# Transport and logistics Stratum 4 · Networks and systems Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/ Stratum 4 · Networks and systems ## Transport and logistics Transport and logistics moves goods and people by sea, road, rail and air, and stores and handles freight between them. Seaborne trade reached about 12.72 billion tonnes in 2024 (UNCTAD), and IATA forecasts airline revenue of US$ 1.165 trillion in 2026, US$ 162 billion of it from cargo. Ocean shipping is highly concentrated: on Alphaliner data for mid-2026 MSC alone runs 21.5% of container capacity and the top 10 lines about 85% (calculated).^[1](https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/rmt2025ch1_en.pdf) **India.** India's logistics cost was about 7.97% of GDP (₹24.01 lakh crore) in 2023-24, in the first systematic DPIIT-NCAER estimate^[8](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/nov/doc20251127708001.pdf). Nearly 70% of freight still moves by road and about 25% by rail, so shifting cargo to rail, dedicated freight corridors and coastal shipping is the main efficiency opportunity^[5](https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/endpovertyinsouthasia/road-to-rail--unlocking-india-s-freight-potential-). Depends on 11 of 35 industries · 3 directly Relied on by 4 industries, directly or indirectly Enterprise types 13 in 5 stages Chokepoints 0 rated 5 of 5 Size about 12.72 billion tonnes of seaborne trade 2024 ## [Where ₹100 of transport and logistics output goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/cost-mix/) Where ₹100 of transport and logistics output goes Every rupee of sales is paid out to someone along the chain. This splits ₹100 of output by who finally receives it, so you can see how exposed the industry is to commodity, chemical and energy prices. Commodities ₹2.8 Chemicals ₹0.3 Energy ₹12.4… ## [Price links with supplier industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/price-links/) Price links with supplier industries How the industries this one buys from shape its prices: the share of its costs they make up, and how their prices have moved together. Tap a row for the charts. Hover or tap ? for what each measure means. Supplier industry Cost share Raw-material mix… ## [Follow one offering through the chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/story/) Follow one offering through the chain 4 Example story · 7 steps · India An export container from NCR to Europe Follow one box by freight corridor to Nhava Sheva, onto a container ship and through the paperwork that clears it. 1 / 7 · Fleets and fuel Boxes and ships built in Asia 91% ship tonnage… ## [Buys directly from](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/linked-industries/) Buys directly from Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft Paper and packaging Computers and electronics Depends on through its suppliers Electrical equipment Machinery and equipment Metal products Plastic and rubber products Semiconductors Textiles and leather Water and sanitation Wood products Sells… ## [Value chain, from upstream to the customer](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/value-chain/) Value chain, from upstream to the customer Criticality to the chain: 5 · Chokepoint 4 · Critical 3 · Important 2 · Supporting 1 · Commodity service Stage 1 Fleets and fuel Fleet makers and lessors (trucks, ships, aircraft, containers) 4 · Critical Build or lease the trucks, vessels, aircraft… ## [What the whole chain draws on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/materials/) What the whole chain draws on Every commodity, chemical and energy tile named by the enterprises above; ×n shows how many of them depend on it. Open any tile for its full detail. Commodities (10) St Steel ×6 Oil Crude oil ×4 Rbr Natural rubber ×2 Cu Copper ×2 Tm Timber ×2 Al Aluminium Ti Titanium… ## [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/risks/) Chokepoints and risks Maritime chokepoints: Red Sea diversions lengthened East Asia-Europe voyages by about 30% and raised container TEU-mile demand by about 11% 1 . Carrier concentration: MSC alone runs 21.5% of container capacity and the top 10 lines about 85%, giving them pricing power when… ## [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/sources/) Sources Review of Maritime Transport 2025, Chapter 1 UNCTAD, 2025 Middle East disruptions and high fuel prices halve airline industry profitability IATA, 2026 Largest container shipping companies at the end of H1 2026 (Alphaliner Top 100 data) Container News, 2026 India's logistics cost pegged at… ## Relationship cards - [Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/natural-gas-and-transport-and-logistics/): Gas enters transport as compressed gas for cars, autos, buses and light trucks and as LNG for heavy trucks and ships; India has built a large CNG network and plans LNG trucking, but in China, the largest LNG truck market, battery trucks are now taking share from gas. *(researched)* - [Renewable diesel and SAF](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/renewable-diesel-and-saf-and-transport-and-logistics/): Renewable diesel (HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel are drop-in fuels that let trucks and aircraft cut emissions without new engines, but SAF was only about 0.6% of jet fuel in 2025 at roughly twice the price, so mandates such as ReFuelEU and India's 2027 target turn them into a cost line for airlines and logistics firms. *(researched)* - [Crude oil](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/crude-oil-and-transport-and-logistics/): Fuel is the largest single cost in moving goods, 42.1% of road freight expenses in India and 31.4% of airline costs forecast for 2026, so crude prices pass quickly into freight rates through surcharges and squeeze carriers' margins when they cannot. *(researched)* - [Computers and electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/computers-and-electronics-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics buys from Computers and electronics; computers and electronics buys from Transport and logistics; computers and electronics depends on transport and logistics; transport and logistics depends on computers and electronics. - [Construction and infrastructure](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/construction-and-infrastructure-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics buys from Construction and infrastructure; construction and infrastructure buys from Transport and logistics; construction and infrastructure depends on transport and logistics; transport and logistics depends on construction and infrastructure. - [Machinery and equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/machinery-and-equipment-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics buys from Machinery and equipment; machinery and equipment buys from Transport and logistics; machinery and equipment depends on transport and logistics; transport and logistics depends on machinery and equipment. - [Paper and packaging](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/paper-and-packaging-and-transport-and-logistics/): Paper and packaging buys from Transport and logistics; transport and logistics buys from Paper and packaging; paper and packaging depends on transport and logistics; transport and logistics depends on paper and packaging. - [Software and IT services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/software-and-it-services-and-transport-and-logistics/): Software and IT services buys from Transport and logistics; transport and logistics buys from Software and IT services; transport and logistics depends on software and IT services; software and IT services depends on transport and logistics. - [Wood products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-wood-products/): Transport and logistics buys from Wood products; wood products buys from Transport and logistics; wood products depends on transport and logistics; transport and logistics depends on wood products. - [Apparel and footwear](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/apparel-and-footwear-and-transport-and-logistics/): Apparel and footwear buys from Transport and logistics; apparel and footwear depends on transport and logistics. - [Building materials](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/building-materials-and-transport-and-logistics/): Building materials buys from Transport and logistics; building materials depends on transport and logistics. - [E-commerce and digital marketplaces](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/e-commerce-and-digital-marketplaces-and-transport-and-logistics/): E-commerce and digital marketplaces buys from Transport and logistics; E-commerce and digital marketplaces depends on transport and logistics. - [Electrical equipment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electrical-equipment-and-transport-and-logistics/): Electrical equipment buys from Transport and logistics; electrical equipment depends on transport and logistics. - [Finance: banking, insurance, markets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/finance-banking-insurance-markets-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics buys from Finance: banking, insurance, markets; transport and logistics depends on finance: banking, insurance, markets. - [Food and beverage processing](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/food-and-beverage-processing-and-transport-and-logistics/): Food and beverage processing buys from Transport and logistics; food and beverage processing depends on transport and logistics. - [Furniture](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/furniture-and-transport-and-logistics/): Furniture buys from Transport and logistics; furniture depends on transport and logistics. - [Healthcare services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/healthcare-services-and-transport-and-logistics/): Healthcare services buys from Transport and logistics; healthcare services depends on transport and logistics. - [Hospitality and tourism](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/hospitality-and-tourism-and-transport-and-logistics/): Hospitality and tourism buys from Transport and logistics; hospitality and tourism depends on transport and logistics. - [Household and personal care](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/household-and-personal-care-and-transport-and-logistics/): Household and personal care buys from Transport and logistics; household and personal care depends on transport and logistics. - [Media and entertainment](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/media-and-entertainment-and-transport-and-logistics/): Media and entertainment buys from Transport and logistics; media and entertainment depends on transport and logistics. - [Medical devices](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/medical-devices-and-transport-and-logistics/): Medical devices buys from Transport and logistics; medical devices depends on transport and logistics. - [Metal products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/metal-products-and-transport-and-logistics/): Metal products buys from Transport and logistics; metal products depends on transport and logistics. - [Pharmaceuticals](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/pharmaceuticals-and-transport-and-logistics/): Pharmaceuticals buys from Transport and logistics; pharmaceuticals depends on transport and logistics. - [Plastic and rubber products](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/plastic-and-rubber-products-and-transport-and-logistics/): Plastic and rubber products buys from Transport and logistics; plastic and rubber products depends on transport and logistics. - [Professional services](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/professional-services-and-transport-and-logistics/): Professional services buys from Transport and logistics; professional services depends on transport and logistics. - [Public administration, defence and security](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/public-administration-defence-and-security-and-transport-and-logistics/): Public administration, defence and security buys from Transport and logistics; public administration, defence and security depends on transport and logistics. - [Real estate](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/real-estate-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics buys from Real estate; transport and logistics depends on real estate. - [Semiconductors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/semiconductors-and-transport-and-logistics/): Semiconductors buys from Transport and logistics; semiconductors depends on transport and logistics. - [Telecommunications](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/telecommunications-and-transport-and-logistics/): Telecommunications buys from Transport and logistics; telecommunications depends on transport and logistics. - [Textiles and leather](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/textiles-and-leather-and-transport-and-logistics/): Textiles and leather buys from Transport and logistics; textiles and leather depends on transport and logistics. - [Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-vehicles-ships-rail-aircraft/): Transport and logistics buys from Vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft; transport and