The installed base of tracking devices for trailers, containers, rail freight wagons, ULDs and RTPs will reach 27 million in 2029, according to Berg Insight.

The market report covers the trailer and cargo container tracking market.

The number of active tracking devices deployed for cargo carrying units such as trailers, intermodal containers, rail freight wagons, air freight ULDs, pallets and other RTPs reached 13.8 million worldwide in 2024. With a CAGR of 14.3 per cent, this number is expected to reach 26.9 million by 2029.

In terms of installed units, trailer telematics is today the most developed market, followed by tracking devices for intermodal containers.

The number of tracking devices and real-time data loggers in use for general cargo applications will grow from 4.9 million units at the end of 2024 to 16.2 million units at the end of 2029. This segment includes disposable and multi-use devices. The total market value for tracking products for cargo carrying units and cargo reached €2.7bn in 2024. With a CAGR of 10.8 per cent, the total market value is forecasted to reach €4.5bn in 2029.

Orbcomm is the largest provider of tracking technology for cargo carrying units, having a significant installed base of trailers and containers. Orbcomm’s total installed base reached 2.1 million units at the end of 2024.

Nexxiot and SkyBitz are the second and third largest players. Nexxiot has large installed bases of containers and rail freight wagons while SkyBitz has the vast majority of its installed base on trailers. Additional leading providers of trailer telematics are Spireon, Samsara, BlackBerry, CalAmp, Motive, Idem Telematics, Powerfleet, Phillips Connect, Schmitz Cargobull, FleetPulse, Clarience Technologies, Scalar, TGI, ERoad, Axscend, AddSecure and Krone.

Maersk has equipped its entire fleet of 360,000 reefer containers with tracking devices. Other major players in the container tracking segment are ZillionSource, Envotech, Globe Tracker, Traxens, Giesecke+Devrient, BoxPlus, Sensolus, Geoforce and Copeland. In addition to Nexxiot, leading telematics players in the rail industry are Dot Telematik and Systemtechnik, Amsted Rail, Siemens, Savvy Telematic Systems and Intermodal Telematics. Sensitech, DeltaTrak, Tive, Controlant, Decklar (formerly Roambee), Frigga, Copeland and OnAsset Intelligence are the leading providers of cargo tracking devices. Sensos and Trackonomy are also part of this segment, offering smart labels. Many cargo tracking players offer devices that can be used on all modes of transport, including air shipments.

“The ongoing trend in the transport industry to invest in new digital solutions that increase supply chain visibility and security will continue and even accelerate in the next few years,” said Martin Apelgren, principal analyst at Berg Insight.

Falling hardware prices, wider availability of low-power cellular networks (LTE-M and NB-IoT) and satellite networks, together with more flexible subscription-based software models, are removing traditional barriers to adoption across fleet sizes and geographies.

“As providers deliver more cost-effective solutions that provide richer shipment, cargo and asset data, fleet operators and logistics service providers will become increasingly willing to invest in tracking systems,” said Apelgren.

Download the report brochure at media.berginsight.com/2025/12/13211620/bi-container13-ps.pdf.