On the flat: IC Transport 50 ranking for 2026

Ness Campbell in the USA using its dolly system to move a newly built towboat with a total load weight of 1 million pounds (454 tonnes) on a barge. Photo: Ness Campbell

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Even though the total index for the 2026 IC Transport 50 ranking is slightly down, it was still a robust showing from the world’s largest specialized transport companies and equipment fleets.

Perhaps it was to help mark last year’s 21st anniversary of our T50 that it rose almost 7 per cent in 2025. That high point is bookended by a measly, 0.75 %, decline this year and a similarly small 0.14 % increase the previous year.

The grand total for the 2026 T50 Index of modular and specialized trailer capacity combined is 2,155,216 tonnes. It is 16,555 tonnes lower than 2025. To give that number some context, the top two companies in the table each altered their totals by more than 40,000 tonnes. More on that later.

Factors contributing to a slight decline in this year’s total T50 could include increasing uncertainty around the world, political instability, war, plus a host of other man-made and natural disasters.

This year’s table is available as a downloadable pdf file linked at the end of this story.

Working for client Larsen & Toubro, Sandhu Roadlines transporting a 170 tonne segment of the Dhubri-Phulbari bridge. The 16 axle modular hydraulic trailer was pulled by a Volvo FM500 6x4 ballast tractor. The project is expected to continue until 2028. Photo: Sandhu Roadlines

Still busy

In the specialized transport sector, however, there’s still a large number of impressive projects we have been reporting on, many involving SPMT and loads weighing hundreds and thousands of tonnes. These are mega infrastructure, oil and gas and renewable energy jobs, often as part of the global energy transition and rapidly rising demand for electricity.

This type of work leans towards needing the heavy duty modular transporter end of the equipment spectrum, perhaps more so than the specialized over-the-road trailers. This is reflected in the total capacity Index for modular equipment being 3.5 % up on last year, at a total for the top 50 companies of 1,239,262 tonnes, against 1,196,609 tonnes in the 2025 IC T50.

It also shows in there being a decline in the total Index for over the road specialized trailers of 6.4 % or 61,763 tonnes, to a total of 910,421 tonnes. This sector had shown strong growth for each of the last four years, ranging from 7 to more than 12 % a year.

Another 39 depots, an increase of just under 2 %, among the top 50 companies suggests customers could expect better and more local service. That should be further helped by a strong rise of 5.9 % in the number of employees. It equates to an extra 3,500 people employed across the board in the sector. This has been rising by a similar percentage for each of the last four years, since 2022.

Still showing a positive development, albeit the smallest in this year’s table, is the number of tractor units, at a total of 27,638, up by 258 units, or just under 1 %, on the 2025 total which, in turn, was only up by 33 units.

Table moves

Heavy transport and project logistics company Precious Prestige Trading and Logistics (PPL) in Vietnam was involved in the Austal H426 Vessel Project, including site move, load-out, sea fastening, barge transportation, floating dock transfer, and launching of the 1,630 tonne vessel measuring 71 metres long. Photo: PPL

Back to who is where in the table. The top three hold the same positions as last year but, for the top 2 at least, by a completely different margin. Mammoet, retains first place, even though it reduced its fleet total by a massive 45,637 tonnes and Sarens, in second place, increased its fleet by 40,532 tonnes.

This change massively reduces the gap to 21,476 tonnes, from 107,645 tonnes last year. For some reason it brings to mind an image illustrating the effect of closing speeds when two cars are heading towards each other… making it entirely possible, should things continue on a similar trajectory, we will likely have a new leader in next year’s T50.

Having said that, we can’t predict the future so let’s go back to this year and Landstar, in 4th place, up one displacing All Erection, by bucking the trend and adding capacity primarily in its specialized trailer fleet.

Barnhart form the USA hold on to 6th while coming up fast is Al Faris from the United Arab Emirates, moving up three places, displacing Bay Crane for 7th.

Returning to the Top 50 is Northwest Logistics, at 50, just pipping Integrated Logistics at 51 from also getting back in again. Other companies previously in the top 50 but now residing just outside, include Oxbow, Megatranz, DD&S Express, CSI (Crane Service Inc., formerly ML Crane Group), Miller Transfer, and Trans-United.

Among this group above is a new entry this year, in 55th place, Sandhu Roadlines from India, with a total Index of 12,624 tonnes. Just behind them in 58th place, is our other new or returning entry, JTC Logistics Transportation & Stevedoring from Kuwait. A warm welcome to them.

Ness Campbell Crane and Rigging hauled a 600,000 pound (272 tonne) transformer in Northern Utah, USA, with its 18 line Goldhofer SPMT. Photo: Ness Campbell