River freight transport is often seen as slow, old-fashioned or suitable only for bulk commodities. In reality, inland waterways remain an important part of European multimodal logistics. They offer a practical option for companies that need lower cost per tonne, fewer road restrictions, better environmental reporting and an alternative to congested land corridors. The key […]

Picture a manufacturer in Central or Eastern Europe selling into Western markets. Roads are often congested, capacity is tight, and the cost of running long road-only routes is volatile – especially when driver availability is a constraint. One recent indicator: IRU cites 426,000 unfilled truck driver positions across Europe in its 2024 survey. Intermodal logistics […]

Europe’s 2025 logistics playbook is being rewritten by three forces: CO2-based road tolls spreading under the revised Eurovignette rules, the EU ETS adding carbon costs onto ocean legs, and rail/inland waterway capacity and reliability that vary by corridor and season. Shippers weighing modal shift need a decision framework that translates these moving parts into total-landed-cost […]

As globalization intensifies and supply chains evolve into complex networks, the freight forwarding industry is reinventing itself. Europe stands at the forefront of this revolution, leveraging multimodal transportation as a pivotal strategy. This dynamic approach integrates various transportation modes—road, rail, sea, and air and leverages their unique advantages. However, the impact of integrated transport in […]

Commercial road transport has been hard hit due to traffic restrictions and the economic downturn. The global economy fell into recession last year and is not expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2021. Social and economic recovery from the global crisis depends on road transport which accounts for more than 80 percent of the […]

The parcel marketplace is facing serious challenges due to Covid-19, including difficult service conditions and lack of capacity resulting from a huge surge in B2C shipments. This has already led to increased operating and shipping costs for freight forwarders because carriers have implement peak surcharges. This trend has been ongoing since the onset of the […]

A customs declaration is a document submitted to provide information about cargo or goods that are exported or imported.  It can be lodged by the owner of cargo which can be an association, company, or individual. A representative or person acting on behalf of the owner can also lodge a customs declaration.  Why Submit a […]

Logistics operators are often involved in the shipping of building materials for different property types, be it attached-home and multi-family communities or single-family homes. While the list of items to be moved is quite long, ranging from landscaping materials and appliances to plumbing and fixtures, there are some factors to consider, including transportation insurance coverage, […]

Transporting wild animals to zoos and aquariums requires good collaboration to ensure that they are moved as stress-free and fast as possible. This requires extensive planning that sometimes takes months on a row as to obtain the necessary permits, arrange transport, and coordinate all steps with supervisors, trainers, and veterinarians. Modes of Transportation Watkins Rogers […]

Intermodal logistics or the use of combined transport to ship cargo is especially important during the coronavirus outbreak. According to experts, it is one of the safest modes of transportation. This is because cargo is shipped by freight trains over long distances and then shipped by trucks over short distances. Rail transport can be used […]

There are different types of warehousing facilities for storage and distribution, including transload or bulk terminals, cross-docking facilities, distribution centers, warehouses, and sortation centers. Transload Terminals Transload terminals operate as distribution facilities for bulk products such as petroleum, grain, and lumber. The goal is to transport commodities between different types of carrying equipment. Transload facilities […]

Cargo shipped by European logistics providers can be divided into several categories, including freight, parcel, express, and household goods. Parcel Shipments Parcels include items of up to 50 kg that are shipped in small boxes. They are also referred to as ground shipments and are either packaged by the carrier or the shipper. Parcels are […]

Certain types of freight are prohibited and cannot be shipped by air, sea, or land, depending on the destination and mode of transport. Prohibited goods may include items such as dangerous and hazardous goods, antiques, and firearms. Prohibited Cargo and Risks Certain goods cannot be shipped or are subject to approval because of the risk […]

An effective transportation strategy not only lowers operating costs for freight forwarders but helps increase their customer base. Adopting good practices and developing innovative solutions help increase efficiency so that businesses gain competitive advantage. Choice of Transport The first step to developing an effective strategy is learning more about different modes – rail, road, air, […]

Intermodal transport has become increasingly popular among the member companies of IFA and other companies providing international freight forwarding services. More companies from the freight forwarders association are utilizing intermodal transport because it decreases the price and the time for international freight forwarding shipments. It also is a way to enhance green logistics and decrease […]

With the ever-increasing globalization, the volume of goods and cargo being forwarded by the International Forwarding Association has been increasing steadily as well. Unfortunately, the risk of theft of cargo has also been increasing, and every year millions of tons of oil, chemicals, and other cargo have been lost into the black market due to […]

Certain goods which are being transported by the European logistics association need to have an export license when being forwarded. Also, specific procedures need to be adhered to during their export. The experts from IFA are experienced in getting the licensing and permits necessary for the export of certain goods from one country to another […]

Home appliances and other electrical appliances being transported include devices which we all use on a daily basis. With the growing development and production of new electrical appliances and equipment, the need of forwarding them to the customers throughout Europe is growing.  In order to meet this growing demand, the network of freight forwarders offers […]

Automating the logistics activities helps safe time and resources. This is why the international freight forwarders utilize automated systems which provide timely information and allow for the management of the shipments and the stocks in store at all times.   Automating cargo handling and shipments Being a dynamically developing business, logistics relies on automation in […]

Along with the other types of transportation, air transport is becoming more and more significant.  This is the fastest way to transport your goods with the international freight forwarders. This is the preferred transportation solution for goods which need to reach to customers, distributors or partners fast.   The globalisation of the trade between the […]

Multimodal transport combines the advantages of the various transport types The infrastructural development in the European countries is a continuous ongoing process. It includes possibilities of using road, rail, inland waterways, sea and air transport. The European network of transport services takes advantage of each type of transport. Road transport can reach to every destination […]

Sending small shipments is a common chore for companies and for private senders.  These packages can contain: samples, documents, personal items and others.  With the expansion of commerce and the growing mobility within Europe, it is a more common occurrence for forwarders throughout Europe to be given small shipments for forwarding, and to offer regular […]

New Future for the European Logistics European logistics companies struggle from the stagnation, reigning in the economical and political status quo on the continent. Immigration and regional conflicts` woes are the biggest problems of developed European countries. The region falls behind the North American and Asian fast pace economic development.   Discount Stores and Logistics […]