Europe Refrigerated Container Shipping - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Europe Refrigerated Container Shipping Market size is estimated at USD 3.74 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 4.80 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.12% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

Key Highlights

• The increasing demand from the pharmaceutical industry drives the market. Furthermore, the market is driven by the use of advanced technology in reefer transportation.
• The European Commission's increased initiatives for creating laws and policies fuel the rise of the reefer container for the pharmaceutical sector in Europe. The European Union administers its trade and investment relations through a special policy that strives to improve trading prospects for European enterprises. It adds to the strong demand for reefer containers for pharmaceutical product transportation. MECOTEC Group, Germany, provided 8 containers for deep-freeze storage of COVID-19 vaccines in November 2021. Cardinal Health was awarded a USD 57.8 million contract in April 2022 for the storage and delivery of 80,000 pallets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to support the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). It is a part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
• According to recent studies, there was a 50% increase in the third quarter of 2021 based on an analysis of 15 reefer trade routes, while dry container freight charges more than quadrupled in 2021. In addition, under the company's Dalreftrans subsidiary expansion strategy, FESCO Transportation Group planned to extend its fleet of reefer containers to 4,000 units by the end of summer 2022 in July 2022. Thus, an increase in the demand for pharmaceutical product transportation and logistics is driving the use of reefer containers.
• Technologies utilized in pharmaceutical supply chains are expanding to provide new approaches to secure the safe transportation of medical items to their intended destinations. Control tower technology, packing automation, artificial intelligence, and other technologies are heavily used in pharmaceutical cold chain facilities. Recent advancements in the distribution of temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, ranging from biological therapies to treat rare and chronic diseases, vaccines to treat COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, novel oncology treatments, and cell and gene (CGT) therapies, presented more complex cold-chain requirements. In August 2022, Maersk Company (MCI) announced a new cold storage facility planned for Ridgeville, South Carolina, to serve temperature-controlled goods, which began its operations in the first quarter of 2023.
• Continuous advancements in reefer containers are helping to improve the efficiency and dependability of containers used in the pharmaceutical business. One of the critical developments is the rising use of Internet of Things (IoT-connected) devices by most transport companies. During the shipping process, a large amount of data is captured and communicated, used to draw significant insights and diagnose difficulties, prevent downtime, and optimize procedures, ultimately enhancing operating efficiencies in the maritime industry. CMA CGM unveiled their SMART reefer container, a connected container for refrigerated goods, in February 2022. The position and status of refrigerated goods can be tracked using SMART reefer containers. Furthermore, in March 2022, ORBCOMM Inc., a global provider of IoT solutions, announced the launch of its CT 3500 IoT telematics device. It features the next evolution in the smart management of refrigerated containers.

Europe Refrigerated Container Shipping Market Trends

Growth in Pharmaceutical industry driving the market

• Every year, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) releases an annual factbook to highlight the pharmaceutical industry's enormous strategic importance to the continent. While the trans-Atlantic balance continues to shift away from Europe and towards the United States, China is emerging as a new powerhouse. For many years, the domestic pharma market grew at a double-digit rate, accompanied by intensive domestic R&D efforts. Many of the drugs that had the greatest influence on global health were discovered or developed by European biopharmaceutical companies in keeping with their rich past. Drug developers increased R&D investment to generate the medicines of the future, buoyed by achievements.
• The pharmaceutical supply chain sector had a difficult time in the past. Companies had to adapt to new technology to provide ongoing assistance for hospital distribution services, patient transportation during the pandemic, emergency response circumstances, and pharmaceutical home and hospital deliveries. It is demonstrated that using various digital technologies to support scheduling, supply chain management, and supply chain optimization workflows at key periods improves drug accessibility, quality, and price. European pharmaceutical companies are constantly collaborating with governments, non-governmental organizations, and logistics providers to expand cold-chain logistics infrastructure. It will ensure the delivery of life-saving medications to the worldwide population.
• There is a tendency to rely on physical assets to support all development, manufacturing, and disruption operations, and old assets will need to be repurposed in many circumstances. Several technologies are being implemented to aid in the prediction and maintenance of pharmaceutical equipment. It will help to mitigate unplanned equipment shutdowns and potential supply disruptions even further. In addition to this tendency, North American firms should plan for prospective outsourcing opportunities during European downtimes and disruptions. More pharmaceutical businesses in Europe used the pharmaceutical outsourcing strategy in the last few months to secure global medicine supply continuity. The European pharmaceutical sector made some headway in this area, but there are still some critical activities like understanding and developing tolerance towards cultural differences and crisis management.

Increasing demand for reefer transportation driving the market

• The global market is primarily driven by significant growth in the food and beverage industry. The increased demand for fresh commodities among the general public can help to sustain this. In addition, the growing desire for online shopping and home delivery as a result of smartphone use is a major driver driving demand for refrigerated transport. Furthermore, the advent of mobile app-based ordering platforms as a result of rising demand for fresh food goods, particularly from quick service restaurants (QSRs) that require frequent logistic services, is considered to help the market.
• In the global refrigerated transport sector, Europe is the third largest region. Due to an increase in demand for fresh items across the region, the market is primarily driven by the thriving food and beverage industry. Aside from that, Europe includes a highly developed refrigerated transport industry. It means that high-cube trailers with advanced refrigeration systems are in high demand. Furthermore, the region's major players are introducing fuel-efficient technology that assists in minimizing pollution. Recent technological advancements increased the demand for refrigerated vehicles for delivering food and raw materials. Furthermore, the growing popularity of maritime transport vehicles due to their low cost is propelling the industry forward.

Europe Refrigerated Container Shipping Industry Overview

The Europe Refrigerated Container Shipping Market is highly fragmented, with a lot of local, regional, and global players. Some of the major players include Mediterranean Shipping Company - MSC, COSCO Shipping Lines, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen Marine Line, Ocean Network Express (ONE), and many more. Stringent international government restrictions and demand cyclicality also influence the industry structure. Shipping companies are making prudent investments in new assets to ensure customer dependability and efficiency while earning higher returns on investment. The predicted trend of automation in marine transportation, as well as the rise in marine safety standards, are also expected to generate opportunities for market participants in the coming years.

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