What changed on 1 January 2025

Since 1 January 2025, Dutch municipalities have been empowered to designate urban areas where polluting delivery vans and trucks are barred – with entry permitted only to zero-emission vehicles. The national business portal confirms that ZEZs were established in 15 cities as of that date, with more municipalities scheduled to follow by 2030. Access depends on a vehicle’s emission class: all new company vans and trucks first registered from 1 January 2025 may enter only if they are zero-emission, while older diesels face strict limits and bans.

The rules are not identical everywhere, but city pages illustrate the scope. Amsterdam’s ZEZ for vans and lorries covers the area within the S100 inner ring; the city applies transitional arrangements for legacy vehicles as it tightens access through the decade. Utrecht confirms a ZEZ from 1 January 2025 and notes a 2025-2030 transition period for operators to adapt.

The Dutch framework also spells out national grace periods that many fleets will rely on for near-term continuity: Euro 5 vans are allowed until 1 January 2027 and Euro 6 vans until 1 January 2028; younger Euro 6 trucks can be granted access up to 1 January 2030, depending on vehicle type and age. Authorities additionally point operators toward “city hubs” on the edge of zones to trans-load freight into zero-emission vehicles for the final leg.

Beyond the Netherlands: 2025 tightenings to watch

Copenhagen advanced a two-track approach in 2025: a goods-delivery ZEZ that bans fossil-fuel trucks in designated areas, alongside a broader low-emission zone that the city expanded to the municipal border on 1 March 2025. Together, these moves squeeze conventional last-mile access while ring-fencing space for zero-emission operations.

France does not yet run city-scale ZEZ for freight, but 2025 brought another crank-turn on diesel use. Paris and Lyon remain subject to reinforced low-emission zone obligations, with progressively stricter Crit’Air access rules that curtail older vehicles on most weekdays – a policy trajectory that narrows the window for diesel vans to serve dense cores.

What this means for road freight and last-mile logistics

Fleet electrification is rising but uneven. In the first half of 2025, electrically-chargeable vans captured 9.5% of EU van registrations – up from 5.8% a year earlier – while electrically-chargeable trucks reached 3.6% of new EU truck sales. Diesel still dominates both segments, underscoring why access rules are now a major driver of purchasing and deployment decisions.

For dispatchers, the operational playbook is shifting in three visible ways. First, more depots and cross-docks are being positioned just outside restricted areas, with final delivery executed by ZE vans or cargo solutions based within the zone – an approach national guidance explicitly encourages via “city hubs.” Second, route plans are being re-sequenced to respect zone boundaries and delivery windows, particularly where multiple municipalities run adjacent or overlapping restrictions. Third, transitional allowances must be managed vehicle-by-vehicle to avoid costly access violations during the 2025-2030 glide path.

Charging, refuelling and the 2025 infrastructure milestones

Access rules only work if fleets can recharge. The EU’s Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation set binding targets that start to bite from 2025: member states must begin meeting minimum fast-charging capacities on the TEN-T core corridors this year, with specific 2025 and 2027 milestones ramping toward full heavy-duty coverage by 2030. Policy briefs summarise the core-network requirement – including 400 kW total site power for car/van pools by end-2025 – and the staged rollout of dedicated heavy-duty charging every 60-100 km, with at least 15% coverage kicking in at the end of 2025 and rising sharply by 2027. These provisions are designed to de-risk regional and national runs that feed zero-emission city deliveries.

For operators serving Dutch ZEZs, depot charging remains pivotal. National programmes are in place to accelerate installation on premises or at public hubs – a lever many SMEs will need to pull as larger shippers push tighter emissions clauses into contracts.

Warehousing and network design implications

ZEZ boundaries are reshaping the urban edge. With inner-city access constrained for legacy vehicles, freight is increasingly consolidated at near-zone hubs for emission-free final distribution, reducing duplicate trips into tight streets and smoothing compliance. In the Netherlands, authorities explicitly promote this hub-and-spoke model to maintain service levels while air-quality targets are met. For multi-city tours, expect more “split-fleet” dispatch – diesel tractors for long-haul legs plus ZE vans or rigid trucks for the last miles inside zones.

