When groupage beats FTL in 2025

Choose groupage when you ship smaller, regular consignments that would leave an FTL under-utilised. Typical cut-offs used by European road operators position groupage as the sweet spot for about 1-6 pallets, with partial loads bridging the gap to FTL. This keeps cost per unit down and, on dense lanes with daily departures, often matches FTL reliability without paying for empty space.

A second case is risk pooling: if your weekly demand to a market fluctuates, consolidating several small orders into scheduled departures reduces the chance of last-minute truck underfill or over-commitment. Eurostat’s 2024 update shows EU road freight volumes essentially flat year-on-year, a backdrop that favours flexible capacity over fixed FTL blocks when demand is choppy.

ICS2: what changes for road and rail

From 1 April 2025, road and rail movements into or through the EU entered the final rollout of the Import Control System 2. Economic operators must lodge a complete Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) before arrival; national systems began onboarding from April with operational readiness moving toward full application from 1 September 2025.

Member States can apply temporary derogations. As of late August 2025, 15 countries signalled postponements—Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain—typically until end-2025. Twelve others expect ENS filings from 1 September 2025: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden. If your truck enters via a “no-derogation” external border for example, Bulgaria or Greece plan for strict ENS readiness from 1 September.

Who lodges the ENS? By default, the carrier entering the EU files; however, forwarders issuing transport documents and, in specific cases, EU-based consignees may submit parts of the dataset in multi-filing. A complete ENS must include plain-language goods descriptions, at least a six-digit HS code per item, and full shipper/consignee address details. Expect pre-arrival risk referrals requesting clarifications; these must be answered before assessment can complete.

CO2-based tolls reshape route choice

CO2 class pricing is spreading. Germany added a CO2 component to MAUT on 1 December 2023, calculated on €200 per tonne of CO2 and materially lifting per-kilometre costs for diesel tractors. Austria incorporated CO2 into GO-toll from 1 January 2024, and the Czech Republic added a CO2 component on 1 March 2024. In 2025 the Netherlands reworked Eurovignette fees with five CO2 classes—diesel trucks in class 1 face higher tariffs, while low- and zero-emission vehicles gain reductions. For pan-European routings, Switzerland also increased HGV toll rates by 5% from 1 January 2025.

What this means operationally: on lanes where you can fill trailers consistently with low-emission vehicles, FTL can recover time and money. But on mixed-fuel fleets or low/variable volumes, groupage helps you buy only the space you need while avoiding the steepest CO2-class surcharges. Compare not only distance but also border choice—entering the EU via a Member State already enforcing ICS2 may trigger data-driven holds if your upstream data is thin.

Palletization that survives the hub

Groupage networks involve cross-dock touches, so load stability is non-negotiable. Align your packaging to recognised European practices:

• Keep goods within the pallet footprint—prefer the 800 × 1200 mm Euro pallet to fit racking and trailers, reducing edge impacts.
• Build stable, uniform layers; avoid overhang and maintain a low centre of gravity. Use corner boards and top-sheets to spread compression.
• Validate wrap patterns against stability guidance inspired by EUMOS standards; target enough containment force to withstand horizontal accelerations in transport. Where possible, test new skus or seasonal packs under dynamic conditions, not just static wrap force.

Following these basics reduces handling damage and the rework that blows up groupage transit plans.

Data upstream: avoid holds and rejections

Border friction in 2025 is mostly preventable. A simple upstream checklist will keep your consolidated trailers moving:

• Capture the HS6 and a specific, plain-language description at the point of order—not at the dock. Ban generic terms like “parts,” “samples” or “FOAK”; they trigger referrals.
• Collect complete shipper and consignee details, including postal codes and a contact email/phone, and the consignee’s EORI where applicable.
• Allocate filing roles with your cross-border carrier/partner in writing—single filing or multi-filing—and ensure the filer can respond to pre-arrival risk referrals before the truck reaches the border.
• For multimodal legs e.g., unaccompanied trailers by sea, align timelines so ENS lodgement precedes the EU arrival of the unit, not just the tractor.

