The discussion about sustainable mobility is by no means a question of “if,” but of “how.” While the EU has set itself ambitious climate goals, the transport sector in particular is under pressure: Transport accounts for around a quarter of CO₂ emissions in Europe — a large part of them by freight transport. In order to counteract this, the EU is specifically promoting so-called Green Corridors: sustainable transport axes that should make the transport of goods cleaner, more efficient and sustainable.

But what does the term mean? And what role can logistics service providers play in this change?

What exactly are Green Corridors?

The term “green corridor” describes defined traffic axes on which Low-emission, multimodal and digitally optimized Transport solutions should be implemented. The basic idea: Through targeted expansion of infrastructure, technology and cooperation along specific routes, transport processes can be massively improved — both ecologically and economically.

Key features:

• Multimodal transportation: Road, rail, inland and sea shipping in a flexible combination.
• Emissions reduction: Use of alternative drives, electric trucks, biofuels and rail relocation.
• digital control: Using smart logistics, IoT and real-time data for optimized supply chains.
• Collaboration: Cooperation between states, companies, ports, terminals and shippers.

Green Corridors in practice

Pilot projects and concrete plans for green corridors within Europe already exist today. Two prominent examples:

1. Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor (Scan-Med): Part of the TEN-T core network. This traffic route connects Scandinavia with Italy via Germany. Objective: The expansion of sustainable rail infrastructure and port connections.

2nd North Sea—Baltic Corridor: Connects the Benelux countries with the Baltic countries. This is increasingly focusing on rail transport — with a focus on climate-neutral hubs and rapid transhipment processes.

Opportunities for the logistics sector

Green Corridors open up exciting prospects for freight forwarding companies, shipping companies and logistics service providers:

• Competitive advantages through sustainability: Customers are increasingly attaching importance to green supply chains.
• EU funding programmes: Anyone who invests can hope for financial support.
• Strengthening rail logistics: Rail is becoming an attractive option, particularly on long-haul routes.
• Innovation drivers: Change is forcing companies to modernize their processes and technologies.

Challenges — and how to meet them

Despite all opportunities, there are also stumbling blocks:

• Different national regulations
• High investment costs for infrastructure & vehicle fleets
• Lack of interfaces between modes of transport

However, many of these problems can be solved through European coordination, targeted incentive systems and partnerships within the network. The key question is: Who is actively involved — and who is missing out?