Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Global Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Forecast 2022-2032

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Overview and Definition

The global aircraft cargo container market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period 2022-2032. The aircraft cargo container market is a segment of the aviation industry that involves the manufacturing and sales of containers used for transporting goods in aircraft. The market is driven by the growth of the air cargo industry and increasing demand for efficient and secure transportation of goods.

Aircraft cargo container is a loading device used to load luggage and goods in the aircraft. It allows easy and secure cargo transportation by allowing large amount of goods bundled and kept into a single container. Cargo container ensures safety of goods or luggage by protecting it from fall or shocks during loading or unloading. It also helps in saving time and effort of the ground crew and prevent flight delays. Many manufacturer offers cargo containers with various features such as drainage floors, forklift pockets, shelves, drawers and compartment to improve ease of transportation. There are mainly three types of cargo containers including air cargo pallets, lower deck containers and box type containers. Air cargo pallets are flat structures that are used in cargo container ships for supporting goods. The lower deck containers are installed below the cabin of the ships and the box type containers are used for general transportation.

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Key Drivers

Increasing demand of transportation of various goods across the globe in a short period of time has driven the growth of aircraft cargo containers market. Also, manufacturers have developed light weight containers that can be easily installed in aircraft and are capable of carrying various range of loads. These numerous benefits of light cargo containers are expected to boost the growth of the aircraft cargo containers market. In addition, growth of e-commerce solution, digitalization and expansion of global trade are factors expected to propel the demand of aircraft cargo containers.  Moreover, due to trade wars and natural calamities various countries are importing goods from other countries, which stimulate the growth of aircraft cargo containers. Furthermore, expansion of cargo terminals and increasing demand from defense industry for transporting military equipment fuels the market growth.

Throughout the forecast period the passenger aircraft segment is expected to hold the highest share in the aircraft cargo container market. Factors such as growing passenger traffics, increasing fleet size and launch of various new aircrafts such as B737 Max, A320neo and B777x are driving the growth of passenger aircraft.

Based on container type, refrigerated container segment is expected to register highest growth rate during the forecast period. At present, global pharmaceutical market is the most important and fragile cargo market to handle in the world. Transportation of biological and pharmaceutical products requires refrigerated containers to maintain the proper temperature range of the products. This has led to the increasing demand of refrigerated containers around the world.

Based on material type, metal aircraft is projected to hold 80% share of the aircraft cargo containers market during the forecast period. This is attributed to the factors such as corrosion resistant ability of the metal containers, low cost and easy availability of the product in the market. However, composite containers are also growing rapidly due to high flame resistance ability, superior strength and durability of the product. Also, it does not get damaged easily which helps in reducing the container repair cost of the airline’s companies, which in turn fuels the growth of the composite containers segment in the aircraft cargo container market.

Although, the aircraft cargo terminal market is gaining tremendous growth globally still the market revenue is estimated to decline due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Shut down of air travelling and restriction on the transfer of goods between countries is hindering the volume of cargo shipment globally.  However, there is an expectation of the recovery of market after the vaccines are administered to majority of the population across the countries.

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Challenges

The aircraft cargo container market faces several challenges, including:

Cost pressures: The high cost of aircraft cargo containers can be a barrier for airlines and cargo companies, especially for smaller players.

Maintenance and repair: The regular maintenance and repair of cargo containers can be costly, and any damage to the containers can lead to significant operational disruptions.

Sustainability concerns: The use of traditional materials in cargo containers, such as metals and plastics, can have a negative environmental impact. As a result, there is increasing pressure on the industry to develop more sustainable container solutions.

Airline cargo capacity: The availability of cargo space in aircraft can be limited, which can affect the demand for cargo containers.

Regulatory compliance: Cargo containers must meet strict safety and security standards, which can be a challenge for manufacturers and operators to navigate.

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Segmentation

By Aircraft Type

• Passenger
• Freighter
• Military

By Container Type:

• Refrigerated
• Non-Refrigerated

By Material:

• Metal
• Composite

By Deck:

• Main
• Lower
  • Forward Hold
  • Aft Hold

By End-User:

• New Sales
• Maintenance & Repair

By Region:

• North America
• Latin America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East & Africa

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Regional Synopsis

Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period. This is due to the presence of developing economies such as China, India and Japan. Also, the increasing demand of refrigerated aircraft cargo containers to transport fruits, medicines and vegetables fuels the growth of the market in this region. North America is also expected to grow rapidly owing to high rate of import and presence of various aircraft industries in the region.

However, the aircraft cargo container market in Europe is projected to grow rapidly during the forecast period. This is attributed to the factors such as increasing e-commerce sector and consumer electronics industry. China, U.S, Germany and U.K are the major consumers of cargo containers.

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Recent Developments

Recent developments in the aircraft cargo container market include:

Increased focus on sustainability: There is growing interest in the development of sustainable container solutions, such as the use of recyclable materials and the adoption of circular economy principles.

Advancements in container design: Manufacturers are developing new container designs that offer greater efficiency, such as collapsible and stackable containers, as well as smart containers that provide real-time tracking and monitoring of cargo.

Adoption of digitization: The use of digital technologies, such as IoT sensors and blockchain, is improving supply chain visibility and security, and reducing operational costs.

Industry consolidation: There is ongoing consolidation in the market, with larger players acquiring smaller companies to expand their product offerings and market reach.

Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic has had a significant impact on the air cargo industry, with a surge in demand for medical supplies and a decrease in demand for other goods. This has led to shifts in the market and a greater focus on resilience and adaptability.

Aircraft Cargo Container Market: Key Players

• Zodiac Aerospace (France)
• VRR Aviation (Netherlands)
• Satco, Inc. (U.S.)
• Cargo Composites (U.S.)
• Granger Aerospace (U.S.)
• Chicago Metal Fabricators (U.S.)
• PalNet GmnH Air Cargo Products (Germany),
• ACL Airshop (U.S.)
•  DoKaSch Temperature Solutions GmbH (Germany)
• Nordisk Aviation Products (Norway)