As influencers of the modes of transport used, shippers are at the heart of the concerns of the transport industry. The aim of this barometer is to give a voice to shippers and assess their perception of river and combined transport.
In partnership with theAUTFthe second edition of the River Transport Barometer. These data will be updated from one year to the next, in order to identify trends and propose a vision for industry players.
The information gathered provides an overview situation report on the modes preferred by shippers to transport their goods, and on the clarity and satisfaction of the river transport offer.
These considerations point to a number of development trends for river transport in the coming years. For this new edition, a stronger focus has been placed on shippers' assessment of service quality, in its various dimensions, in partnership with theGustave Eiffel University as part of the National Logistics Observatory.
What uses for river and combined transport?
In 2024, the sectors that made most use of river transport were wood paper (less represented in this year's panel), but also largely agriculture (30%), followed by the automobile (25%).
Modal use is consistent with the business sectors concerned. The industries that use conventional products the most are agriculture, aggregates and building materials.. Consumer goods companies are the ones who make most use of the combination. Short Sea use remains fairly limited, with the exception of the automotive sector (below 10% for all industries).
Shippers' expectations clearly identified, but innovation still insufficient
The shippers on the panel have a negative view of service innovation in the river sector: only 14% rate it as good, while 29% rate it as insufficient, 36% as very insufficient, and 7% even go so far as to describe it as non-existent.
In addition, 69% of shippers were offer innovative services in 2024, compared with only a quarter last year. While this is a significant increase, it is not yet sufficiently tangible for shippers.
Innovative services include, reducing environmental impact (low-carbon energy engines) is the most frequently used element (58%), ahead of the provision of data/information (17%) and contractualization (17%). Important note: no loader among the respondents was offered innovative services concerning traceability of goods.
These results are in line with shippers' expectations in terms of innovation, which are mainly focused on reducing environmental impact: visit low-carbon energy engines (for 67% of them), contractualization (47%) and the provision of data/information (33%).
A transport offer that partially meets shippers' needs...
89 % of respondents believe that conventional river transport services meet their needs. partially to their needs and 11% totallycompared with just 39% last year.
All the major shippers connected to the waterway answered "partially yes", confirming the trend observed last year: surprisingly, connection to the waterway is not the most important factor. not a guarantee of a better match between supply and demand.. This may reflect, in part, unmet expectations in terms of innovation, suggesting that the adaptation of services is not fully keeping pace with evolving market needs.
In addition, three quarters of respondents felt that the combined transport offer for inland waterways matched their needs. partially to their needs while 25% consider that the offer does not correspond not at all to their needs. This reflects the adaptation efforts required to integrate a river link into the supply chainThis is due in particular to longer lead times, difficulties in urban logistics, and less supply in port hinterlands.
Quality of service
For 78% of respondents, the quality of river transport service is between "excellent" and "good" (including 25% of "very good"). This is an improvement on the previous edition, in which 56% were between "very satisfied" and "satisfied" with river transport.
Also, 36% of the panel believe that river transport service quality has improved in 2024, although none of the respondents felt that it had deteriorated. Results for combined road/river transport were mixed: while more than half the panel felt that quality of service had worsened, only one respondent felt that it had improved. "good" or "very goodHowever, 25% consider it to be "insufficient.
In terms of service quality, none of the respondents noted any deterioration. We can therefore conclude that, on the whole, the development of river mode service quality (conventional and river/road) is better than that of rail (conventional and rail/road).
Key data
Players and ecosystem
The role of forwarding agents seems to be holding steady, even if their proactivity and canvassing of this panel is down on last year.
The offer
The shippers on the panel have a negative view of service innovation on inland waterways: only 14% on the panel consider it to be good, while 29% on the panel consider it to be insufficient, 36% very insufficient, and 7% even go so far as to describe it as non-existent.
All the major shippers connected to the waterway responded that the offer only partially met their needs, confirming the trend observed last year: surprisingly, connection to the waterway is not a guarantee of a better match between supply and demand. This could partly reflect unmet expectations in terms of innovation, suggesting that the adaptation of services is not fully in line with evolving market needs.
Service quality
36% of the panel consider that the quality of river transport service has improved this year.
Satisfaction
With an overall satisfaction rating of 3.26/6, river transport meets shippers' expectations adequately, although there are clear areas for improvement.
Modal shift to bulk modes
In 2024, more than half of all respondents stated that they would be switching to a mass transit mode. This is a rather encouraging result given this year's economic climate.
The majority of the panel (61%) made a modal shift from river to road in 2024, with 15% of respondents even considering that they had made significant use of it. The impact of major events in 2024 (Olympic Games, Sully bridge accident, periods of flooding/drought) can be seen here.
A representative barometer
The panel is made up of industrial shippers and distributors using river or combined transport, who responded between December 2024 and mid-February 2025 to an online questionnaire sent out by the Association des Utilisateurs de Transport de Fret (AUTF).
Proportionally, the panel is made up mainly of industrial" customers (67%), and 33% of distributors" prime contractors.
This year, the panel is made up exclusively of French players, with 35% of respondents seeing their goods move within Europe, all modes combined, 44% within France alone, and 22% internationally. This year, there is a higher representation of shippers whose goods move within Europe than in previous years.
Finally, in terms of sales, 44 % of this year's respondents achieved sales of over €1 billion, 28% over €10 billion, 39 % between €500 million and €1 billion, and 17 % less than €500 million.
