Multimodal logistics in Wallonia: a fast-growing heritage

Thanks to its central location, its multifaceted infrastructure and its dynamism, Wallonia is fostering ambitious multimodal logistics. We take a deep dive with Bernard Piette, Managing Director for Logistics in Wallonia, Christian Wauthier, Supply Chain & Logistics Specialist at AWEX, and Hélène Thiébault, press secretary for the Port of Liège.

By road, by rail, by air and by waterway. Not many European regions can boast quadruple logistics. “Quintuple, even!” says Bernard P., highlighting Wallonia’s network of pipelines. With all modes of transportation coexisting in a compact space, Wallonia owes this rich heritage to various factors: its central position in western Europe, a dense network of waterways, a cross-border rail network, and transport nodes such as Liège Trilogiport and Liege Airport, the 5th biggest cargo airport in Europe and now a worldwide logistical hub.

Compagnie are on board

These Walloon features are drawing a crowd! On the ground, several companies – both Belgian and foreign – are making the most of this logistical ecosystem. For example, Alibaba has chosen Liege Airport to be their European base, in part due to its direct railway links with China. Meanwhile in Gembloux, GSK just inaugurated a giant, highly automated warehouse to stock their pharmaceutical products. Other players in the biologistics sector such as Q1 Scientific have chosen Wallonia to make the most of its reliable connections and to benefit from niche, regionspecific expertise in the medical, pharmaceutical and even biotech industries. In Christian W.’s opinion, “Wallonia’s logistical features are one of a kind in Europe: reasonable costs, abundant land, reliable infrastructure, and most of all, incredible adaptability.”

(Prescillia Tang, Logistics & E-commerce Business Developer at AWEX et Christian Wauthier, Senior Industry Specialist in Logistics at AWEX)

A european laboratory for multimodal and innovatie logistics ?

Multimodal logistics are no longer simply a matter of aligning different modes of transportation. It’s a booming industry, reinforced by digitisation, automation, artificial intelligence, and most of all, the need to reduce environmental impact. Spurred by various European directives, companies now expect increased mobility and sustainability.

“Logistics is all about managing transportation costs,” says Bernard P. “Given that 75 to 80% of transportation is done by road, the challenge is to combine solutions to make them economically attractive, relevant in terms of the desired modes of transportation, and with the lowest possible environmental impact.” In Wallonia, Logistics in Wallonia supports these transitions through programmes like Lean&Green Europe and MultiModal Wallonia. “Our job is to boost innovation by supporting projects from companies working in collaboration with universities and research centres, such as autonomous navigation. We work with companies to help them reduce their supply chain CO2 emissions by at least 20% over 5 years at most, all while focusing on the multimodal perspective and sustainable logistics.”

Christian W. adds: “No company will change their mode of transportation unless it’s reliable, flexible, and economically feasible. The next challenge will be the modal shift. In other words, making a swift transition from trucks to freight trains or waterways. When will this shift happen? How much time will it take? Nobody knows, but Wallonia is primed to welcome it.”

Technical innovation is also making its mark on the landscape, with new tech such as AI, real-time traceability, automation, digital twins, and more. At the same time, Wallonia needs to assert itself more as an international logistics hub. “We have all the ingredients for it right here,” says Christian W. However, the workforce, particularly waterway and rail sectors, highlights a need to invest in training and in making the sector more appealing.

An industrial opportunity

The resurgence of interest in European industrial sovereignty has opened some doors for Wallonia. “In the future, the region could also benefit from the growing importance of military mobility, which is already pushing us to modernise certain aspects of the rail infrastructure, which will potentially benefit civilian freight trains too,” says Bernard P. What’s more, there is land to be used, wasteland to be rehabilitated, and infrastructure to be overhauled.

With a quadruple network, available land, reliable infrastructure, manageable costs and high-potential hubs, Wallonia has all the ingredients needed to bolster its position as a logistical and strategic hub in Europe. It has the capacity to take on the modal shift as well as technological evolutions, all while limiting the environmental impact. All this, according to Bernard P., on the condition that we have “a coherent and ambitious shared vision”, and provided we want to use multimodal logistics as a tool for economic, environmental and territorial development.

Trilogiport sets the example

The Autonomous Port of Liège is the biggest in Belgium and the 3rd biggest in Europe, sharing the vision of a quadrimodal network with Namur, la Louvière and Charleroi. Liège Trilogiport, one of the 33 port areas managed by the Autonomous Port of Liège and dedicated entirely to logistics, is one of the most emblematic projects of the Walloon multimodal strategy.

Linked to the biggest seaports via waterways (Antwerp, Zeebruges, Rotterdam, Dunkirk), connected to both rail and road, and with air access provided by the nearby Liege Airport, it is the embodiment of integrated, sustainable and accessible logistics. “Our competitive edge is direct, onsite association between the multimodal terminal and the logistics areas equipped with next-generation warehouses, to cater to Europe-wide distribution needs,” says Hélène T. “On top of this, our site is fully equipped for loading, unloading, stocking and handling all kinds of products.”

Companies such as DPW Liege Container Terminals, which manages the container terminal for this multimodal port, as well as WDP, Jost Group and Weerts Supply Chain, benefit from “a complete, modular and sustainable logistical offering, with robust public land management, a high-quality policy, and joint governance.” Hélène T. elaborates: “We create the ideal conditions for success for private operators who share this sustainable, integrated vision.”

The Autonomous Port of Liège is also taking a proactive approach towards digitalising transport streams, as well raising awareness among companies regarding the use of waterways and railways. It is also calling on Walloon authorities to refurbish industrial wasteland in order to attract new investors.

WAB Magazine