FIATA CELEBRATES 100 YEARS AT WORLD CONGRESS IN MILAN
A CLECAT delegation attended the FIATA World Congress in Milan from 06 - 09 October, hosted by the Italian freight forwarders’ association FEDESPEDI. Marking FIATA’s centenary under the theme Empowering Global Logistics, the Congress brought together the international freight forwarding community to discuss changing trade patterns, multimodal connectivity, digitalisation, customs, sustainability and risk management.
The event combined a celebration of the profession’s history with discussions on its future. FIATA launched its 2026 Market Report: Global Trends and Insights, drawing on responses from 111 freight forwarding and logistics professionals across 46 territories. The findings highlight geopolitical uncertainty, digitalisation and the growing importance of corridor diversification, efficient regulation and better supply chain visibility. FIATA also presented FIATA Forever: A Leadership Legacy, bringing together reflections from past and present leaders and young logistics professionals.
A further highlight was the launch of FIATA’s User Handbook on Multimodal Transport Corridors, focusing initially on the Middle Corridor connecting Asia and Europe through Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Türkiye. Designed for freight forwarders, it examines practical considerations such as capacity, transit time reliability, documentation and operational bottlenecks, helping businesses assess whether alternative routes can meet their customers’ needs.
UNCITRAL Secretary Anna Joubin-Bret presented the new UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (NCD). The Convention provides a common legal framework for negotiable documents across transport modes, in both paper and electronic form, supporting multimodal trade and access to finance. It strengthens the legal foundation for established instruments such as the FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading and its electronic version.
Discussions on electronic transport documents, digital port systems, cybersecurity and supply chain visibility also offered much to take back to Brussels. Common standards and better data exchange have considerable potential, provided that smaller operators can participate and forwarders have access to the information they need.
Alongside the programme, the Congress offered an opportunity to reconnect with longstanding partners and friends and exchange experiences with colleagues from across the world.