Global Logistics Focus
Special Report
Market estimates vary, but there appear to be about 5,000 data centers currently in the US, with another 700 under development.
Global data center infrastructure revenues are forecast to soar 70.9 % year over year to $ 576 billion in 2026, according to S & P Global, parent company of the Journal of Commerce. Capital expenditures from hyperscalers are set to hit $ 950 billion in 2027 and $ 1.15 trillion in 2028, S & P Global said, adding that the strength in data centers is offsetting weakness in consumer electronics.
Meyer said there was“ a high urgency” to bring these sites into operation, and that urgency was translating into goods that needed interim storage to alleviate bottlenecks at the construction sites. DHL was even taking over installation services at some destinations.
AI-related components have more than 10 times the commercial value density of e-commerce shipments, but the real value for forwarders lies in management contracts covering the wider supply chain.
“ We expect significant spare parts business to follow as those installations mature, and that is an area where we are traditionally very strong with our service logistics business,” Meyer said.
“ If you think about the telecommunication networks, if you think about the data networks and the general data centers... we have a pretty strong position in supplying those not only at the pace of the initial build, but also at continuing operations,” he added.
Beyond air freight
The ongoing demand for AI equipment, and the valueadded opportunities it provides, was also highlighted by Kuehne + Nagel CEO Stefan Paul. He said services related
Data center infrastructure revenues are forecast to rise 70.9 % to $ 576 billion in 2026. Shutterstock. com www. joc. com October 5, 2026 | Journal of Commerce 25