A practical checklist for 2025-2026

Map your lanes against active and announced zones and note local cut-offs for Euro 5/6 vans and Euro 6 trucks; national pages and municipal portals publish the specifics and plate-check tools. Audit each vehicle’s eligibility against transition rules, then time replacements to hit the 2027-2030 deadlines without stranding capacity. Stand up at least one near-zone hub in cities you serve frequently and secure overnight charging there or at your depot. Finally, plan for AFIR-enabled corridor charging to support intercity flows that backfill your urban ZE routes – the infrastructure ramp starts now, not in 2030.

The bottom line for European logistics

2025 marked the year when city access rules moved from policy pilots to operational reality. With Dutch ZEZs live, Copenhagen tightening delivery access, and French ZFEs ratcheting up, diesel’s last-mile dominance is being actively unwound. The winners will be networks that combine compliant vehicles, smart hub placement at zone edges, and a charging strategy aligned to the EU’s infrastructure build-out.

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Who qualifies and what paperwork proves it

Germany’s toll computers within its toll systems in Europe do not guess; they rely on clear data. To be recognised as toll-free in 2025, a truck must meet all of the following conditions:

• Propulsion – The drivetrain must be purely electric (battery or fuel cell) or hydrogen-only. Toll Collect classifies such rigs in CO₂ Class 5, the category reserved for zero-emission HDVs.
• Weight – For the temporary 2025 waiver, the vehicle must weigh over 4.25 tons. Lighter electric rigids remain exempt indefinitely.
• Registration document – In the German registration certificate (Zulassungs­­­bescheinigung Teil I) field P.3 must expressly state the fuel type “Elektro”, “Wasserstoff” or “Brennstoffzelle”.
• On-Board Unit (OBU) – Even toll-free trucks must keep an active OBU or EETS device so gantry cameras can match the licence plate to CO₂ Class 5. Satellite OBUs remain the standard for automated distance measurement.

If any element is missing—most often the CO₂-class flag in the OBU profile—the system defaults to the normal tariff and back-charges the route retrospectively.

What the exemption is worth in hard cash

To understand the impact, compare today’s diesel tariff with the zero rate. A Euro VI tractor-trailer above 18 t with five axles currently attracts 34.8 c per kilometre according to the official tariff table in force since 1 July 2024.

A fleet operating one such diesel vehicle over 100 000 km would therefore send €34 800 to Toll Collect in 2025. Running the same mileage with an electric or hydrogen truck eliminates the entire amount. At a higher utilisation of 140 000 km, the avoided toll climbs to almost €49 000 per unit—enough to offset roughly half of an annual lease on a battery-electric tractor or the bulk of a hydrogen supply contract for a fuel-cell rig.

Multiply that figure by the number of zero-emission trucks on the books and the savings quickly reach mid-six-digit territory. A ten-unit long-haul e-fleet covering 120 000 km each side-steps just over €417 000 in toll outlay during 2025.

What happens after New Year’s Eve 2025?

Legislation already on the books states that, from 1 January 2026, zero-emission HDVs will move to a 75 percent reduction on the infrastructure component of the tariff, while still paying the small noise-and-air charges. In other words, they will be billed for roughly one quarter of the diesel rate: seven to nine euro-cents per kilometre on the heaviest axle configurations.

Berlin has reserved the right to extend the full waiver if uptake remains lower than climate targets demand, but hauliers should plan finance models on the conservative assumption that a partial toll will return in 2026.

How to register a new vehicle in practice

1. Gather the documents—scans of the registration certificate showing the zero-emission fuel code and TPMLM.
2. Upload to the Toll-Collect or EETS portal and select CO₂ Class 5. Processing usually completes within two to three working days.
3. Check OBU firmware—older devices shipped before mid-2023 may need a workshop update to display the new CO₂ classes.
4. Carry the email confirmation—roadside enforcement units can query the database, but often ask drivers to produce the PDF on the spot.

Operational levers to pull in 2025

• Route allocation – Prioritise zero-emission trucks on high-toll corridors such as the A3 (Lower Rhine–Bavaria), A5 (Hesse–Baden-Württemberg), and A9 (Berlin–Munich).
• Pricing strategy – Pass part of the toll saving to shippers to win tenders; a 6–8 % rate cut on domestic German lanes keeps margins intact.
• Contract clauses – Negotiate indexation that references any future CO₂-based toll for Class 5 vehicles, hedging against the 2026 step-change.
• Cap-ex planning – The 12-month toll-free window shortens total-cost-of-ownership payback to as little as four years on intensive line-haul duty cycles, tipping procurement decisions firmly toward battery and hydrogen options.

