Helmut Winhofer
Key Takeaways
- The eFTI regulation will fundamentally change digital data exchange in European freight transport
- It creates the foundation for automated, standardised and transparent transport processes
- Especially in combined transport, eFTI opens up significant potential for more sustainable decisions and greater efficiency
- smartTOS positions itself as the technological interface to make these benefits practically usable
From Obligation to Opportunity: What eFTI Really Means
European freight transport faces growing demands: economic pressure, environmental regulations and international reporting obligations make it increasingly difficult to manage complex multimodal supply chains.
A key element of this transformation is the EU eFTI Regulation (electronic Freight Transport Information). It standardises and mandates the electronic exchange of freight information across Europe. For the first time, this creates a legally anchored, interoperable data foundation for cross-border transport.
The eFTI regulation requires companies to make transport data available electronically and in a standardised format — for authorities and, in the future, other authorised actors along the supply chain. This harmonisation enables efficiency gains and creates a basis for data-driven decisions.
In combined transport — the intelligent connection of rail, road, inland waterway and other modes — significant advantages emerge:
- Transparent route profiles and transhipment points
- Detailed emissions analysis at the transport segment level
- Objective comparisons of alternative routes or transport modes
smartTOS as the Key to Practical Implementation
smartTOS translates these opportunities into the operational reality of terminal operators and logistics companies. The software for combined transport processes, analyses and provides data from various sources in a structured manner.
Specifically, this includes:
- Integration of eFTI-compliant data formats and interfaces
- Enrichment of this data with real-time information from terminal operations
- Provision of well-founded decision-making bases for more environmentally friendly routing options and transhipment optimisation
This creates a digital overview of multimodal transport chains that combines ecological and economic criteria.
Sustainability Through Data Intelligence
Combined transport is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to pure road transport — provided it is managed efficiently.
smartTOS digitally supports the planning and management of transport chains for resource conservation, emissions reduction and bottleneck avoidance.
With increasingly available standardised eFTI data, new opportunities arise to precisely capture emissions per shipment, transport mode or route and to carry out well-founded optimisations.
eFTI as a Catalyst for Sustainable Logistics Processes
The eFTI regulation marks a milestone towards digitally connected and sustainably managed logistics. smartTOS sees its role in actively shaping this development — by providing a platform that does not merely process eFTI data but translates it into actionable opportunities.
More sustainable action requires knowing where emissions occur and how transport processes unfold.
Read on: How smartTOS implements interfaces and eFTI readiness under features — practical examples in our references.