^{By Alexandra Herdman, senior policy manager, Logistics UK}

As the UK accelerates towards its net zero goals, logistics businesses are navigating both opportunity and uncertainty. Decarbonisation is no longer an abstract ambition; it is reshaping customer expectations, investment decisions, the regulatory landscape, and the long-term competitiveness of UK supply chains. However, the national conversation too often focuses narrowly on road transport. 
 
Road freight is critical, moving around 80 per cent of domestic goods by volume, but the UK cannot reach net zero by concentrating on a single mode. As an island nation dependent on global trade, the logistics network is inherently multimodal. Maritime, aviation, rail and road each play indispensable and interconnected roles. Failing to support decarbonisation across all modes risks inefficiencies and bottlenecks that ultimately limit overall emissions reductions. 
 
The UK’s freight story begins and ends at its ports and airports. Maritime moves around 95 per cent of imported and exported goods by volume; air freight supports time-critical and high-value trade; rail provides efficient long-distance transport; and road logistics connects the entire network. 
 
For decades, policy and investment strategies have treated these modes separately. However, emissions do not respect modal boundaries. A sustainable supply chain is one where energy transitions are coordinated: where cleaner vessels link with decarbonising ports, where low carbon aviation fuels integrate into airport operations, and where rail freight terminals connect seamlessly with electrified road fleets. 
 
This is why Logistics UK continues to advocate for a holistic, whole-system approach. A decarbonised logistics future depends on every mode moving in tandem, not isolation. 
 
Progress is already under way across all transport modes. Maritime operators are beginning to trial vessels that are ready to run on methanol and ammonia, while airlines are starting to scale up their use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Rail freight companies are testing new forms of alternative traction alongside digital optimisation technologies. At the same time, ports and airports are deploying energy efficient equipment and smart grid solutions to reduce emissions and improve resilience. Road operators are also moving ahead, electrifying fleets and trialling hydrogen and renewable fuels to support the transition. 
 
However, shared challenges remain. Long asset lifecycles mean that vessels operating for 25–30 years, locomotives for 30–40 years, and aircraft often well beyond 25 years can significantly slow the uptake of new technology, making early and consistent policy clarity crucial. These long lifespans also interact with high capital costs, as emerging solutions - from methanol-ready vessels to hydrogen locomotives - require substantial upfront investment, and adoption will lag without mechanisms to de-risk early deployment.
 
At the same time, operators face uncertainty over future energy pathways and need confidence that the fuels or technologies they choose will remain viable, underlining the importance of predictable policy frameworks and robust infrastructure planning. This challenge is compounded by current infrastructure gaps, with cleaner fuels, electrification, SAF production and hydrogen distribution all needing investment and expansion to reach the scale required for a successful transition. 
 
To address these challenges, the UK needs a sustained programme of innovation funding and real-world trials, enabling technologies to be proven in operational settings and accelerating commercial readiness. The success of zero emission HGV demonstrators like the government’s road freight focused ZEHID programme illustrates what is possible when targeted funding is applied. Other modes now need equivalent commitment. 
 
Decarbonising multimodal logistics is complex, but it also presents one of the UK’s most significant opportunities. A cleaner logistics system strengthens national resilience, reduces long-term operating costs, enhances competitiveness and meets growing expectations from customers and investors. 
 
Logistics UK stands ready to work with operators, government and innovators to deliver the next phase of the UK’s low carbon logistics transition. By taking a whole-system approach - one that embraces all modes, supports technology choice and recognises the realities of long asset lives - the UK can build a logistics network that is cleaner, more resilient and fit for the future.