Serbia’s Logistics Industry Shifts Toward Digital Trade and Integrated Supply Chain Services

Serbia’s freight forwarding and logistics industry is undergoing a structural transformation as service providers expand beyond traditional road transport and customs brokerage into digitally enabled supply chain management, intermodal transport, warehousing and trade-compliance services. Rising international trade volumes, regulatory reforms, infrastructure investment and e-commerce growth are reshaping the market while creating new opportunities across logistics, distribution and freight management.

According to IBISWorld, Serbia’s freight forwarding and customs agency industry is expected to reach approximately €3.4 billion in 2026, representing annual revenue growth of 14.4%. The country’s road freight transport market is projected at roughly €2.4 billion in the same year and remains highly fragmented, with no single operator controlling more than 5% of market share. Although considerably smaller, Serbia’s rail freight market is forecast to reach approximately €209 million in 2026 and is becoming increasingly important for intermodal transport development.

Trade Activity Underpins Logistics Demand

External trade continues to drive logistics demand across Serbia. Total merchandise trade reached €74.93 billion in 2025, including €33.07 billion in exports and €41.86 billion in imports. EU member states accounted for 58.3% of total trade, while commerce with CEFTA countries generated a Serbian trade surplus of nearly €2.96 billion.

The scale of international trade places increased importance on customs efficiency, border processing, warehouse availability, trucking capacity and document management, all of which directly affect manufacturers, exporters, importers, retailers and regional distribution businesses.

Freight transport volumes indicate an industry evolving through operational changes rather than rapid expansion. During the first half of 2025, Serbia transported 22.28 million tonnes of cargo, broadly unchanged from the previous year, while freight activity measured in tonne-kilometres increased 2.0% to 7.35 billion.

Road transport remained the dominant mode with 11.09 million tonnes moved, representing growth of 0.8%, although road tonne-kilometres declined 1.0%, indicating changing route economics or haul characteristics. Rail freight volumes decreased 12.5%, while inland waterway transport recorded stronger performance, with cargo volumes increasing 5.9% and tonne-kilometres rising 37.4%, reflecting greater utilisation of the Danube transport corridor.

Digitalisation and Compliance Reshape Logistics Services

Operating conditions remain challenging for trucking companies because of fuel prices, labour costs, vehicle financing, driver shortages, tolls, maintenance expenses, border delays and compliance requirements linked to EU transport standards.

The European Commission considers Serbia largely aligned with European road transport legislation but has identified additional priorities including improved road maintenance financing, wider implementation of smart tachographs, more efficient border-crossing procedures and expanded Green Lane initiatives.

These pressures are increasing demand for logistics providers capable of managing customs formalities, warehouse operations, border risks, multimodal transport solutions, insurance, returns processing, electronic documentation and delivery coordination rather than providing only freight brokerage services.

A significant regulatory milestone is the implementation of Serbia’s e-Otpremnica electronic dispatch note system. Initial mandatory application began on 1 January 2026 for the public sector, public-sector transactions and excise goods, while mandatory business-to-business implementation across the private sector is scheduled for 1 October 2027.

The electronic system is intended to accelerate logistics procedures, reduce paper documentation, strengthen inspection oversight and integrate freight movements with fiscal documentation. For logistics operators, the reform increases the importance of digital dispatch records, electronic document exchange, invoice verification and audit capabilities.

Customs Modernisation and Border Initiatives

Serbia participates in both the Common Transit Convention and the PEM Convention, while its customs legislation has largely been harmonised with EU rules.

The European Commission has nevertheless identified areas requiring additional progress, including enhanced customs risk management, stronger pre-arrival and pre-departure analysis, improved customs laboratory capacity and the removal of certain terminal charges that are inconsistent with the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

Serbia had issued 66 Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certificates, providing a foundation for trusted trade operators although the system remains short of a fully frictionless trading environment.

Cross-border efficiency is also receiving greater attention through Green Lane initiatives. In March 2026, Serbia and Bulgaria signed a memorandum providing for electronic exchange of customs data before cargo reaches border crossings, enabling advance risk assessments and customs preparation. Green Lane cooperation between Serbia and Hungary has also been expanded, increasing the commercial importance of accurate pre-arrival documentation and customs preparation.

Intermodal Infrastructure Expands

Intermodal transport is emerging as one of the logistics sector’s principal growth areas despite road freight maintaining its dominant position.

