Logistics executives are bracing for a year of volatility in trade, geopolitics and the global economy, and managing uncertainty by turning to AI, scrutinising costs, and reconfiguring their supply chains, according to the 2026 Agility Emerging Markets Index, in partnership with Ti.
This makes interesting reading for the U-Freight Group as many of those supply chains rely on the multimodal international freight forwarding and logistics services that we deliver.
In a survey of 503 industry professionals, undertaken by Ti, 86% say they expect increased volatility in 2026 or view trade, political and economic turbulence as the “new normal.”
The survey shows near-universal logistics industry adoption of AI. 98% of respondents say their companies are using artificial intelligence to manage a piece of their supply chain or operations. The survey also suggests that shifts in global production and sourcing – spurred first by COVID, then U.S.-China friction, and last year by a wave of tariff increases – are continuous today as companies restructure and fine tune their supply chains.
“Leaders in business and government realize there is no comfort zone, no time to rest. They’re searching for durable paths to growth at a time of extraordinary uncertainty,” says Agility Global Chairman Tarek Sultan. “They see AI as both a contributor to volatility and a tool to manage it. They’re facing new trade barriers in real time. They’re pushing the energy transition, and they’re navigating conflict between economic partners.”
John Manners-Bell, Chief Executive of Ti, said: “One phrase which came up time and again throughout our research was ‘structural uncertainty’, caused by geopolitical fragmentation, trade policy volatility and uneven economic momentum. However, this year’s index has confirmed that supply chain companies aren’t retreating from this uncertainty but instead are engineering around it.” Despite this he warned, “Whilst advanced digital tools are being embedded in some markets, others are constrained by skill, infrastructure and access to capital. Since its inception, the Agility Emerging Markets Index has enabled investors to differentiate between those countries which have fully embraced the opportunities and those which are lagging behind.”
This year’s Agility Emerging Markets Index marks the 17th annual edition of industry sentiment and ranking of the world’s 50 leading emerging markets. The Index ranks countries for overall competitiveness based on domestic and international logistics strengths, business climates and digital readiness — factors that make them attractive to logistics providers, freight forwarders, air and ocean carriers, distributors and investors.
Some of the highlights from this year index include recognition that supply chain diversification and reconfiguration by global companies is continuous today. Ninety-seven percent of executives surveyed say their companies have or will soon shift some production and sourcing.
The index also noted that companies see tariffs and trade protection as the risk they are least prepared for, with the leading tools they are using to cope with trade turmoil being supplier diversification, freight consolidation and strategic warehousing.
Interestingly, the index noted that a significant percentage of respondents – 48% — say they their companies are pausing or slowing on sustainability. The most frequently cited reasons: cost-cutting, shifting business priorities, and difficulty showing return on investment.
The U-Freight Group remains committed to helping clients manage and mitigate the impact for the many issues identified in this year’s index. We will endeavour to keep in close contact with all clients to provide updates on specific issues.
For more information about the U-Freight Group’s global freight forwarding and logistics services, please visit the relevant pages of this website or contact your local office, details of which can be seen here: https://ufreight.com/locations
