When we hear the phrase 'electric vehicle', most of us immediately think of a car, van or truck, but electrification is already extending far beyond the road network.

The movement of goods depends on a vast ecosystem of transport modes working together. Containers that arrive at ports may continue their journey by rail, inland waterway or road before reaching their destination, and as businesses look to reduce emissions across their supply chains, attention is increasingly turning to every stage of that journey.

This broader perspective is important because some of the most significant sustainability gains can come from moving freight differently, not just changing the type of vehicle being used. Electrification is already supporting the movement of goods through rail corridors, inland waterways, terminals and ports across Europe, helping demonstrate that lower-carbon transport is about optimising entire networks rather than individual assets alone.

Rivers Are Becoming Part of the Electric Network

When discussions turn to electric transport, inland waterways are rarely the first mode that comes to mind. Yet Europe's rivers and canals already play a critical role in moving freight between ports, industrial centres and consumer markets, and electrification is beginning to influence how these routes operate.

The Rhine alone is one of Europe's most important freight corridors, connecting the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges with major inland markets across Germany, Switzerland and beyond. Inland waterways continue to provide an efficient way of moving large volumes of cargo while reducing pressure on busy road networks.

As operators look to reduce emissions, attention is increasingly turning to electric and hybrid-powered barges. Across the Netherlands and Belgium, several projects have already demonstrated the viability of battery-electric inland vessels operating on predictable routes, supported by dedicated charging infrastructure and energy systems.

Through our network of inland terminals across Europe, we help connect ports, rail services and inland destinations, enabling customers to move cargo efficiently through multimodal supply chains. These connections help create greater flexibility, allowing cargo to move through multiple transport modes as operational requirements change. As electrification develops across inland waterway transport, these connections will become increasingly important in linking different modes together.

Challenges remain, and seasonal variations in water levels have highlighted the vulnerability of inland waterway transport to changing environmental conditions in recent years, reinforcing the need for flexible and well-connected logistics networks. Yet these challenges have also strengthened the case for greater investment and innovation across Europe's inland freight corridors.

Electric barges may not attract the same level of attention as electric cars or trucks, but they are already demonstrating that electrification can play a role far beyond the road network.

Rail Demonstrates the Potential of Electrified Freight

If inland waterways represent an emerging part of the electric transport conversation, rail provides one of the clearest examples of how electrification can be successfully deployed at scale.

According to the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, almost 58% of the EU's rail infrastructure is electrified, while around 80% of rail traffic already operates on electrified routes. Rail therefore remains one of Europe's most advanced examples of transport electrification, although a significant proportion of the network still relies on diesel traction and further investment remains necessary to expand electrified capacity. The benefits are not limited to emission reductions, and research commissioned through Europe's Rail has highlighted rail freight's ability to reduce energy consumption and support a more competitive and resilient European transport system. Researchers concluded that investment in rail plays a critical role in developing a climate-neutral and economically resilient transport network.

Rail is not simply a lower-carbon alternative to road transport. It is also one of the clearest examples of how infrastructure investment can create long-term efficiency, capacity and resilience benefits across supply chains. It enables large volumes of cargo to move efficiently between ports, inland terminals and major markets while helping reduce congestion on the wider transport network. When integrated effectively, rail becomes a critical component of a connected, multimodal supply chain.

Through our rail freight services, we connect ports, inland terminals and logistics hubs across Europe, helping customers incorporate rail into their broader supply chain strategies. We are also incentivising our customers to move more freight by rail rather than road through our Modal Shift Programme in the UK, a programme which has been designed to support greater network efficiency and create more sustainable long-term logistics solutions. There is growing recognition that modal choice can influence not only emissions performance but also supply chain resilience and operational flexibility.

Importantly, rail's existing success should not be viewed as the end of its electrification journey. Rather, it demonstrates what can be achieved when infrastructure investment, network connectivity and long-term planning are aligned. While further electrification of Europe's rail network remains an important objective, rail already offers valuable lessons for other transport modes as they navigate their own transition towards lower-carbon operations.

