Global Outlook 2026: Shifting Opportunities

As emerging energy markets expand and the world’s appetite for power intensifies, opportunities for project logistics continue to soar. Here, industry experts from across the supply chain identify the sectors poised to drive breakbulk and project cargo volumes in the year ahead.

From Issue 6, 2025 of Breakbulk Magazine

(3-minute read)

Felix Schoeller, chief commercial officer, AAL Shipping

The global breakbulk and project cargo market in 2026 will be defined less by a single macro trend and more by regional opportunity shaped by the energy transition, infrastructure reinvestment and nearshoring.

Renewable energy projects remain strong in Oceania, intra-Asia and Europe, supporting ongoing shipments of turbines, transformers and other heavy components. The U.S. will remain challenging for 2026 and years to come. Sustained investment in oil, gas and construction will underpin demand in the Persian Gulf. North America is also showing promise, with growth in oil, gas and power.

We see significant opportunity emerging in developing markets, where major infrastructure and industrial strategies are translating into greater breakbulk and project cargo shipments. The Middle East and the Persian Gulf remain key pivotal growth corridors for us, despite geopolitical tensions. Renewed infrastructure and energy project construction continues to generate heavy-lift and breakbulk demand across ports and charter markets.

Indonesia’s transition from a resource-export model to value-added onshore manufacturing is producing a steady pipeline of projects that require inbound components, heavy equipment and specialized logistics, while India’s drive for infrastructure and energy investment is increasing demand for transformers, modules and industrial equipment. At the same time, we are seeing stronger domestic manufacturing capability in the renewable and non-renewable energy sectors. Together with higher foreign industrial investments, these trends are contributing to an increase in demand for project cargo imports.

Across Southeast Asia, we continue to see the manufacturing and fabrication of project cargo components expand as stakeholders diversify away from dependence on China amid ongoing geopolitical risk. Over recent years this trend has gathered steady momentum, and with the Trump administration’s renewed trade tariffs and protectionist stance, we are now seeing an even greater push to source from this region, further diluting China’s dominance.

Kieve Pinto, chief operating officer, Al Faris

As we move into 2026, the heavy transport and project logistics industry across the Middle East is positioned for sustained and strategic growth. The region’s infrastructure and industrial pipeline remain robust, driven by ambitious national visions and economic diversification efforts. Across the GCC, large-scale investments in renewable energy, green hydrogen, petrochemicals and advanced manufacturing are reshaping the landscape of heavy transport and project logistics.

Where once cargo flows were primarily import-driven, we now see increasing intra-regional and export movement as local fabrication and manufacturing capabilities mature. This shift demands advanced technical expertise, precision planning and integrated heavy-lift solutions that combine engineering, transport and installation under one umbrella.

At Al Faris, we continue to align with this transformation by expanding our fleet, enhancing our digital capabilities and investing in people and technology. Our focus remains on safety, reliability and innovation, enabling us to support our clients in delivering complex, high-value projects that power the region’s next chapter of growth and energy transition.

Koichi Kaizu, logistics subject matter expert for module transportation, JGC

Based on our company’s business lookahead viewpoint, we observe LNG continuing to play a central role in Asia’s energy transition, as next-generation fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia remain in early stages of commercialization. Their full supply chains, from production to end-use, are still under development.

In contrast, LNG infrastructure projects are active and expanding, especially in Southeast Asia and South Asia, driving consistent demand for project logistics.

Asian countries will remain key sourcing hubs for materials and equipment, including fabricated modules, contributing to a stable base volume in breakbulk, heavy-lift and module transport segments. Project cargo demand in Asia will remain strong and diversified through 2026 and beyond.

Kasper Heiselberg, head of global wind renewable energy, deugro

Europe will remain a key driver for wind logistics, but we’re seeing new frontiers emerging in Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Australia. The next big opportunity lies in smarter, more collaborative supply chains, combining engineering, transport and data to enable faster renewable growth worldwide.

Beyond 2026, Northern Europe and Europe in general will continue leading demand for wind logistics, with Asia- Pacific rapidly gaining ground. The biggest opportunity ahead is to industrialize and standardize offshore wind logistics, linking global manufacturing with regional installation in a sustainable way.

Read more in our Global Outlook 2026 series:

Powering Into 2026

Navigating Uncertainty

Top photo: deugro oversees the loading of wind turbine blades at the Port of Brake, Germany. Credit deugro