA $64,690 $69,189 93.5%
2 2 UPS Inc. USA $63,978 $74,094 86.3%
3 3 China Railway Corp. China $44,468 $163,536 27.2%
4 4 Maersk Denmark $34,839 $38,890 89.6%
5 7 CMA CGM Group France $30,254 $30,254 100.0%
6 5 Russian Railways Russia $26,267 $38,618 68.0%
7 6 Deutsche Post DHL Group Germany $24,265 $70,940 34.2%
8 8 Mediterranean Shipping Co. Switzerland $24,002 $24,002 100.0%
9 10 BNSF Railway USA $22,328 $23,515 95.0%
10 12 Cosco Shipping Group China $21,787 $21,787 100.0%
11 9 Union Pacific Corp. USA $21,708 $21,708 100.0%
12 11 Indian Railways India $19,036 $26,991 70.5%
13 15 SF Express China $16,050 $16,050 100.0%
14 14 Hapag-Lloyd AG Germany $14,121 $14,121 100.0%
15 13 Deutsche Bahn AG Germany $12,963 $49,761 26.0%
16 16 Yamato Holdings Japan $12,517 $14,911 83.9%
17 17 CSX Corp. USA $11,937 $11,937 100.0%
18 19 Norfolk Southern Corp. USA $11,296 $11,296 100.0%
19 20 Canadian National Railway Canada $10,953 $11,241 97.4%
20 18 NYK Group Japan $10,210 $16,262 62.8%
21 21 Mitsui O.S.K Lines Japan $9,696 $10,633 91.2%
22 22 SG Holdings Japan $9,036 $10,683 84.6%
23 23 GeoPost Group France $8,600 $8,600 100.0%
24 25 XPO USA $7,864 $16,648 47.2%
25 26 J.B. Hunt Transport Services USA $7,829 $9,165 85.4%
26 24 Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (K Line) Japan $7,022 $7,022 100.0%
27 27 Canadian Pacific Railway Canada $5,737 $5,872 97.7%
28 28 Evergreen Marine Corp. Taiwan $5,682 $6,168 92.1%
29 29 Yellow Corp. USA $4,871 $4,871 100.0%
30 32 Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. Taiwan $4,828 $4,828 100.0%
31 31 Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. South Korea $4,729 $4,729 100.0%
32 30 Knight-Swift Transportation USA $4,408 $4,844 91.0%
33 35 Old Dominion Freight Line USA $4,109 $4,109 100.0%
34 33 Transnet Group South Africa $4,083 $5,276 77.4%
35 36 General Logistics Systems Netherlands $4,034 $4,034 100.0%
36 34 Schneider USA $3,864 $4,747 81.4%
37 37 TFI International Canada $3,691 $3,902 94.6%
38 40 Nippon Express Japan $3,604 $19,305 18.7%
39 41 ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Israel $3,300 $3,300 100.0%
40 39 Emirates Group UAE $3,051 $24,774 12.3%
41 38 Cathay Pacific Airways Hong Kong $3,039 $13,653 22.3%
42 44 Wallenius Wilhelmsen Group Norway $2,998 $3,909 76.7%
43 49 Kansas City Southern USA $2,886 $2,886 100.0%
44 43 Toll Group Australia $2,870 $5,827 49.3%
45 46 Estes Express Lines USA $2,818 $3,254 86.6%
46 - Ukrainian Railways Ukraine $2,809 $3,502 80.2%
47 42 Lufthansa Group Germany $2,775 $41,061 6.8%
48 47 Qatar Airways Qatar $2,725 $14,033 19.4%
49 45 Pacific International Lines Singapore $2,639 $3,831 68.9%
50 - Kazakhstan Temir Zholy Kazakhstan $2,499 $2,974 84.0%

Extras

Seaports have experienced huge volume swings in 2020.
If your company appears in the 2020 list, you have a few ways to announce it. Visit our logo library to get web- and print-ready graphics.
North America’s busiest cargo airports.
Learn more about Transport Topics’ Top 50 Global Freight Carriers publication.
Find out where the Top 50 Global Freight Carriers are based.
FedEx and UPS face their biggest test yet amid e-commerce growth and early holiday shopping.

Global Freight News

GovernmentBusinessLogisticsFor-HirePrivateGlobal FreightTop 100Top 50

USPS to Open Last-Mile Delivery Network to More Shippers

The U.S. Postal Service said Dec. 17 it intends to open its last-mile delivery network, the most expensive part of the shipping process, to large and small shippers.

December 17, 2025
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsPrivateGlobal Freight

Amazon Names New AI Chief Amid Battle to Take on Tech Rivals

Amazon is reorganizing teams working on artificial intelligence projects, putting Peter DeSantis, a top leader from the company’s cloud division, in charge of a new unit.

December 17, 2025
GovernmentBusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

2 Rail Unions Oppose Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern Merger

The two large unions say a merger would increase safety risks, raise shipping rates and consumer prices, and cause significant disruptions.

December 17, 2025
GovernmentBusinessTechnologyLogisticsPrivateGlobal FreightTop 100Top 50

US Threatens to Strike Back Against EU Firms for Digital Tax

The Trump administration threatened retaliation against the European Union in response to efforts to tax American tech companies, singling out prominent firms.

December 16, 2025
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsFor-HireGlobal FreightTop 100Top 50

UPS Purchases 400 Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push

UPS will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to sources, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profit.

December 15, 2025
BusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

Maersk Picks New CFO Robert Erni With Logistics Background

Maersk has a strategy to grow in land-based logistics, which has historically had higher and more stable profit margins than container shipping.

December 12, 2025
BusinessLogisticsGlobal FreightTop 50

Maersk Opens New Ground Freight Site Near Port of Savannah

Maersk says the Savannah, Ga., facility follows recent ground freight openings in Lake City, Ga., and Dallas-Fort Worth, and creates an ecosystem of integrated services.

December 9, 2025
GovernmentBusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

Dow's Transportation Average Blazes 9-Day Winning Streak

Equity traders looking for signs that a blistering stock market advance is set to continue may take their cue from the companies that move goods across America’s roads, rails and waterways.

December 5, 2025
BusinessFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

Ocean Shipping Rates Surge on Conflicts, Supply Disruptions

Daily earnings to transport crude on key routes have seen the biggest jump this year, up 467%. Freight costs typically dip at year-end due to seasonal weakness in demand.

December 4, 2025
GovernmentBusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

South Africa to Prosecute Maersk, CMA Units for Price Fixing

The companies allegedly fixed the general rate increase charged to customers for shipping cargo between South Africa and Asia and between the nation and the western part of Africa from 2008 to 2018.

December 2, 2025

Archives

  • 2024

  • 2023

  • 2022

  • 2021

  • 2020

  • 2019

  • 2018

  • 2017

  • 2016

  • 2015