Key takeaway for 2025 budgets

For the next twelve months, every kilometre your electric or hydrogen truck drives on German toll roads carries a €0.00 price tag, backed by Federal law. Whether you use the breathing space to trial a single e-tractor or to scale an entire low-carbon fleet, the exemption represents a once-in-a-generation cost lever that smart carriers will seize while it lasts.

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Amazon’s European logistics arm has spent the past three years quietly rewiring its middle-mile network around trains and short-sea feeders. Company planners say the e-commerce giant now runs just over 500 rail- and short-sea lanes on the continent – twice as many as in 2022 – and intends to keep stacking new routes into the timetable through 2028. The environmental driver is clear: European reference data indicate that well-to-wheel emissions for electric or hybrid rail freight are approximately 18 g CO₂ per tonne-kilometre, compared to roughly 62 g CO₂/t-km for a long-haul articulated truck. In other words, shifting a payload from asphalt to rails can halve its carbon footprint, even before considering any first- or last-mile electrification.

Paris  –  Lyon goes high-speed

The headline act in 2025 is a dedicated parcel cabin on passenger TGVs between Paris-Bercy and Lyon Part-Dieu, launched on 14 May 2025 in partnership with SNCF subsidiary Hexafret. Six days a week, baggage-car staff load around 2,000 parcels – everything from books to beauty products – into cages that slot neatly into the train’s existing luggage bay. The 470 km sprint is scheduled at 2 hours and 18 minutes, eight hours faster than the same journey by truck on the A6 motorway. At today’s frequency, that translates to about 624,000 parcels a year. Using a conservative average parcel weight of 1.5 kg, Amazon reduces about 20 t of CO₂ annually compared to a diesel tractor-trailer. While the absolute savings are modest, the project demonstrates that high-speed passenger corridors can be repurposed for small-parcel freight without altering the customer timetable.

Britain’s electrified backbone

Across the Channel, Amazon’s first full-train contract on the 25 kV West Coast Main Line signalled a step change in scale. Containers loaded in central Scotland roll south overnight to rail-connected fulfillment centers in the English Midlands, where parcels are inducted into the sorting system before breakfast. The company expects more than 20 million items to ride the corridor during 2025 – roughly 30,000 t of inventory – eliminating well over 12 million truck-kilometres and about 660 t CO₂ in the process. The corridor also carries a resilience bonus: winter storms that regularly close stretches of the M6 motorway have far less impact on double-tracked, electrified steel rails.

Trans-Alpine muscle

Moving heavier, palletised cargo, Amazon established two fixed intermodal corridors:

• Duisburg  –  Pomezia: three round-trips a week, threading Germany’s Ruhr district to Rome’s coastal logistics belt.
• Herne  –  Verona: six round-trips a week – 12 trains in total – linking northern Italy’s fashion hub with German distribution parks.

At full utilisation, these flows can subtract up to 9,000 t CO₂ per year, according to Mercitalia’s verified calculations, because they displace long-distance diesel trucking through the Brenner and Gotthard passes – routes notorious for congestion and steep gradients that exacerbate fuel consumption.

Crunching the carbon dividend

Adding together the audited Mercitalia savings with Amazon’s estimates for the UK and French lanes yields a programme-level cut of roughly 9,700 t CO₂ a year. That is approximately equivalent to the emissions of 6,000 diesel delivery vans over the same period, and it arrives three years ahead of Amazon’s interim 2030 target to halve the carbon intensity of each customer order.

What comes next

On the drawing board are further high-speed links, with Marseille-Paris and Madrid-Barcelona being front-runners, and heavier intermodal trains that would extend the rail grid into Poland and the Czech Republic. Executives aim for one-third of Amazon’s intra-European transfers to travel by rail or sea by 2028. Supporting that shift, a €300 million capital pot is earmarked for electric trucks and cargo bikes that will handle the first and final 50 kilometres of each journey, ensuring the green gains made on the main haul are not forfeited on feeder legs.

From a standing start barely five years ago, Amazon’s European rail portfolio is beginning to look like a genuine alternative spine for e-commerce logistics – faster than conventional trucking on some corridors, cleaner on almost all of them, and increasingly large enough to matter in carbon-accounting terms.

