“The synergy between the two partners transforms Valenton into a genuine logistics hub by synchronising train paths and streamlining the movement of goods, thus increasing train capacity for freight operators”, the statement noted. At the Valenton terminal, BTM and Combirail (Open Modal’s rail company) manage and coordinate handling and shunting operations to connect the T3M and Be Modal trains arriving from Lille, Rennes and Lyon. Both Open Modal and Be Modal acknowledged the support of French rail infrastructure manager, SNCF Réseau, in the development of the Valenton terminal.

Growth trajectory

Last month, Open Modal, whose activities span the entire combined transport chain, launched a new domestic route on its north-south Mediterranean corridor running from Lille to Miramas, near Marseille, via Bonneuil in the southeastern suburbs of Paris. Its 2025 turnover totalled 144 million euros and it employs 380 staff.

Be Modal is part of the Brittany-based Lahaye Global Logistics group, which previously disclosed to RailFreight.com that the subsidiary could launch a service for maritime containers between Rennes and France’s biggest box port, Le Havre, this year. It has a fleet of multi-purpose wagons, which are suitable for all types of containers and swap bodies, including self-contained refrigerated swap bodies. Be Modal has the capacity to operate more than of 800 trains per year, representing 17,000 UTI units or 34,000 TEUs.

To Italy and Romania

The other connections concern the Liège Logistics Intermodal terminal, a terminal managed by Novandi. The service to Romania is not necessarily new, but its starting point was moved to Liège from Genk, as our sister publication Flows mentioned. This train will depart three times a week with traction provided by RTB Cargo, with intentions to increase it to seven.

The one going to Italy is run by CargoBeamer, a specialist in the rail transport of non-cranable semi-trailers. The link is between the intermodal terminal and Domodossola and Parma. These trains will run six times a week and are open to all the main types of loading units. The aim of these services is to pick up some of the volumes lost by the discontinuation of the rolling highway service between Italy and Germany, CargoBeamer specified.

By enabling the use of 750-metre trains, the IV Rail Module should raise the maximum capacity at the facility. The upgrade is also supposed to increase the number of trains handled per day by building new tracks. Verona Interporto currently has 37 main operational tracks and six support tracks across several terminals, as well as a shunting area.

The upgrade comes in expectation of the Brenner Base Tunnel opening – a vital link on the Scandinavian-Mediterranean TEN-T corridor. This opens up new opportunities for international rail freight operations and an increase in traffic. The Verona Interporto hub is also located on the Mediterranean TEN-T corridor.

Almost 45% of total rail freight

“Once again, as has been observed on several occasions over the last 30 years, combined rail-road transport appears to ‘over-react’ compared to conventional freight, declining more sharply during periods of crisis and recovering more quickly during periods of growth,” the GNTC observed. Combined rail-road transport accounts for almost 45% of total rail freight in France, a proportion that is growing slowly year on year and continues to attract businesses seeking sustainable solutions.

River-road transport declines

Growth in the rail-road segment contrasts with a decline in river-road transport of -8.6% in terms of teus transported. This is mainly attributed to an unfavourable economic and geopolitical climate, increased competition from road transport, and structural constraints specific to river transport.

2026 outlook

Industry players are cautiously optimistic about 2026. The GNTC business climate index reveals that 77% are planning investments but only 50% are intend to recruit staff Whilst demand remains strong, several challenges persist: the quality of rail services, the availability of infrastructure, competitiveness against road transport, and economic and geopolitical uncertainties. 2026 is set to see the launch of new combi services, the opening of new terminals, including the one in Dunkirk and work aimed at improving the performance of existing ones.

Multi-million upgrade

The terminal in Jundiz is part of the 95-million-euro upgrade of the hubs in Vitoria-Gasteiz near the port of Bilbao, 37 of which have already been deployed. Currently, the terminal has two mixed-gauge tracks measuring 600 meters and one for 460-meter trains. The upgrade will create four tracks of 740 metres, enabling the handling of long trains in standard gauge.

Whoever will get the job, will manage 55,000 square metres of intermodal surface, including a slab area to handle intermodal transport units (ITUs), three buffered electrified tracks and road access. Initially, the terminal will have the capacity to handle 50,000 ITUs every year, while it will increase to 170,000 once new gantry cranes are installed.

Laude organises these last-mile operations from its terminals in Zamość, near the Ukrainian border, and Sosnowiec in the Silesian-Dąbrowa industrial regions. It also does last-mile operations from partner terminals, including Duisburg.

New connection to Italy

The Polish operator is also thinking about further business development: “The next step will be an intermodal connection linking Warsaw and Silesia with northern Italy. In each of these transport options, there is a possibility to extend the route to Ukraine and Turkey”, Laude says.

Laude points out that their greatest advantage – the ability to load and unload from the side, top, and rear – makes its transport solution “comparable to traditional road transport.”

Laude uses both trailers that allow unloading of bulk cargo from containers and the transport
of heavy steel coils thanks to specially designed containers with a trough. “Additionally, […] we are able to transport any type of cargo, provided it is palletised or loaded into big bags”, commented Marcin Witczak, CEO of Laude Smart Intermodal. “In full train transport, we carry biomass, grain, fertilisers, and similar cargo.”

