Following the transfer of SNCF’s freight transport activities to Rail Logistics Europe, the latter announced on 24 April 2024 a major restructuring of its intermodal operations, built around Naviland Cargo and Viia. The move aims to shape the intermodal offering into three complementary components: rail motorways (operated by Viia), maritime combined transport (managed by Naviland Cargo), and, from 2025 onwards, an enhanced focus on continental combined transport. This final segment represents a strategic area through which the group intends to further diversify its services.
The transformation project is founded on collaboration. Commercial teams will be able to offer a wide range of solutions—maritime, semi-trailer and continental—across an expanded European network developed in partnership with international operators. The goal is to provide a rail-based alternative that can rival road transport in terms of quality, flexibility and reliability.
A key element of this strategy is the establishment of joint management for the two companies, while preserving their legal and financial independence. The integration will be driven by reinforced operational synergies between Naviland Cargo and Viia, aligned with market needs and supported by a performance monitoring system with regular strategic adjustments. Management is expected to become more streamlined and responsive, with unified leadership capable of aligning key decisions and accelerating development across the entire division.
As of 1 April, Eric Champeyrol has taken on the role of CEO at Viia in addition to his current position at Naviland Cargo. Since 2017, Champeyrol has worked to integrate road transport and digital services within Naviland Cargo, making the shift to rail easier for customers. His experience now serves the entire division, with the aim of applying this approach on a broader scale. Overseeing the whole transformation will be Bénédicte Colin, chair of Viia and Naviland Cargo, who will lead the process with a structured and progressive approach.
Rail Logistics Europe was established on 1 January 2021 as part of a broader transformation involving the entire French railway group. Prior to RLE’s creation, the group’s freight and logistics activities were organised under various names. Initially, in 2008, the freight arm of SNCF became SNCF Geodis, following the integration of Geodis. Within SNCF Geodis, freight and logistics activities were grouped under Transport Ferroviaire et Multimodal de Marchandises. Later, in 2015, SNCF Geodis was renamed SNCF Logistics.
The most significant transformation occurred following the reorganisation of SNCF and its subsidiaries into public limited companies. This restructuring led to the creation of Rail Logistics Europe, with the goal of bringing together all of the group’s rail freight and logistics operations under a single entity. A major development took place recently, on 1 January 2025, when, under the discontinuity plan imposed by the European Commission, Fret SNCF was split into two new companies: Hexafret, for rail freight transport in France, and Technis, for rolling stock maintenance.
Today, Rail Logistics Europe is structured as a group comprising six specialised companies, each with specific expertise in the logistics and rail transport sectors: Hexafret, Captrain, Forwardis, Naviland Cargo, Viia and Technis. The group employs around 9,000 people across ten European countries.