Get these right and groupage can be both fast and compliant in 2025: scheduled departures give you day-definite reliability, pallet discipline preserves product, and clean data keeps your goods off the inspection bay—and on the road.

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Who Benefits from Groupage

Groupage services are often used by recent expats who want to move their belongings to a new location. They are also ideal for students enrolled in a university in a foreign country who want to bring some extra luggage with them. Groupage services are also used by persons who are planning on relocating to another country for a relatively shorter period. Those who have excess baggage also benefit from shared shipping.Benefits for Customers

There are plenty of benefits for customers who are looking to send small shipments. When items cannot make for a full container, it is more affordable to group them together with other shipments. In this case, customers share the price proportionately to save on shipping costs.

Forwarders that offer groupage services pool their resources to be able to meet timelines. Sharing resources also results in reduced costs for customers. Given that groupage can be integrated into sea freight and air cargo, forwarders are able to offer cost-effective shared shipping solutions.

And because many EU forwarders work in close cooperation, customers also benefit from a cross-dock network spanning across most of Europe. So, for example, when shipping from Austria to Hungary and looking for a list of logistics companies that are reliable, Austrian operators to use the services of include Schneider & Peklar and Keimelmayr Speditions und Transport GmbH. They can help transport goods reliably, affordably, safely, and quickly and at times that suit customers. The selection of services that customers can choose from includes special or heavy transport, full and part load shipments, express or scheduled transport, and international and national groupage services. They also offer storage in video monitored and temperature controlled warehouses.

For transport from Hungary to Austria, reliable IFA partners are KS Spedition & Logistic Kft and Ghabze Solutions Europe Ltd. They specialize in import and trade activities and offer the full suite of services, including domestic distribution, warehousing, pick and pack, repacking, and logistics services. Additional services include:

• Temporary warehousing
• Customs warehousing
• Customs services and clearances
• Door to door and express delivery
• Domestic and international road transport
• Specialized transportation
• Air and sea freight
• Electronic clearance
• Document handling
• Imports and exports
• Labelling and samples
• Item-based data handling
• Transit warehousing
• Groupage services

Quality management systems are used for logistics consulting, international shipping, distribution, and forwarding.

Shipping Costs

Costs depend on a number of variables such as time of year, volume, final destination, and origin. In some cases, surcharges for security measures may apply. Other factors to take into account are whether currency adjustment and customs clearance documents are required.  Some forwarders also charge extra for freight tracking but the majority of operators feature this as standard.

Many operators offer personalized quotes based on origin and destination, description of goods, and dimensions such as length, width, height, and weight.

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Forwarders that offer haulage services and ship items across the EU or import goods spread out the costs so that customers benefit from optimal value. With partners in all major cities across Europe, they are able to provide personalized, reliable, safe, and fast groupage solutions.Factors to Consider

The main factors that influence cost include weight and dimensions, final destination, place of loading, and distance. The mode of transportation, whether by sea, land, or air also influences pricing.  The same goes for combining intermodal transportation services.

How to Choose a Provider

Whenever you need to transport small shipments, the choice of an operator is also an important consideration. The first thing to inquire about is where the freight forwarder is located. Take into account factors such as proximity to airports, waterways, and motorways and fleet of vehicles. Operators that have different types of trailers accept a wide selection of goods. There are different types of trailers such as tyre, mega, double deck, and box trailers. Another factor to consider is whether the company offers additional services such as storage and distribution, transportation management, transloading, and final mile delivery. Check whether they offer document services such as:

• Help with customs clearance
• Reviewing and preparing documentation
• Obtaining documents such as inspection certificates and insurance
• Amending document mistakes
• Notarizing invoices

