Recently, one of our customers – an Asian e-commerce retailer – faced mounting challenges.

The Challenges: Customs Complexity and Rising Demurrage Charges

Their containers were arriving at the port of Le Havre, but rising demurrage costs and increasingly complex customs processes were impacting margins.

From Le Havre, goods needed to be dispatched to several distribution centres across France and neighbouring markets.

The initial request was straightforward: “Can you give us a rate?”. Instead of responding with a quick quote, we chose to step back to assess the full flow. We designed three adaptable inland options.

1. For urgent deliveries: Direct road transport ensured the fastest transit times, ideal for promotional goods or fast-moving SKUs requiring immediate replenishment.
2. For planned inventory flows: Barge transport from Le Havre to inland river terminals reduced congestion exposure and significantly lowered emissions. Short road legs completed the final delivery.
3. For balanced performance needs: Rail offered an efficient, stable middle-ground solution for distribution centres located along rail corridors.

Rather than locking the retailer into a fixed solution, we created a modular framework. Depending on urgency, sales forecasts or cost pressures, they could switch between transport modes.

The Result? Stability, Sustainability and Strategic Flexibility

The outcome pushed far beyond transport pricing.

Operational Stability

By diversifying inland routes, the retailer reduced exposure to bottlenecks and improved overall predictability. Containers moved more smoothly through the system, lowering demurrage risks.

Cost Control Through Modularity

The ability to adjust transport modes gave the customer greater financial control. Urgent shipments moved quickly; planned volumes travelled more sustainably and cost-effectively.

Measurable Sustainability Gains

Integrating barge and rail into the transport mix reduced CO₂ emissions and supported the retailer’s decarbonisation objectives. Detailed carbon reporting provided transparency for internal teams and stakeholders.

End-to-End Visibility

With real-time tracking and data analytics, the retailer gained greater confidence in their supply chain performance.

Turning Complexity into Competitive Advantage

Global supply chains are unlikely to become simpler anytime soon. Congestion, volatility and environmental pressures are structural realities. But complexity does not have to mean instability.

By combining multimodal transport expertise, digital visibility and consultative partnership, XPO’s Global Forwarding team helps businesses build inland supply chains that are resilient, adaptable and lower in carbon.

In today’s environment, success doesn’t focus on moving freight from A to B. It’s more so about designing a smarter system that keeps you competitive, no matter what challenges arise.

If you'd like to speak with one of our global forwarding experts, please get in touch.