The installed base of tracking units for refrigerated trailers and containers reached 3.1 million units in 2024

Berg Insight, the world’s leading IoT market research provider, today released a new market report covering the cold chain tracking market. Shipments of remote tracking systems with cellular or satellite communications capabilities for refrigerated cargo carrying units, including trailers, intermodal containers, rail freight wagons and ULDs, reached 865,000 units worldwide in 2024. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7 percent, shipments are expected to reach close to 1.1 million units in 2029. During the same period, the installed base of active remote tracking systems for refrigerated cargo carrying units is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1 percent from 3.1 million units at the end of 2024 to 4.9 million units by 2029. The number of active tracking devices and real-time data loggers in use for general cargo applications reached close to 4.5 million units at the end of 2024. The segment includes both multi-use trackers and single-use disposable trackers. The market is set for rapid growth in the coming years as prices are expected to decrease and smart labels and other devices with a very small footprint are being introduced. The number of active devices is forecasted to reach 14.7 million units at the end of 2029. Yearly device shipments in this category will grow from 6.5 million units in 2024 to reach 33.2 million units in 2029.

The cold chain tracking and monitoring market is served by a wide range of players. In terms of the number of active tracking units, ORBCOMM is the largest player with over 600,000 units installed on containers and trailers. Maersk has rolled out a system for real-time tracking of its entire fleet of around 360,000 refrigerated containers, making it the largest refrigerated container tracking project worldwide. The container tracking specialist Globe Tracker is the third largest provider of tracking solutions for refrigerated containers. The company has equipped the major shipping company Hapag-Lloyd’s entire reefer container fleet with tracking units. Additional leading players in the refrigerated intermodal container tracking segment include BoxPlus (a subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Lines), Copeland and Envotech. Leading refrigerated trailer tracking players moreover include Schmitz Cargobull, Spireon, Samsara, EROAD, Krone, Cooltrax, Idem Telematics, CalAmp, Motive, Powerfleet, AddSecure, T Comm Telematics and SCALAR (ZF). Intermodal Telematics and SAVVY Telematics Systems are leading vendors of temperature-controlled tank container tracking solutions.

“The cold chain logistics industry is currently experiencing a rapid surge in the adoption of real-time tracking and monitoring solutions, signalling a major shift in how supply chains are managed”, says Martin Apelgren, Principal Analyst at Berg Insight. The solutions are becoming increasingly advanced, providing data on multiple metrics such as location, temperature, humidity, shock, tampering and more. At the same time, new AI-based software solutions are being developed and launched, helping fleet operators and logistics service providers reduce reliance on monitoring personnel while elevating service levels and operational efficiency. “We are approaching a tipping point where real-time logistics data is no longer a differentiator but a fundamental requirement for competing in the logistics industry”, concludes Mr. Apelgren.