Cargo Handling Activities in the UK: Market Size, Businesses & Forecast 2026

The cargo handling activities industry in the United Kingdom comprises the essential logistics operations of loading, unloading, and stevedoring freight across maritime, air, and land transport networks. According to the Department for Transport's port freight quarterly statistics, UK major ports handled a total freight tonnage of 420.8 million tonnes in the rolling year to December 2025 (Department for Transport, 2026), demonstrating stable demand despite shifting global trade dynamics. Concurrently, the total volume of unitised traffic across major ports experienced a minor increase of 1% to 21.4 million units in the rolling year to December 2025 (Department for Transport, 2026). The indus

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What does the Cargo Handling Activities in the UK industry cover?

The cargo handling industry involves the physical loading, unloading, and stowing of goods or passengers' luggage across various modes of transport. These activities are carried out on behalf of others at transport infrastructure hubs like marine terminals, airports, and rail freight depots. The scope excludes the direct management of the terminal facilities themselves, focusing purely on the stevedoring and mechanical moving of freight.

• •Covers stevedoring and the loading/unloading of waterborne vessels.
• •Includes ground cargo handling services for scheduled and non-scheduled air transport.
• •Encompasses the loading and unloading of rail freight cars and land transport vehicles.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The UK cargo handling market is characterized by a mix of specialized stevedoring firms, international airport ground handlers, and major terminal operators who integrate cargo handling with wider port operations. Marine cargo handling dominates the sector's volume due to the UK's island geography, concentrated around major port clusters. Air cargo handling is concentrated around international hub airports, catering to high-value, time-sensitive freight.

• •Maritime cargo is heavily concentrated in major port complexes like London Gateway, Grimsby and Immingham, and Dover.
• •Air cargo operations are centralized at primary logistics hubs such as London Heathrow and East Midlands Airport.
• •Operations feature a combination of standalone logistics providers and vertically integrated port authorities.

What drives demand in the industry?

Demand for cargo handling services is directly tied to international trade volumes, manufacturing output, and consumer demand for imported goods. Fluctuations in specific cargo segments, such as the decline in liquid bulks or the expansion of container transport, heavily alter local handling requirements. Major infrastructural developments at specific ports also act as localized demand drivers by shifting freight routes.

• •Container tonnage at major ports rose by 19% to 19.0 million tonnes in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, driven by expansion at London Gateway (Department for Transport, 2026).
• •Liquid bulk, while remaining the largest category at 35% of major port tonnage in Q4 2025, has steadily declined due to shifting energy mixes (Department for Transport, 2026).
• •Dry bulk tonnage rose by 7% to 21.0 million tonnes in Q4 2025, heavily influencing regional stevedoring demands at ports like Grimsby and Immingham (Department for Transport, 2026).

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

The competitive landscape features large global logistics multinationals alongside major UK port groups that self-operate their cargo terminals. Competition is based on turnaround speed, equipment reliability, regional network reach, and digital tracking capabilities. Operators must continuously invest in heavy machinery and modern reach stackers to remain competitive.

• •International Forwarding Ltd operates specialized cargo handling, container offloading, and destuffing at its central UK hubs.
• •Associated British Ports Holdings Ltd (Associated British Ports) operates 21 ports across the UK, handling significant volumes of multi-commodity cargo.
• •DP World (DP World Uk) manages extensive cargo handling and stevedoring operations at its major deep-sea hubs, London Gateway and Southampton.
• •Menzies Aviation plc provides widespread air cargo handling, fueling, and ground services across major UK airports.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The industry is experiencing a post-pandemic rebalancing of trade routes, marked by a rise in containerized freight and a structural decline in fossil-fuel-related liquid bulk. Port operators are investing heavily in expanding berth capacity and implementing automated container cranes to improve efficiency. The operational outlook remains stable as containerized trade buffers weaknesses in traditional bulk commodities.

• •The opening of the fourth berth at London Gateway at the end of 2024 sparked a 52% rise in container tonnage at the port by Q4 2025 (Department for Transport, 2026).
• •Total port freight tonnage showed little change overall for the rolling year to December 2025, down less than 1% to 420.8 million tonnes (Department for Transport, 2026).
• •Ro-Ro freight traffic measured in units increased by 3% in Q4 2025 compared to Q4 2024, driven by a 88,000-unit increase at Dover (Department for Transport, 2026).

How is the industry regulated?

Cargo handling operations in the UK are subject to rigorous safety, environmental, and customs compliance frameworks. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces strict guidelines regarding dock work, heavy lifting equipment, and workplace safety to minimize terminal accidents. Following the UK's exit from the European Union, operators must also comply with evolved border target operating models and customs clearance checks.

• •Operators must comply with the HSE's 'Safety in Docks' (COP25) approved code of practice governing loading and unloading activities.
• •Lifting operations are heavily regulated under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
• •Air cargo handlers must meet stringent Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) aviation security standards.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• Department for Transport Port Freight Quarterly October to December 2025 ·
• Department for Transport Port Freight Annual Statistics 2024 ·
• Office for National Statistics UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2007 ·
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Safety in Docks Guidance