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New TEN-T Regulation Turns Corridors Green

On 13 June 2024, the Council adopted the revised Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) Regulation. The law merges the former Core Network Corridors and Rail Freight Corridors into nine European Transport Corridors (ETCs), explicitly positioning them as the backbone for sustainable, multimodal freight. It sets binding completion deadlines: 2030 for the (existing) core network, 2040 for an extended cross-border layer, and 2050 for the comprehensive network.

Alternative-Fuel Infrastructure Deadlines for 2025-2030

Complementing the corridor map, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) requires:

• fast chargers ≥ 350 kW for heavy-duty vehicles every 60 km on the TEN-T core road network from 2025;
• hydrogen refuelling stations in every urban node and at 200 km intervals on the core road network from 2030;
• shoreside electricity for container and large passenger vessels in core ports by 2030;
• aircraft stand electrification at all EU gates by 2025.

These targets mean that any port-to-terminal route falling inside an ETC will, by law, be flanked by high-power charging or hydrogen supply within the next five years, removing a principal barrier to zero-emission long-haul trucking.

Fresh Funding Boost: €422 Million for Charging, Hydrogen and Shore Power

On 6 February 2025 the Commission awarded €422 million through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility (AFIF) to 39 projects that install megawatt-level truck chargers, hydrogen stations and on-shore power systems in ports and airports. The call is part of a €1 billion rolling envelope opened in 2024; a further €578 million remains available for the next cut-off in June 2025.

For operators, the grant list is an immediate indicator of where public charging and refuelling capacity will appear first—useful for fleet procurement schedules tied to the 2025 AFIR milestones.

Digital Backbone: eFTI Begins Paperless Transition

Physical upgrades are being matched by a digital layer. The first implementing and delegated acts under the Electronic Freight Transport Information (eFTI) Regulation entered into force on 9 January 2025. Member States may now build the certified IT platforms that will let road, rail, barge and sea carriers present freight data electronically for checks; full acceptance by authorities becomes mandatory from July 2027.

The Commission estimates that harmonised e-documents could save the logistics sector up to €1 billion per year in administrative costs—a gain that directly improves door-to-door corridor efficiency.

Early Corridor Projects Show the Concept in Action

While the EU framework is horizontal, individual corridors are already moving:

• Rotterdam–Duisburg Hydrogen Corridor – The ports’ 2023 feasibility study confirmed piping green hydrogen to the Ruhr industrial cluster, with the first pipeline targeted for 2027. Inland shipping and rail are included in the distribution model.
• Duqm–Amsterdam–Duisburg Liquid-Hydrogen Route – On 17 April 2025 eleven companies and authorities from Oman, the Netherlands and Germany signed a joint-development agreement for the world’s first large-scale liquid-hydrogen import corridor into Europe, integrating pipelines, rail and barge links to inland hubs.

These projects illustrate how port authorities and private operators are leveraging the TEN-T/AFIR backbone to build dedicated low-emission supply chains—exactly the outcome that the EU regulatory package is designed to catalyse.

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Green Initiatives

European and international freight forwarding companies are increasingly joining green initiatives to reduce their emissions. These initiatives include setting targets, measuring and reporting, and implementing measures such as using low-emission vehicles, minimizing idling time, optimizing routes, and others. There are also examples of EU-level initiatives such as Connecting Europe Facility, the European Modular System, and Clean Power for Transport. Connecting Europe Facility, for example, is a program facilitating the building of infrastructure for digital devices, energy, and transportation.

Supply Chain Operations

Freight forwarders are working to optimize their supply chain operations by using more reusable materials, minimizing packaging waste, and adopting advanced technologies for route optimization. Route planning enables shippers to reduce the number of vehicles in use and the distance travelled. The use of eco-friendly packagings such as reusable containers, recycled paper, and biodegradable plastics also helps reduce environmental impact.

Furthermore, shipping companies are increasingly using automated systems for real-time updates, inventory management, and tracking of the movement of cargo. They also use technologies like EDI, EFID, barcoding, and GPS tracking to improve the tracking of goods and their overall efficiency.

Intermodal Transport

Intermodal transport in Europe involves multiple modes, including ships, trucks, and trains to ship cargo from one destination to another. This practice helps freight forwarders to optimize routes, reduce fuel consumption, and use different modes of transport more efficiently. Also, shipping freight by train moves it off the roads and highways, thus reducing congestion and emissions from trucks idling in traffic.

