Cargo Conference Belgrade breaks attendance and content records, with 300 participants and 25 speakers

Details of Serbia’s new transport strategy, insights from leading logistics executives from Greece to Latvia, major announcements of new investments and exclusive statistical data were among the highlights of the third edition of Cargo Conference Belgrade, held under the name “Multimodal 360”.

The international event, organized by PlutonLogistics, took place on October 29th at the Hilton Hotel in Belgrade. Surpassing its previous two editions in terms of attendance, the number of topics covered and the range of accompanying activities, Cargo Conference Belgrade brought together nearly 300 experts from almost 20 European countries, with a total of 25 speakers taking to the stage to share their perspectives.

A common message emerged from the discussions: multimodality is the future of transport in the region. Speakers stressed that the key to success lies in viewing all modes of transport as a single, interconnected system. At the same time, they emphasized that developing alternative routes must not come at the expense of investment in established transport corridors, and that the specific requirements of each mode of transport must be taken into account when planning and developing infrastructure.

Serbia’s National Transport Strategy through 2034

The conference was officially opened by Tālis Linkaits, the new Director of the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community, who stressed that integrated, efficient and sustainable cargo transport is crucial to strengthening the competitiveness of the Western Balkans and improving connectivity with European markets.

• An open market requires reforms, transparent and fair access and independent regulation. Ministers, customs authorities, regulators and companies need to work in a coordinated manner towards a common goal – ensuring the free movement of goods across borders – Linkaits said, highlighting multimodal transport as the Western Balkans’ greatest development opportunity.

The opening session also saw the first presentation of the concept for Serbia’s new National Transport Strategy through 2034, which is being developed with the involvement of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering in Belgrade.

• Instead of the fragmented, sector-by-sector approach that has traditionally been used to address individual modes of transport, the draft strategy is based, for the first time, on the principles of intermodality and the logistical integration of road, rail, waterborne and air transport – said Professor Milorad Kilibarda, Dean of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering, in his opening address.

More than 40 experts are involved in drafting the National Strategy and its accompanying action plan. The team comprises professors from the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering with expertise across a range of specialist fields, while the project is funded by the World Bank. The strategy is one of Serbia’s key strategic policy documents and is intended to provide a foundation for future decisions in transport and logistics.

The Dean of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering noted that intermodal transport has considerable potential in Serbia, with container transport accounting for the largest share of this segment. In 2025, 210,000 TEUs were transported on the Serbian market. He pointed out that several growth scenarios were being considered, but warned that existing infrastructure and capacity were already under considerable strain and would struggle to accommodate a sudden surge in volumes. Building new intermodal terminals and logistics centers will therefore be necessary.

• The strategy focuses on developing rail and waterborne transport, given the current dominance of road freight. Developing these two modes is essential to improving intermodality, with particular emphasis on establishing and strengthening rail connections to all ports in the region – Professor Kilibarda said.

Further investment plans were announced at the conference by representatives of intermodal terminal operators Metrans and Nelt, who outlined ambitious development plans.

Private companies gain ground in rail freight

The conference highlighted that, for the third consecutive year, the state-owned operator Srbija Kargo accounted for less than 50% of total rail freight transport in Serbia, as private operators continue to gain ground.

The data, along with a ranking of rail freight operators that attracted considerable attention from the audience, was presented by Anđela Dobrilović and Katarina Tomić, students at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering. This year, Cargo Conference Belgrade also provided a platform for younger voices, an initiative that was very well received by the audience.

The presentation, prepared by the students under the mentorship of Professor Snežana Tadić, also revealed that the increase in rail freight volumes during the first half of 2026 was driven primarily by imports, which rose by around 30%. Meanwhile, weaker transit performance through Serbia was attributed to railway construction. Despite substantial investment, the rail sector continues to face significant obstacles. Against this backdrop, the continued interest of new market entrants was highlighted as an encouraging sign for the industry.

Changes in the market and the arrival of new players were also reflected in the first public appearance in Belgrade and Serbia by Wilhelm Patzner, CEO of CER Cargo Holding. The company attracted considerable public attention after acquiring domestic operator Sinhron Rail late last year.

• Continental intermodal transport has huge potential to support the development of European logistics, and Serbia can play an important role on routes towards Türkiye and Greece – Patzner said during an on-stage interview, a format introduced to the conference program for the first time this year.

A significant part of the program was also devoted to road transport, which traditionally dominates freight movements in Serbia. Key topics included the 90/180-day rule and the situation facing professional drivers, the growing difficulties confronting road haulage operators, transport rates and driver visas. The conference also addressed a range of other pressing issues, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the green transition, the arrival of Serbia’s first electric heavy-duty trucks, port hinterland connectivity, trade between China and Europe, and the eFTI Regulation, among other topics.

During the closing panel, Nataša Mirković, Assistant Director of the Serbian Customs Administration, presented new automated customs procedures and the national tariff management system. The discussion also covered the National Single Window for Foreign Trade, which is scheduled to be implemented from January 1st, 2027.

About the event

Cargo Conference Belgrade 2026 was held with the support of its sponsors: METRANS, VTG, CER Cargo, Nelt Group, PepsiCo, FERCAM, Port of Adria, Port of Thessaloniki, DSV, Log Rail, International Vessel & Barge Chartering, Vecar Viljuškari, Union Šped, BursaTransport 123cargo, IVECO – Auto Čačak Komerc, MBOX Terminals, Foxit and Liber Group. Media support was provided by Serbian and regional outlets, including Biznis.rs, Sve o novcu, Biznis i finansije, scm.hr, Pomorac.hr, and supply-chain.gr.

Cargo Conference Belgrade is organized by PlutonLogistics, a specialized regional media platform that has been bringing together professionals from the transport, logistics, supply chain and trade sectors since 2013. The next edition of the conference is scheduled for late October 2027.