2025 focus
Agility and responsibility : Drivers of smart transportation
The transportation and logistics sector is going through a period of significant turbulence. Between volatile energy costs, persistent inflation in certain cost areas, and an uncertain economic climate, companies are facing major challenges. Road transport, in particular, is under intense pressure: a slowdown in activity, an increase in business failures, recruitment difficulties, and essential investments in decarbonization.
In this context, agility is becoming an essential lever for resilience. Optimizing flows, integrating new technological solutions, and exploring alternatives such as rail or river freight can limit exposure to economic and regulatory fluctuations. Some companies have already begun this strategic shift :
- Michelin has reorganized its supply chain by increasing the share of multimodal transport to reduce its dependence on road transport and fuel cost fluctuations. The result: a 10% reduction in transport costs and a significant reduction in its carbon footprint.
- Nestlé Waters has invested heavily in rail for its long-distance flows in France, avoiding more than 12,000 road trips each year and reducing its CO₂ emissions by 30%.
But this agility must be part of a responsible approach. Energy transition and sustainable logistics are no longer options, but imperatives.
How can operational efficiency be reconciled with reducing carbon footprint?
- Ferrero has redesigned its warehouse and flow management to reduce empty mileage by overhauling its logistics network and sharing transport with other manufacturers.
- L'Oréal has set up a fleet of biogas-powered trucks to handle its urban deliveries, reducing its fine particle emissions by 80% and its CO₂ emissions by 60%.
Another major challenge is securing partners in a context where transport company failures are reaching record levels. Some shippers have taken the lead:
- Carrefour has tightened its criteria for selecting carriers by incorporating dynamic financial monitoring and favoring long-term partnerships with solid players committed to the energy transition.
- Renault Group has implemented a scoring policy for its carriers, incorporating performance and financial soundness criteria to ensure the continuity of its flows.
It is by balancing agility and responsibility that transport will be able to meet these challenges, building resilient and sustainable solutions. Between technological innovations, diversification of transport modes, and new management strategies, the intelligence of transport lies in its ability to adapt without compromising its environmental and social commitments. Welcome to this new edition of Top Transport, a strategic event for analyzing trends, sharing best practices, and preparing for the future of efficient and sustainable transportation.
See you in Marseille on October 15 and 16, 2025 !
The programme
Conferences
Transportation and logistics: navigating the fiscal fog
Opening Conference | Wednesday, October 15 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Room 76
In an environment marked by political instability, fiscal uncertainty, and tighter regulations, transport and logistics players are proceeding cautiously. The 2026 municipal elections are adding to the uncertainty surrounding development choices, low-emission zones, mobility policies, and regional support. How, under these conditions, can they continue to invest, recruit, innovate, and remain competitive? With consumption declining and freight volumes falling, what strategies can help them break out of this rut? What room for maneuver remains for business leaders faced with unstable tax pressure, high operating costs, and sometimes contradictory demands between ecological transition and economic competitiveness? A round table discussion to understand the trade-offs made by professionals in the sector and the drivers for staying the course in the storm.
To open this edition of Top Transport, several experts and witnesses will attempt to answer these questions during this conference:
- Franck Cannata, President of Transcan, FNTR and Medef in the Alpes-Maritimes region
- Manuel Chastagnaret, University Professor, Director of the Master 2 Customs program at the Center for Tax and Financial Studies at Aix-Marseille University and consultant
- Sébastien Crussol, CEO and founder of Compagnie des Pyrénées
Threatened roads: when conflicts redraw the map of global transportation
Conference | Wednesday, October 15 | 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Room 76
Ukraine, the Red Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the Sahel: the proliferation of hotspots is profoundly transforming the global transport landscape.
Long perceived as a geopolitical backdrop, war is now at the very heart of logistics chains. Blockades, targeted attacks, supply disruptions, corridors under pressure, rising insurance costs, and forced redeployment of flows: conflicts—whether military, economic, or technological—are reconfiguring trade routes and imposing a new reality.
Alongside war reporter Lucas Menget, this conference will provide an overview of current threats, areas of conflict to watch, and the concrete impacts on transport and logistics strategies, both today and tomorrow.
This will offer unique insights for professionals in the sector, who are faced with a world where gray areas are multiplying and risk anticipation is becoming a lever for competitiveness.
The workshop was led by
- Lucas Menget, War Reporter
Round Tables
From the port of Marseille-Fos to the hinterland: multimodal flows in the South Region
MPROVENCE Round Table | Thursday, October 16 | 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Room 76
How can the South Region be turned into a carbon-free, high-performance logistics hub? This round table brings together key players from the maritime, rail, and river transport sectors, as well as manufacturers, to explore the synergies between the port of Marseille-Fos and the regional hinterland. How can we strengthen inland platforms (Miramas, Arles, Cavaillon)? What levers can be used to streamline the flow of goods, reduce emissions, and secure transport routes? A strategic meeting between institutions, operators, and exporters to reinvent the logistics of tomorrow.
Speakers at this conference included:
- Caroline Ritzenthaler, Director of Ecological Transition at EDF Southern Region
- Matthieu Capuono, President of the APEX Exporters' Club
- Jean-Michel Diaz, President of the Maritime and Industrial Group 13
- Jean-Philippe Delmont, Deputy CEO – Combronde Group
- Fabienne Margail, Head of Intermodal Solutions and Port Transit, Grand Port Maritime de Marseille Fos
- Martin Feraud, President of the Union Maritime Fluviale
- Thierry Jacquinod, Commercial Director, SNCF Réseau for the PACA region
Moderated by Yves Blisson, Journalist, MProvence
Cyclology: current situation and future challenges
CNA Round Table | Thursday, October 16 | 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Room 76
La Fabrique de la Logistique, accompanied by a team of researchers from the Aix Marseille University Transport and Logistics Research Center (CRET LOG), was recognized for a project studying cyclological business models.