Obviously, it is also important to choose an approved and licensed provider, and the choice depends on location as well. If you are shipping goods from Italy to Holland, for instance, reliable IFA partners in Italy include forwarders such as Prisma Logistics SPA, Nuova Transports SPA, and  Ceccarelli S.r.l., to name a few. They offer a wide variety of services such as non-European and European transportation, national distribution, export and import services, and services on request. When shipping from the Netherlands to Italy, Corneel Geerts International Forwarding BV is an established operator and an IFA member to rely on. Dutch freight forwarders ship a wide variety of goods, including consumer and exhibition goods, garden and lawn equipment, industrial goods, automotive parts, and sensitive and high value items. Customers can choose from different service levels, including premium and standard. Those who opt for the standard service can expect shipment to take place in 2 – 5 days, which fits the requirements of about ¾ of customers. The premium level guarantees faster delivery times and typically a 24-hour faster shipping, as there is less handling and X-docking involved. Currently, European groupage services are offered by IFA members operating in more than 20 EU countries, among which Germany, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Belgium, Slovenia, and others.

Finally, when choosing a provider, it is important to inquire whether they offer cargo insurance, especially when shipping fragile or high value items. Check if they have a transparent pricing structure so that you only pay what you initially negotiated.

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Benefits for Businesses and Individual CustomersEuropean groupage services are available to both individuals and business customers and can be tiered into other shipping services, including sea freight and air cargo. The main benefits of consolidating freight include lower transportation costs and flexibility to use the services of different carriers, depending on location. Other benefits for customers include control on delivery, reliability, fast transit times, and scheduled direct departures.

Groupage services are a cost-effective solution for businesses that need to ship a certain quantity which is small enough to fill a container. Consolidating goods for which speedy delivery is not required is a cost-effective way of shipping as businesses don’t have to pay for transporting an entire container.

European Haulage and Services Offered

The choice of an operator and the services available depend on location. When shipping from Spain to Germany, for example, trustworthy Spanish operators to rely on are Intertransit S. A., Ares Group Bilbao, and Ares Group Barcelona. They offer land, air, and sea transport, customs clearance, express van services, logistics services, and full and consolidated loads. For transport from Germany to Spain, reliable partners of IFA in Germany are Schmalz & Schön Logistics GMBH, Schmalz & Schön Eastcargo GMBH, and Insatransport Speditions GMBH, among others. The selection of services they offer includes sea and air freight, fulfilment and warehousing, domestic transports, and European groupage. Many European logistics companies have partners in 20 or more countries, including France, Estonia, Slovakia, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, and Austria.

The full array of groupage services offered by European carriers includes special and courier deliveries, document creation and customs clearance, and freight and transport management. The selection of services that operators offer also includes imports from selected countries, direct exports to all destinations, full and part truck loads across Europe, and direct shipping to all major cities at short intervals. Just-in-time and express transport are two options that customers benefit from.

Additional services offered for groupage shipping include electronic invoicing, text and email status updates, proof of delivery, 24/7 customer service, and customs clearance support. Other services offered by operators are customs inventory, cargo handling and storage, cash on delivery, and tail-lift deliveries.

Costs

Transport costs depend on factors such as delivery and collection address, weight, and size of goods. The more flexible the customer is when it comes to delivery times, the more competitive the rate will be. Another way to reduce shipping costs is to palletize freight, which also helps lower the risk of damage. Some forwarders also have weight and size restrictions, and customers pay additional costs for items that exceed them. Customers that require frequent shipments may be offered volume discounts as well as access to an electronic data interexchange facility for direct order placement.

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The next step includes all of the negotiations which will take place in the European Union Council. The new taxation system which will affect all drivers and transport businesses, as well as the list of logistics companies from the International Forwarding Association, is expected to be adopted for trucks and buses in 2023, and for vans from 2027.

One of the main reasons for these changes which will affect the entire European logistics network is the reduction of CO2 emissions and pollution in the EU.

Currently, the transport in Europe is found to be the biggest contributor to these harmful emissions in the EU.

Thanks to the upcoming trends of truck and vehicle autonomy and their electrification, hopes are that the pollution of the air, as well as the noise and other problems caused by vehicle use to be reduced drastically.

Distance-based charges for national and international freight forwarding and for all kinds of transport services will help address a number of issues related to health costs for pollution-related illnesses and the demands for a change in the infrastructure due to the changes in the transport industry including the use of alternative energy, autonomy of the vehicles and their electrification.

