How Sustainable Freight Networks Can Strengthen Supply Chain Resilience

Sustainability should be viewed as part of freight strategy rather than as a separate objective. Better utilisation reduces waste. Multimodal networks make more effective use of infrastructure. Cleaner energy can reduce fuel dependence. Technology provides greater visibility across the process.

October 19, 2026. By News Bureau

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articles

Nikhil Agarwal

CJ Darcl Logistics

Cleaner energy

Digital freight platforms

Freight movement

Energy transition

BRICS Railway Research Network

BRICS

Supply chains are facing a more demanding operating environment. Geopolitical tensions, changing trade routes, extreme weather conditions and energy volatility are influencing costs, delivery schedules and sourcing decisions. For logistics providers, this makes network design as important as transportation itself.

The focus, therefore, needs to move from adding capacity to using available capacity better. Sustainability can support this shift by improving utilisation, connecting different modes of transport and reducing dependence on conventional fuels.

Using Capacity Better

A significant amount of freight capacity remains underused. Empty running, inefficient loading and poor backhaul planning add kilometres without creating corresponding value. Better matching of cargo with available vehicles can address this gap while lowering fuel consumption and emissions.

Technology has a practical role to play here. Digital freight platforms, demand forecasting and route planning can improve vehicle utilisation and help operators make more effective use of return journeys. The benefit goes beyond fuel savings. When existing assets can carry more freight, businesses can respond to demand without proportionately increasing fleet capacity.

The same approach applies to warehouses, containers and terminals. Efficient use of existing infrastructure can improve productivity while reducing the need for additional resources.

Connecting Modes, not Choosing Between Them

India's freight network has considerable scope for greater integration between road, rail and waterways. NITI Aayog's latest transport assessment estimates that road accounted for 66 percent of freight movement in 2025, compared with 22 percent for rail and 8 percent for waterways.

Road will remain central to freight movement, particularly for first- and last-mile connectivity. Rail and waterways can complement it on suitable long-distance routes. The opportunity lies in linking these modes through efficient terminals, logistics hubs and digital systems.
Such integration gives businesses greater flexibility when a particular route faces congestion or disruption. It can also improve the economics of long-distance transportation while lowering fuel use.

Planning for Different Energy Mix

The energy transition is already influencing freight operations. The International Energy Agency estimates that global electric truck sales more than doubled in 2025, crossing 400,000 units and accounting for 9 percent of global truck sales.

However, there is no single solution for every freight movement. Electric vehicles are suited to certain short-haul and predictable routes, while longer distances may require other technologies and fuels. Charging infrastructure, energy availability and route characteristics will therefore become important considerations in fleet planning.

This transition also highlights the importance of timely information. Real-time tracking, route optimisation and predictive analytics can help operators match vehicles to routes more effectively and respond to changes in demand or operating conditions.

Strengthening Regional Trade Networks

The same principles apply as trade links deepen across BRICS economies. Efficient cross-border movement will depend not only on physical infrastructure, but also on how effectively different transport systems and logistics processes connect.

The 2026 BRICS New Delhi Declaration has called for resilient transport infrastructure and stronger supply-chain cooperation. It also welcomed the BRICS Logistics Supply-Chain Cooperation Framework and discussions on a BRICS Railway Research Network.

For businesses, the value of such initiatives will ultimately be reflected in smoother trade flows, better connectivity between production centres and markets, and fewer inefficiencies at critical points across the network.

Sustainability should therefore be viewed as part of freight strategy rather than as a separate objective. Better utilisation reduces waste. Multimodal networks make more effective use of infrastructure. Cleaner energy can reduce fuel dependence. Technology provides greater visibility across the process. The objective is to build freight networks that use resources efficiently, connect different modes effectively and continue to serve businesses when market conditions change. That is where sustainability can contribute directly to stronger supply chains.

- Nikhil Agarwal, President, CJ Darcl Logistics