The Batajnica terminal near Belgrade is becoming a key logistics hub. MSC launched an intermodal rail service linking Batajnica with the Port of Trieste in October 2025, serving cargo including automotive components, machinery, ores, packaging materials and consumer goods.

In June 2026, Rail Cargo Group and Transfera introduced a twice-weekly Belgrade–Budapest intermodal connection linking the BILK terminal in Budapest with Batajnica, providing additional transport options for containerised imports, exports and port-related freight.

Despite this progress, the European Commission continues to identify implementation challenges including project delays, infrastructure maintenance, administrative capacity, incomplete alignment with the Fourth Railway Package, interoperability issues and the need to fully operationalise customs services at the Batajnica terminal. These conditions favour logistics companies capable of integrating rail transport with road distribution, customs processing, warehousing and port operations into unified service offerings.

Warehouse Investment Supports Distribution Growth

Industrial and logistics real estate continues to expand around Belgrade, Vojvodina and major motorway corridors. During the first quarter of 2025, Serbia’s stock of modern Class A industrial and logistics space exceeded 1.2 million square metres. Net take-up reached 52,450 square metres, prime rental levels were approximately €5 per square metre per month, and vacancy stood at 6.5%.

Demand has been generated by third-party logistics providers, fast-moving consumer goods companies, automotive suppliers, pharmaceutical businesses, electronics distributors, e-commerce operators and regional inventory management activities. This expansion is reinforcing demand for integrated third-party logistics platforms offering bonded warehouses, customs warehousing, temperature-controlled storage, fulfilment services, cross-docking, inventory management, labelling, returns processing and delivery planning.

Industrial zones in Belgrade, Šimanovci, Pećinci, Stara Pazova, Dobanovci, Novi Banovci, Novi Sad, Subotica, Niš and Kragujevac are increasingly functioning as logistics hubs alongside their industrial roles.

E-commerce Drives Parcel Logistics

Online retail continues to reshape Serbia’s logistics industry. Consumers completed 110.6 million online purchases using payment cards and electronic money during 2025, representing annual growth of 34.3%, while the number of domestic online stores increased to 5,632.

Postal industry data show letter mail volumes declined 10.4% during the first half of 2025, whereas parcel services expanded 22.9%, increasing demand for fulfilment centres, parcel lockers, rapid delivery services, payment reconciliation, returns management and marketplace logistics. As order volumes increase, smaller online retailers are increasingly outsourcing fulfilment operations, inventory management, packaging, returns processing and carrier administration to specialised logistics providers.

Specialised Logistics Segments Gain Importance

Temperature-controlled logistics is becoming a higher-value market segment covering food products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, vaccines, veterinary products, chemicals and excise goods requiring enhanced documentation, traceability and regulatory compliance.

Project cargo is also generating demand as investment continues across Serbia’s energy, mining, transport, construction and industrial sectors. Renewable energy developments, transformer stations, wind turbine equipment, industrial machinery, railway projects and infrastructure construction require specialised heavy transport, route planning, permits, customs coordination, cranes and site delivery management.

The Danube waterway also presents opportunities for transporting bulk commodities including agricultural products, fuels, metals and construction materials. While inland waterways remain more specialised than road transport, strong growth in tonne-kilometres demonstrates increasing commercial use where cargo characteristics and transport economics favour river shipping.

Market Challenges and Growth Areas

The sector continues to face risks including border delays, shortages of professional drivers, rail network reliability, fragmented carrier capacity, uneven digital adoption among smaller businesses, payment delays, subcontracting complexity and dependence on international transport regulations.

Truck driver protests during early 2026 over EU entry and stay regulations disrupted regional transport operations and highlighted the vulnerability of supply chains to changes in labour mobility and border policies.

The strongest business opportunities between 2026 and 2028 are expected in customs brokerage supported by AEO certification, e-Otpremnica integration, e-commerce fulfilment, returns management, cold-chain logistics, pharmaceutical distribution, automotive just-in-time supply chains, bonded warehousing, intermodal rail services through Batajnica, port-linked container logistics, project cargo, excise goods distribution, business-to-business logistics, control-tower freight management and compliance-focused fourth-party logistics services.

The evolution of Serbia’s logistics industry is expanding the role of service providers beyond transportation into integrated management of cargo, documentation, inventory, regulatory compliance, financial processes and multimodal freight movements, while road transport continues to remain the foundation of the country’s supply chain network.