This award is part of the “Let's Stay One COP Ahead” Climate Plan implemented by the South Region to reduce road transport emissions and become a carbon-neutral region by 2050. The South Region, together with ADEME, launched a call for “Low-Carbon Logistics” projects and, at the same time, the regional “Mobi'Lab” initiative to encourage innovative experiments in logistics and sustainable mobility. The National Purchasing Council (CNA) and CRET LOG invite you to discover the outlines of this study and to exchange ideas with its contributors.
The following speakers took part in the conference:
- Nathalie MERMINOD, Director of CRET LOG
- Jean-Charles CALLO, President of CNA PACA
- Delphine BLANC from La Fabrique de la Logistique
- Gaëtan PIEGAY from Boites à Vélo
- The scientific team : Sophie Claye PUAUX, Laetitia DARI, Laure JACQUEMIER, Sophie JEANPERT, Aurélien ROUQUET, Yuan YAO
Expert workshops
Circular economy: accelerating decarbonization in road freight transport
HYLIKO Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Room 50
At a time when every ton of CO₂ avoided counts, the circular economy is emerging as an essential lever in road freight transport. Choosing reuse means choosing a sustainable and long-term solution.
With a presentation by
- Nicolas BOUS, Key Account Manager
The life of the contract : how to terminate a transport contract and what are the applicable rules?
Legal Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Room 76
The transport contract is a document that governs contractual relationships but undergoes changes between its formation and its termination.
While termination of the contract (whether specific or standard) is obviously possible, it is subject to certain rules that must be followed to avoid the termination being classified as “unfair termination” and sanctioned by the court.
Is there a notice period that applies? How long should the notice period be?
How and when should the termination of the contract be notified?
What about in the case of a call for tenders? Or a decline in business?
How is the resulting damage calculated and assessed?
The workshop was led by
- Victoire Revenaz, Lawyer at the Paris Bar - LEXLINE Law Firm
Reconciling operational excellence and ecological transition: feedback from Promod x Log’issimo
LOG'ISSIMO Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. | Room 36
In a context where customer demands for service quality are essential and pressure to reduce carbon footprints is intensifying, Promod and Log'issimo are jointly taking on an ambitious challenge: to build a logistics system that is efficient, agile, and sustainable. During this workshop, you will discover the behind-the-scenes collaboration between a committed fashion brand and a local logistics operator.
This workshop provided an opportunity to discover practical strategies for improving analysis and building effective decarbonization scenarios, with presentations by
- Grégory LAPUENTE, Director of the Commerce Industry Utilities Market at LOG'ISSIMO
- Benoît MASCOT, Head of Upstream Transport/B2B/B2C & Customs at PROMOD
Shippers, reducing your transportation costs by 10% to 20% without changing carriers is possible !
OPTI TRANSPORT Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Room 50
OPTI' Transport's “Shippers” customers have achieved savings of between 10% and 20% on their transportation costs. Discover the methods they used to achieve this feat, which have proven their effectiveness with all their customers for over 10 years.
The presentations were given by
- Fabienne CLABAUT, Director
- Angéline BONELLI, Transport Optimization Expert
The AI revolution in transportation: it all starts with data
SIGHTNESS Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Room 36
Everyone is talking about AI, but few are talking about data. Yet in freight transport, data is the key to success. Join Sightness to understand how to transform your data into a real driver of artificial intelligence.
This workshop featured:
- Alain BORRI, CEO of Sightness
Improving Efficiency and Sustainability with AI-Powered Transportation Solutions
TRANSPOREON Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Room 50
Join us for a hands-on workshop exploring the transformative potential of AI-powered transportation execution and procurement. We will examine how Transporeon's solutions, when combined with platform-based carbon visibility and AI, can create significant value for shippers and carriers.
The workshop was led by:
- Luc VANDAMME, Key Account Manager
- Arthur GRAVIER, Sales Executive
Looking to save money? How to share transport optimization levers between multiple shippers
INTERLOG Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Room 36
Join us for a hands-on workshop exploring the transformative potential of AI-assisted transportation execution and procurement. We will examine how Transporeon's solutions, when combined with platform-based carbon visibility and AI, can create significant value for shippers and carriers.
The workshop was led by:
- Olivier ZOIS, Director of Expertise and Consulting
Major US Trade Update: Removal of "de minimis" — What It Means for Your Business?
UPS Workshop | Wednesday, October 15 | 5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Room 50
On August 29, the United States eliminated the de minimis exemption, a change that could have a significant impact on how you ship, declare, and pay customs duties on low-value goods.
Join our UPS experts to discuss:
• The changes and their impact on your supply chain
• New customs clearance requirements in the US
• Solutions to reduce impact and control costs
• Best practices to stay compliant and competitive
Stay ahead of the curve and ensure business continuity!
Speakers at this workshop included:
- Thomas ROSELLO, Sales Director, UPS France
- Cassandra PAWLIK, Market Manager, UPS France
Goods insurance: what steps should be taken in the event of a claim?
Legal Workshop | Thursday, October 16 | 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Room 76
An accident can have serious consequences for transport and logistics operators. How can you respond effectively in the early hours to protect your interests? This conference will review the key points you need to know: using an amicable expert (report, statements) or a bailiff (statements, photos) to identify the causes of the accident and assess the damage.
It will also review the principles of French law regarding full compensation for damages, as well as the evidence required to justify and document a claim for compensation.
The presentation was given by
- Victoire Revenaz, Lawyer at the Paris Bar - Cabinet LEXLINE
The photo album
Relive the highlights of this 33nd edition in pictures.
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