Using Green Facilities

Many freight forwarders have taken steps to make their facilities more environmentally friendly. Examples include green walls and roofs, energy-efficient lighting, and waste reduction measures such as composting and recycling. Shippers are also investing in more efficient HVAC systems, including energy recovery ventilation and geothermal heating.

Water conservation measures and the use of renewable energy sources also enable shippers to reduce their environmental print. Examples of water conservation measures include greywater recycling, low-flow faucets and toilets, rainwater harvesting, and leakage detection systems. The use of renewable energy sources such as fuel cells, biomass energy, and hydropower also has a positive effect on carbon emissions. In addition, geothermal, wind, and solar power are commonly used by shippers looking to reduce their reliance on gas, coal, and other fossil fuels.

Lastly, inventory management enables shippers to improve their energy efficiency. Optimizing design and layout and implementing efficient storage systems help reduce the energy needed for warehousing operations.

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Shipping Industry Share of Carbon Emissions

With a fleet of about 100,000 ships, the industry consumes some 300 metric tons per year, translating into 2.5 – 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. While the shipping industry accounts for a small share, it is projected to increase in light of the fact that other industries are tackling their carbon emissions.

There was also a 4.9 percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions in 2021, mainly due to port congestion, higher sailing speeds for some types of ships, and longer tonne-mile trades, driving emissions higher. Carbon emissions increased most notably for gas carriers, along with bulk carriers and containership.

Decarbonization in Progress

Experts note that there is still a long way to go to achieve net-zero shipping despite that progress has been made. Compared to other sectors of the economy, the number of carriers with net zero or IMO commitments remains low. According to a 2020 study involving major companies across sectors and in 52 countries, 45 percent of leisure and transport, 56 percent of gas and oil, and 66 percent of automotive businesses had emission reduction targets and sustainability reports.

Analysis also reveals that 16 out of 30 of the biggest container shipping companies have set emission reduction targets, making it the segment with the highest level of commitment.

Government Action Needed

While there is still progress to be made on the part of shipowners, it is important that governments develop mandatory reporting requirements based on global standards. Carriers should also be subject to independent auditing to ensure transparency about their carbon reduction and climate targets. International freight forwarding operators and carriers need to make real progress to live up to expectations from the general public, insurance companies, investors, employees, and customers.

There is more to be done to achieve long-term decarbonization, however. As a globally regulated sector, the industry provides an opportunity to integrate next generation technologies and alternative fuels. A drop-dead date needs to be set for building fossil-fuel powered ships. Not only shipping but all sectors of the economy can only function with enforceable, clear timeframes and deadlines.

Also, ships should take abatement measures such as sailing at lower speeds to comply with the Carbon Intensity Indicator and Efficiency Index for Existing Ships goals. The Indexes’ metrics are calculated based on deadweight, design speed, and service speed.

Last but not least, an increase in carbon pricing can help close the gap between conventional fossil fuels and alternative green fuels. This can be a good strategy for driving a behavior change to ensure that sea freight in Europe is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable alternative.

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Services for Solar Energy Businesses  

To help industry partners to achieve optimal results, we offer specialized logistics solutions such as storage and distribution, air and land freight, shipping of equipment, and more. We serve small and medium-sized businesses, start-ups, and major manufacturers and provide customized logistics solutions that are tailored to their specific requirements.

Shipping is one method to move oversized items such as plants that have to be set up because of the amount of equipment required. We also help solar manufacturers with air freight to ship replacement components needed for repairs and maintenance. Air freight is a fast, reliable, and convenient way to cover long distances over a short period of time when urgent replacements are required.

Whether you need air freight in Europe or across the globe, we can help with transportation of specialized equipment and will deliver machinery right to the site of the plant. From shipping mounting and racking components and monitoring technology to shipping inverters and charge controllers, we help businesses to save time and minimize destination handling costs.

Benefits for Solar Manufacturers

Even the best quality PV panels and equipment might end up scratched or damaged beyond repair due to poor logistics. It shouldn’t be this way as poor and unreliable logistics results in financial loss and damage to your reputation. What is more, in some cases fine damages are not visible to the naked eye but can cause serious problems and damages to the system. At IFA we offer the full array of specialized services to ensure that equipment arrives safely onsite.