Shipping's Search for Lower-Carbon Solutions

If rail demonstrates what large-scale electrification can achieve on land, ocean shipping highlights how differently the transition can look across transport modes.

According to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), around 90% of global trade is transported by sea, making shipping one of the world's most important transport sectors. Unlike trucks, trains or barges, container vessels travel thousands of miles between ports, making fully battery-electric propulsion impractical for many long-distance routes, but that does not mean innovation is standing still.

Across Northern Europe, battery-electric ferries are already operating commercially, particularly in Norway, while new vessel designs are helping reduce emissions on shorter routes. Closer to home, P&O Ferries' Fusion Class vessels, P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté, combine hybrid technology, battery capability and shore power connectivity, making them among the most environmentally advanced ferries operating today.

Container ships have so far shifted towards alternative fuels, helping to drive industry interest in methanol. We are also supporting this transition through the deployment of methanol dual-fuel container vessels within our own shipping operations, including the recently launched DP World London, advancing lower-emission trade across global supply chains.

The real transformation in shipping, however, is coming in the form of nuclear power, a relatively old technology that is finally maturing. The US Maritime Administration has publicly stated its intent to develop civil nuclear power for very large vessels, and shipping lines across the world have stated it is of interest.  

Just as electrification is reshaping transport on land, innovation in fuels, vessel design and energy systems is helping transform transport at sea.

The Multimodal Advantage

Viewed individually, electric barges, electrified rail networks and lower-carbon shipping initiatives may appear to be separate developments, but their value is greatest when they operate together.

A container arriving in Europe may travel by ship to port, continue inland by rail or barge, and complete its final journey by road. Every decision along that route can influence cost, efficiency, resilience and environmental performance. That is why multimodal logistics continues to play an increasingly important role in modern supply chains.

Increasingly, businesses are also looking for better visibility into the environmental impact of these decisions. Solutions such as EcoRoute help organisations optimise supply chain performance while reducing emissions by combining network design, lower-carbon logistics solutions, emissions measurement and strategic partnerships. This enables the identification of more sustainable transport options across their supply chains without compromising efficiency or resilience.

A diversified transport network provides greater flexibility when disruption occurs, whether that disruption stems from congestion, infrastructure constraints, changing market conditions or environmental factors. When businesses can access multiple transport modes, they are often better positioned to adapt and maintain service continuity.

Sustainability benefits also tend to be cumulative rather than transformational. Rarely does a single technology deliver all the answers. More often, progress comes through a combination of incremental improvements including cleaner shipping fuels, electrified rail corridors, lower-emission road transport, electric cargo handling equipment and efficient inland waterway connections. Each improvement may appear modest in isolation, but together they can significantly reshape how goods move through supply chains.

The objective is therefore not simply to electrify individual assets. It is to connect transport modes, infrastructure and operations in a way that delivers stronger, more resilient and more sustainable supply chains. When different transport modes complement one another, the benefits can extend far beyond emissions reduction alone.

A Wider Definition of Electric Transport

The transition to lower-carbon transport is often viewed through the lens of passenger vehicles or road freight, but some of the most important developments are taking place elsewhere across Europe's logistics networks.

From electric barges travelling inland waterways to electrified rail corridors and alternative-fuelled container ships, transport is evolving in ways many people rarely see. What connects these developments is the shared objective to move goods more efficiently while reducing environmental impact.

As businesses continue to rethink their supply chains, understanding the full range of transport options available will become increasingly important. Electrification is no longer solely a road transport story. Increasingly, it is becoming a network story, influencing how goods move across railways, waterways, ports and roads alike. When it comes to electrification, some of the most interesting vehicles in Europe are not travelling on the road at all.

Read more about how we're driving the logistics industry toward a more sustainable future.