DP World survey shows 94 percent expect trade growth in 2026

Wednesday 18 February 2026 - 13:20

By: Dakir Madiha

DP World survey shows 94 percent expect trade growth in 2026

DP World on Monday released new regional findings from its Global Trade Observatory Annual Outlook Report 2026, indicating that 94 percent of supply chain leaders surveyed expect global trade growth in 2026 to match or exceed 2025 levels. The outlook remains positive even as companies contend with customs delays, warehouse capacity constraints and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

The report is based on a survey of more than 3,500 senior supply chain and logistics executives across eight industries and 19 countries. It highlights a divergence between operational confidence among business leaders and more cautious macroeconomic projections. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that trade volume growth could slow to 2.3 percent in 2026, down from an estimated 3.6 percent in 2025.

Companies are responding to volatility by embedding resilience into core business strategies. Supplier diversification emerged as the top strategic priority for 2026, cited by 51 percent of respondents. Other commonly adopted measures include maintaining higher inventory levels, mentioned by 44 percent, and expanding friend shoring strategies, identified by 36 percent.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive of DP World, said global trade is becoming more complex rather than less. He said the company’s role is to keep trade moving by identifying friction points, anticipating emerging disruptions and investing in infrastructure, capabilities and partnerships that enable clients to operate more efficiently and reliably.

Route flexibility is also gaining importance. Twenty six percent of companies plan to use new trade routes in 2026, while another 23 percent are actively assessing alternatives. Decisions are driven by cost savings, cited by 38 percent, improved inland connectivity and infrastructure at 36 percent, and faster customs clearance times at 35 percent.

Border procedures remain a significant obstacle. Sixty percent of respondents identified customs processes as the leading cause of supply chain delays. In addition, 45 percent pointed to warehouse capacity limitations as a major source of operational disruption, underscoring persistent challenges around capacity and visibility across logistics networks.

To address these bottlenecks, executives are prioritizing investments in warehousing and logistics platforms, cited by 39 percent, road networks at 36 percent, and border and customs processing infrastructure at 36 percent.

When asked where the greatest trade growth opportunities are likely to emerge in 2026, respondents most frequently named Europe at 22 percent and China at 17 percent, followed by Asia Pacific at 14 percent and North America at 13 percent.

Margareta Drzeniek, managing partner at Geneva based Horizon Group, which collaborated with DP World on the outlook, described the prevailing sentiment as confident but cautious. She said leaders are building contingency plans into their strategies by diversifying suppliers, reassessing routes and adding options as volatility becomes a structural feature of global trade.