logistics depends on vehicles, ships, rail, aircraft. - [Waste and recycling](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-waste-and-recycling/): Waste and recycling buys from Transport and logistics; waste and recycling depends on transport and logistics. - [Wholesale and retail trade](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-wholesale-and-retail-trade/): Wholesale and retail trade buys from Transport and logistics; wholesale and retail trade depends on transport and logistics. - [Aluminium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/aluminium-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on aluminium. - [Aviation propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/aviation-propulsion-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on aviation propulsion. - [Biodiesel (FAME)](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/biodiesel-fame-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on biodiesel (FAME). - [Cement](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/cement-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on cement. - [Combustion road vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/combustion-road-vehicles-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on combustion road vehicles. - [Copper](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/copper-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on copper. - [Data centres](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/data-centres-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on data centres. - [Distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/distribution-grids-mini-grids-and-interconnectors-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on distribution grids, mini-grids and interconnectors. - [Electric and hybrid vehicles](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/electric-and-hybrid-vehicles-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on electric and hybrid vehicles. - [Energy in buildings](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/energy-in-buildings-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on energy in buildings. - [Energy-intensive industry](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/energy-intensive-industry-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on energy-intensive industry. - [Internal combustion engines and gensets](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/internal-combustion-engines-and-gensets-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on internal combustion engines and gensets. - [LNG chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lng-chain-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on LNG chain. - [Latent heat and cold storage](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/latent-heat-and-cold-storage-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on latent heat and cold storage. - [Lithium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lithium-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on lithium. - [Lithium iron phosphate batteries](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lithium-iron-phosphate-batteries-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on lithium iron phosphate batteries. - [Lubricant additives](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/lubricant-additives-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on lubricant additives. - [Methanol](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/methanol-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on methanol. - [Natural rubber](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/natural-rubber-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on natural rubber. - [Oil and product pipelines](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/oil-and-product-pipelines-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on oil and product pipelines. - [Paints and coatings](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/paints-and-coatings-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on paints and coatings. - [Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE)](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/polyethylene-ldpe-lldpe-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE). - [Polypropylene](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/polypropylene-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on polypropylene. - [Rail traction](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/rail-traction-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on rail traction. - [Railway electrification and wireless power](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/railway-electrification-and-wireless-power-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on railway electrification and wireless power. - [Refining and reforming](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/refining-and-reforming-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on refining and reforming. - [Ship propulsion](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/ship-propulsion-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on ship propulsion. - [Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/steel-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on steel. - [Tankers, barges and fuel trucks](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/tankers-barges-and-fuel-trucks-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on tankers, barges and fuel trucks. - [Timber](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/timber-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on timber. - [Titanium](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/titanium-and-transport-and-logistics/): Transport and logistics depends on titanium. - [Urea](https://www.materialinsights.org/links/transport-and-logistics-and-urea/): Transport and logistics depends on urea. ## Other sections - [Where ₹100 goes](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/cost-mix/index.md) - [Price links with suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/price-links/index.md) - [Example story](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/story/index.md) - [Linked industries](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/linked-industries/index.md) - [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/value-chain/index.md) - [Materials drawn on](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/materials/index.md) - [Chokepoints and risks](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/risks/index.md) - [Sources](https://www.materialinsights.org/industries/transport_logistics/sources/index.md)