To minimize the risk of damage, PV panels and machinery are handled and shipped with care even at peak times. We always strive to ensure flexibility and safety and offer customized solutions to streamline your time. Whether you are moving an entire solar power system or components such as power optimizers, micro-inventers, and support modules, safety is guaranteed. We will choose the optimal mode of transportation based on safety and time considerations and will assist you at every stage of the process.

Combining intermodal transportation services, solar solutions are delivered all over Europe by road, air, and sea transport at the desired time. Our extensive experience, capabilities, size, and good communication and coordination allow us to help customers become more efficient by choosing the best routing options and modes of transportation. Our teams will monitor your equipment during the journey to ensure a safe and smooth delivery.

As a European logistics network and one of the largest in Europe, customers benefit from our extensive experience and knowledge of freight forwarding, compliance regulations, duty, and goods requiring classification. We help businesses move equipment, expand, and gain access to new markets by offering quality cost-efficient logistics solutions.

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The pollution resulting from each and every delivery made is mainly due to the fuel which is consumed in the process

For the logistics companies in the international freight forwarders association the forwarding and the timely delivery of goods and cargos to various European destinations is an essential part of their activities. This is the reason why striving towards “green” logistics includes reducing the environmental pollution to a minimum during these deliveries. The main pollution is a result from the fuel combusted during the forwarding services.

The use of third parties as suppliers can reduce the fuel consumption

The member companies of the European network for transportation use the services of third party suppliers for forwarding services to destinations which are further away from the usual destinations they serve

The third party suppliers combine the forwarding of the cargo received by the freight transport association which needs to be delivered to their end destinations with the cargo they are carrying for their own customers. The groupage services which are a main part of the modern freight forwarding services provided allow for combining of smaller shipments. This leads to lowered prices and for regular forwarding services.

The advantages of cooperating with third party suppliers by the European logistics network

• By combining the shipments of the third party suppliers with those of freight forwarders Europe ensures a more efficient use of the vehicles for the transport services.
• This combining of shipments allows both the member companies of IFA and the third party suppliers to reduce the environmental pollution due to the fact the less fuel is used when the shipments are combined together, than it would if they are shipped separately.
• Furthermore the savings made for fuel costs is essential for both sides as well.
• The local companies which serve as third party suppliers know their local roads better, so they can make better choices in regard to the optimal routes to be used.
• Third party suppliers of forwarding services which are known to support “green” logistics are in higher demand by the European network for logistics when it comes to choosing partners for deliveries to various end destinations.
• Last but not least, both the companies from the freight forwarders association as well as the suppliers attract more environmentally aware companies and customers with the “green” logistics services they offer.

The data from the results of the efforts made in regard to “green” logistics in 201 shows an impressive reduction of costs of over 12 billion dollars globally.

Freight forwarders need to concentrate their efforts towards cooperation with suitable suppliers

The choice of the best suppliers of forwarding services in each are covered by the forwarders throughout Еurope is essential for achieving a number of different advantages. Among them, the preservation of the environment is one of the most important ones. This is why organizations like CDP emphasize the importance of finding such suitable partners and cooperating with them.

Additional actions for reducing environmental pollution

Both the companies from the  international freight services as well as the third party suppliers they work with strive for reducing the pollution resulting from the services they provide by recycling the packaging they use as well as by using energy saving lighting among other measures taken.

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The European network for transportation has joined this movement for minimizing the emission of harmful gases from fuel combustion as well as for the decrease of the waste which adds to the pollution.  This is why, the member companies of IFA are working together to create new types of services. The motto of the freight forwarders Europe is to act today for a greener logistics service in the future.

The advantages of green logistics

There are undoubted benefits for the environment due to the limited pollution and the special care for the areas through which the shipments travel via the increased fuel efficiency which is achieved by choosing the shortest and most optimal routes for the forwarding services. This is possible due to the close cooperation between an increasing number of logistics companies. By combining forces in different areas, it is possible to achieve the best and shortest routes by the experienced local personnel who are familiar with the conditions and the possibilities in their areas. This will help reduce the negative impact on the environment. The routes are picked based on the current weather conditions, the conditions of the road network and other conditions which affect the choice of the best and shortest route.