Adria Port to play key role

This project is part of the IMEC corridor, connecting India to Europe via the Middle East, the ADM said. A key role will also be played by Adria Port, the future rail terminal that the Hungarian government is building within the port of Trieste. The facility, which should be ready in 2028, will provide the landlocked country with an outlet on the sea.

The state-owned company owning the terminal already signed agreements with two operators for services: Gysev Cargo and Rail Cargo Hungaria. The latter is part of the Austria state-owned Rail Cargo Group, which already deploys a customs corridor between the port of Trieste and the Logistik Center Austria Süd in Villach/Fürnitz.

The programme also highlights the growing importance of rail in enabling the transition. By handling long-distance trunk haul movements, rail reduces the operational demands placed on electric trucks. This allows eHGVs to focus on shorter, more predictable journeys where range and charging constraints are less acute. Maritime’s approach reflects a broader industry trend, where intermodal logistics is emerging as a practical pathway towards lower emissions.

Rail increases fivefold

With the recent opening of the Strategic Rail Freight Interchange at SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton, Maritime has strengthened the backbone of its intermodal network. The Northampton Gateway facility provides direct access to the West Coast Main Line, enabling efficient north–south rail movements while anchoring shorter road legs for final delivery. It is a model that aligns closely with the operational needs of battery-electric trucks.

With Maritime’s Northampton Gateway now live, the company’s rail freight network is even more critical to the rollout of eHGVs by shortening the road leg to a manageable electric range. “Rail is crucial for increasing the viability of eHGVs,” explained Tom Williams, deputy CEO at Maritime Transport. “Since the launch of Maritime Intermodal in 2019, we have moved from railing six per cent of our volume to circa thirty per cent in 2026.”

Rail offers a range of solutions

Range anxiety, which remains an issue for private electric vehicle owners, is evident for commercial operators too. However, the regime is more predictable in the eHGV sector, where access to charging infrastructure can be planned in advance. Even so, questions remain around how far heavy electric trucks can travel under load across varied duty cycles.

“Two of the big criticisms of eHGVs are payload and range,” said Williams. “Focusing on range, technology will help improve this area as battery chemistry develops. Charging networks are also improving, which will support longer journeys. However, these changes will take time and investment before they fully address operational requirements across the sector.”

Intermodal model reduces cost

“If we focus on these alone, there is still a lot of time and money required to overcome the barrier,” Williams added. “By using rail, which is here and in use now, we are effectively removing range as a barrier for eHGVs. Take our Manchester operation [at Trafford Park]. A vehicle, on average, will do less than 1,000 miles per week, which is well-suited to electric operation.”

“What is more,” added Williams, “if the final mile is short enough, you can reduce the number of batteries required. That in turn gives you the ability to carry more payload.” This interplay between rail and road highlights a key advantage of intermodal logistics. By shifting energy-intensive trunk haul to rail, operators can deploy lighter, more efficient electric trucks for distribution, improving both economics and emissions performance.

Infrastructure investment supports wider adoption

Maritime’s rollout includes 56 eHGVs across 13 depots and rail-connected terminals during 2026, supported by a growing high-powered charging network. Once complete, the company expects to have more than 22MW of installed capacity, capable of charging over 100 vehicles simultaneously. Importantly, this infrastructure will also be accessible to third-party operators, potentially accelerating wider industry uptake.

The initiative is backed by the government’s Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme, delivered with support from Innovate UK. Maritime is participating across multiple projects, testing electric, hydrogen, and diesel vehicles on live routes. However, the company’s operational model remains consistent. Rail handles the long-distance movement, while electric trucks complete the final mile, offering a pragmatic route to decarbonisation using existing assets.

How are they increasing?

In the three Benelux countries and the DACH countries, the fuel fee for trucks will rise by 7%, just like the one for barge and BCO, while the one for RCO by 4%. In both areas these increases will be valid between 30 March and 13 April. In Poland, for trucking services the rises will be +12% while for RCO 6% during the same period.

For Italy, 8% and 3% but they will be effective from 1 April and will be reviewed two weeks later. In Slovenia, Maersk will implement a 4% Intermodal Fuel Fee but only for trucks which will be applied for the whole month of April and will then be reviewed on a monthly basis.

‘Unprecedented cost environment’

The war on Iran and the consequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked the passageway of 20% of the world’s fuel supply, causing prices to skyrocket. The situation is dire, and an end does seem to be in sight. Maersk defined it as an “unprecedented cost environment” that “continues to place significant pressure on logistics and intermodal transportation markets”.

Some optimism transpired for the future, as 21% of the companies answering claimed they will or are planning to implement intermodal services to reach ports. These good intentions, however, mostly come from Lombardian respondents (38%). Only 13% of the ones from Veneto pledged to use intermodality while for Emilia Romagna it did not go over 7%.

Changes in causes

One thing that has changed in 2025 are the reasons why customers prefer the road over intermodal. Lower costs remain the main motive, but the percentage changed from 59% in 2024 to 43% last year. On the other hand, reliability and safety and force of habit increased. Companies saying they use the road because they have always done so more than doubled from 17% to 35%. Respondents thinking that road transport is safer and more reliable than intermodal services also grew from 20% in 2024 to 31% in 2025.