The idea for the distance-based road charging which will differentiate the tolls in accordance with the emissions of the different vehicles used by the freight forwarders and transport companies in a fair and a non-discriminatory manner in order to set even further incentives to these businesses to invest in green logistics and transport.

From 2021, if an EU country taxes heavy load vehicles, trucks and vans like the ones used by the list of logistics companies from IFA, it will have to add an additional tax for external costs such as for air pollution and for noise pollution. And from 2026, if an external tax is being charged for all parts of the road system, it will need to start including all other types of vehicles as well.

Other ideas which will completely transform the transport and European logistics business are the proposed regulation for fitting in-vehicle technology in all newly manufactured vehicles for tolling. The car and vehicle manufacturers will have to fix this one box technology which includes a GNSS and a communication component. The EU must ensure funds to adopt the roadside infrastructure and technologies for the new tolling system.

The EU countries though are expected to be allowed to design their own tolls in order to protect the low-income communities and the areas where other means of transport are unavailable.

So, it is vital that all of the companies from the international freight forwarders association be prepared for the new tolling system, and work towards incorporating eco-friendly green technologies for their vehicles and also to work towards reducing the use of fossil fuel for their services.

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Both inexpensive and precious loads become objects of theft

Until recently, it was considered that the risk of theft is mostly for valuable and expensive cargo in the vehicles and storages of the forwarders. The latest statistics show that the number of inexpensive cargo during forwarding has increased on a global level.

The thieves rely on modern digital technology to track these loads and are becoming craftier in using modern equipment for their thefts. It is essential that the logistics companies counteract them in this regard.

Measures for protecting the goods being transported

During the forwarding of goods in different vehicles, all kinds of measures for protecting them against theft are being taken. They are packed not only as separate units, but with a whole single packaging layer keeping all of them together, and also the vehicles are locked at all times. The same measures are taken when the cargo and goods are stored in the warehouses of the freight forwarding companies.

Particular caution when publishing information online

The World Wide Web has become a part of every business including the freight forwarding business. The use of the internet for advertising, for providing information regarding the services offered by the logistics companies, the schedules for the groupage services in regard to the Europe-wide groupage transport service facilitates the customers. Unfortunately, this type of information can be stolen or used by the thieves. This is why the companies of the European network for logistics are very cautious about the type of information they make available online. Modern communication methods allow for real-time and quick contact with the customers at all times, which allows for this type of specific information regarding these services to be sent in a private manner, rather than make it publicly available.

Careful handling of the information by the drivers

The drivers of the international freight association have very detailed information regarding the routes used for the forwarding services. They have been instructed not to disclose details about the routes or regarding the types of goods and shipments, they are carrying. This helps prevent the leakage of such sensitive information to potential thieves.

The use of modern technologies for preventing thefts

As mentioned above, the logistics companies use the modern communication technologies and applications to keep the customers informed about the details regarding the forwarding routes, destinations, and other sensitive information. The network of freight forwarders also uses immobilizers for their vehicles to prevent larger thefts and in case the thieves are planning to steal the vehicle along with the cargo inside it. By immobilizing the vehicle, this becomes impossible and the chances of catching the thieves are bigger.

Parking the vehicles one after the other and locking form several sides

In the cases when a forwarding of goods and cargo involves more than one truck, they park closely together – one behind the other when staying in a parking lot. This prevents the thieves from entering the truck because the driver behind it can keep an eye on the rear side of the vehicle.

If the driver is traveling alone, he or she looks for a parking space allowing the truck to back up close to a wall which also helps prevent unauthorized entry and access to the cargo.

Even the simplest measures such as the use of a couple of padlocks and locking devices between the truck and the trailer can increase the safety of the cargo and goods being forwarded.