The fundamental role of the green technologies used for the freight forwarding services in the future

The modern technologies are much more energy efficient and help preserve the environment, plus they provide optimal fuel efficiency as well. This is why the international freight forwarders continuously invest in the purchase of new and modern vehicles, equipment, new order management systems and other eco-friendly technologies. They allow for a more efficient work process requiring less time, labor and can help when planning the best and shortest routes for each order.

Cooperation is the key factor for the future of green logistics

The cooperation between the member companies of the European logistics network is crucial for establishing an eco-friendly logistics service in the future. Choosing the optimal routes for various cargos is much easier when the freight forwarders work closely together. This can be done via the standardized systems for the size of groupage shipments, labeling and other essential factors. Apart from that, the final stages of the forwarding routes are usually fragmented, which allows for the delivery of small shipments to multiple destinations. This is why the intensity of the cooperation between the companies is growing in order to enable handling the goods and cargo during the final stages of the shipment. To do this, the freight forwarders network is working on improving the cooperation and coordination for deliveries at short distances too.

Merging the efforts of a growing number of smaller logistics companies will help build a wider and greener network for the freight forwarding services offered

The list of logistics companies in Europe now includes many smaller companies as well. The European logistics association is working on adding more of these smaller logistics companies to its growing network.  This will allow for better and wider cooperation among the member companies and will be beneficial for both the smaller logistics companies, as well as for all the forwarding services offered in Europe. The smaller companies can take advantage of the experience of the bigger member companies of the Europe-wide groupage transport service. Also, by accepting new member companies, the potential for providing forwarding services to a growing number of European destinations will also grow, with the help and coordination of the smaller, local logistics companies. This will allow for the further optimization of the routes, and will allow the freight forwarding network to provide eco-friendly services.

The addition of more logistics companies to the transportation network will be especially useful for the distribution logistics services provided. It will allow for the regular distribution of the goods of the customers to more European destinations. Thanks to the shorter routes covered by the local logistics companies, the negative impact on the environment will be minimized as well.

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Methods for lowering the harmful emissions implemented by the European network for logistics

A contribution to the lowering of carbon dioxide emissions can be achieved not only through the purchase of new trucks and vehicles.  Here are some of the main methods which the freight forwarders association implements to lower the harmful emissions from the freight forwarding services.

Training the drivers to lower the fuel consumption of the vehicles they drive to economise on fuel

The economy of fuel leads to reduced harmful emissions. The International freight forwarders ensure proper training for their drivers in regard to economising the fuel by optimization of the speed, smoother braking and acceleration and other factors which can save up to 20% of the fuel.

The use of low viscosity lubricants

Synthetic lubricants can also contribute to fuel economising. In extreme conditions, the synthetic lubricants with a lower viscosity are more suitable because they retain their lubricating properties and successfully perform their job to reduce wear of the lubricated parts.

Idle time limitation

During idle time fuel continues to be consumed even though no work is being done. With the reduction of the idle time of the vehicles of the network of freight forwarders, fuel is being further economised, which too leads to the reduction of harmful emissions. The decrease of harmful carbon dioxide emissions by one truck only is 19 tons per year.

Deceleration when applicable

For the road freight forwarding services which are not express, the drivers of freight forwarders Europe decelerate whenever it is possible, when there is sufficient time for the freight to be delivered on time. Lowering the speed is also a way to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions. The drivers are instructed to do so, whenever possible. Lower speed also helps preserve the vitality engine and the brake system for longer.

Reduction of the number of “empty” return trips

Every return trip from a freight forwarding delivery which involves an unloaded vehicle returning empty also contributes to the pollution from harmful emissions and without any forwarding services being done at the same time. Through the cooperation between the member companies of IFA throughout Europe helps limit the number of empty return trips. The reduction of the instances of vehicles returning unloaded helps reduce tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Optimising the routes

For the international freight forwarding the member companies of the European network for transportation plan and create optimal routes which can be further modified if necessary, if any changes in the weather conditions occur.  This too helps economise fuel and lowers the emissions.

Intermodal transport – an important part of implementing green freight forwarding

Intermodal solutions include the combination of road transport with other types of transport in order to achieve faster deliveries and provide optimal routes at cheaper prices. By shortening the routes, more fuel is economised and as a result lesser harmful emissions of carbon dioxide are produced during the service.

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