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Types of container transport

With container shipments there are two main types of services provided: loading the cargo or goods of the customer in a separate container, or combining it with the cargo of other customers in one container. The first type of forwarding where the container is carrying the cargo of a single customer is called FCL (full container load) transport. In order to use this service, the customer must have cargo which is larger than half of the volume of the container (over 14-15 cubic meters). The second type is called LCL (less than container load) for which the cargo should be less than 14-15 cubic meters or half of the volume of the container. The volume is calculated based on a standard 20′ container.

The convenience of using LCL transport via the groupage lines

It is not always economically efficient for customers of the European network for logistics services to use a whole container for their loads, because they need to pay the price for the entire container. Also, if the volume of the cargo is not too big and the customer wants to wait to be able to fill the entire container, the shipment can be delayed.

The groupage lines of the list of logistics companies include LCL containers. They can be used for combining various shipments of different customers until the container is fully loaded. The Freight forwarders network supports groupage lines to a number of different European countries. This allows for the quick allocation of the shipments of customers upon request for groupage services and for their fast forwarding to the final destination. Apart from the speediness of this type of transport, the customers also get cheaper prices for groupage forwarding services.

Types of containers used for the transport of different types of shipments

The Freight forwarders association can offer its customers various types of containers suitable for the forwarding of different types of goods and cargo. Apart from the standard containers, the member companies of IFA can provide:

• Refrigerated
• Thermal insulated
• Flexy tanks for bulk liquid loads
• Flat rack and open to containers for forwarding of oversized cargo

Benefits of the container freight forwarding services provided by the member companies of the European logistics association

The member companies of the Association provide additional services for their customers requesting container forwarding, including:

• A choice of a groupage line or route
• Preparing the Bills of Lading and all other documents required
• Loading and unloading at the end destination
• Preparing all necessary documents for the forwarding of hazardous goods or cargo in containers
• Real-time tracking information about the load thanks to the modern tracking systems used
• Cargo insurance
• Others

Container transport types

The International freight forwarders offer various types of transport depending on the terms of delivery required for the forwarding, as well as based on the goal for using the most optimized routes.

The cheapest type is sea freight which is suitable for customers who do not request fast delivery. Vehicle transport is better for customers who require faster delivery of their cargo. Whenever necessary these two types of container transport can be combined into the so-called multimodal forwarding services.

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The convention applies to all contracts for the shipment of cargo and goods via road transport from a destination in one country to a destination in another. At least one of these two countries needs to be a contracting party to the Convention.

Obligations of the carriers – the member companies of the European logistics network in accordance to the Convention

The companies which are members of the European logistics association work in compliance to the obligations laid down in the section for Liability of the carrier of the CMR Convention. These obligations do not apply in the cases when a delay or damage to the cargo occurs and it is not due to mistakes made by the international freight forwarders, or in the cases when unavoidable circumstances occur.

The companies performing the international freight forwarding services are responsible for the cargo and goods being forwarded as well as for any damages or losses which occur from the moment they accept the load to the moment they deliver it to its end destination. If it is found that the freight forwarders owe compensation for incurred damages or losses of the goods or cargo, the amount of the compensation is calculated based on the value of the goods from the moment of reception for shipment. If the consignor has declared the value of the products or the cargo in the accompanying bill of lading which exceeds the amount stated in Article 23, paragraph 3 as a limit value, then the amount declared in the Bill of Lading shall apply.

The amount stated in Article 3, paragraph 3 of the Convention is 25 francs per kg of gross missing weight. A gold franc which weighs 10/31 grams for a 0,900 sample is considered a franc.

Cases when the companies providing international freight forwarding services are alleviated of liability for incurred losses or damage

The Convention lays down the conditions under which the European logistics companies are alleviated from liability for incurred losses or damage. These conditions include:

•  Improper or inaccurate labeling of the units of goods or cargo
• Forwarding in open vehicles if this was the requirement for the transport and has been expressly agreed upon and documented in the bill of lading accompanying the cargo
• Poor quality of the packing of the goods or cargo or lack of packaging due to which damage or losses have occurred
• Transport of goods or cargo which is perishable and is in danger of normal disintegration, rodent incurred damage or of goods and cargo which is fragile or which can rust

Circumstances which cannot be used for discharge of liability

The vehicles used by the Europe-wide groupage service and for the transport of complete loads are all maintained and kept in excellent condition and in compliance with all the requirements for the forwarding of loads.  Apart from that, the employees of the European network for logistics services have sufficient experience in loading, unloading and care for the goods and cargo being shipped and they perform their jobs with due responsibility. The condition of the vehicles as well as the experience and care provided by the employees of the freight transport association are part of the obligations in accordance with the CMR Convention. According to the Convention, the forwarding services cannot us any vehicle technical problems or employee mistakes as a basis for discharge from liability.

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Direct customs brokerage for groupage transport service

Our network of freight forwarders Europe offers direct customs brokerage.  We are in touch with the customs posts and offer our customers settlement of all customs formalities. This will save you a lot of time for releasing the goods from customs.  We offer customs brokerage for import, export and transit modes.

Preparing the necessary import documents

When in customs, the goods acquire the status of local goods.  For clearance of the goods, customs duties need to be paid.  The member companies of the freight forwarders association will prepare all documents required for the import of your goods. The main documents included are:

• Import permits for the country of import
• Original import invoices
• Payment documents
• Copies of the company documents, certified with a “true copy” sign and signature
• Others

By using the Europe-wide groupage transport service for the transport of goods to different European countries, you can rely on the member companies of our freight transport association to prepare the remaining import documents required.

Preparing the necessary documents for export

You can count on the member companies of IFA’s Europe-wide groupage transport service for export to all European countries as well.  We offer to prepare all basic documents required for exporting goods, which include:

• Documents of origin
• Bill of lading
• Customs declarations

And other documents required in the specific case.

Preparing the necessary documents for transit

The passage of goods through a country while on the way to a third country is called transit.  When in transit, the goods are not subject to import duty.  The documents necessary for the transit which the freight forwarders will prepare for you include:

• Transport documents – original bills of lading
• Commercial documents including: copies of invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin and quality, if they are required.

These documents are prepared by the member companies of the European network for transportation as part of our customs brokerage service.

Services for customs warehousing

Our network of international freight forwarders offers representation for customs warehousing as well. This involves the customs warehousing for certain periods of time during which the goods are not subject to import duties.

We offer consultations in regard to the necessary customs brokerage. Our freight transport association offers consultancy services by each member company in regard to customs brokerage, import, export, transit, warehousing and others.

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Our European groupage services: solutions for all types of shipments

The groupage services which we provide to all destinations in Europe once a week, allow you to forward various freights in small shipments.  Apart from normal transportation, we offer groupage services for hazardous or for refrigerated goods.  You can rely on the European network for logistics for forwarding any kind of shipments with low volumes to every destination in Europe.

Our network of representative offices and terminals

Thanks to the well-developed European logistics network, the member companies of IFA have built an all-European network of offices and terminals.  This allows us to offer you a growing number of destinations for forwarding small shipments.  Our network is constantly growing, and along with it, the number of representative offices and terminals is also growing, which helps optimise and improve the comfort of using the Europe-wide groupage transport service.

Unification of the European groupage transport services – consolidated services in the IFA

The unification of the groupage services within Europe through the organising of the freight forwarders in the European network for logistics services allows us to offer you consolidated services, with constantly improving service levels, service quality at optimal prices and delivery terms.

We use all types of transport within Europe

In order to be able to meet the needs of our customers, we adhere to the intermodal transport principle. This is the combination of various types of transport, in order to achieve the best delivery term and prices for the groupage lines.

An extensive transportation network has been developed within Europe, including: road, rail, inland river, sea and air transport. By uniting the efforts of the forwarders throughout Europe, we are able to select the transport combinations for an optimal service and for offering the lowest prices for groupage transport.

Make your requests for groupage services to all partner companies easy

All of the partner companies in the European network for transportation offer easy implementation of your requests for forwarding small shipments to every European destination. All you can make your request on the phone, by e-mail, or by filling out the online request form on the website of the company.

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