France cabotage road freight: tonnes
France cabotage road freight: tonnes stood at 3,322 thousand tonnes in 2025, according to SDES – Service des données et études statistiques (Ministère de la Transition écologique). It is one of the indicators in the Freight transport (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1999 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Freight transport (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total road freight transport | 1,558,467 | 1,548,138 | 1,545,239 | 1,631,139 | 1,648,948 | 1,508,016 | 1,634,946 | 1,619,364 | 1,714,292 | 1,727,611 | |
| International transport | 43,769 | 43,259 | 40,299 | 43,952 | 42,357 | 38,807 | 39,186 | 43,295 | 43,471 | 41,582 | |
| Cabotage | 3,322 | 3,020 | 3,180 | 3,504 | 4,132 | 3,216 | 2,098 | 2,664 | 1,864 | 1,989 |
Understanding france cabotage road freight: tonnes
National haulage operators performing transport services entirely within a foreign country's borders are measured in this thousand tonnes series. This distinct category isolates cabotage operations, where a carrier picks up and delivers goods inside a host nation where they are not registered. It differs from cross-trade by remaining confined within a single foreign state rather than traversing international frontiers.
Interpreting cabotage data demands close attention to regulatory quotas and European Union transport directives governing foreign carrier access. These volumes are typically small relative to domestic totals, reflecting strict legal limitations on foreign transport operations. Analysts monitor this series to assess how domestic trucking companies penetrate specific foreign regional markets under complex regulatory frameworks.
Frequently asked questions
- What is road freight cabotage?
- Cabotage refers to national transport services provided within a host country by a carrier registered in a different country.
- Are domestic carriers allowed to perform cabotage freely?
- Operations are strictly regulated by international quotas and legal limits set by host jurisdictions.
- How does cabotage differ from cross-trade?
- Cabotage takes place entirely within one foreign country, whereas cross-trade involves crossing an international border between two foreign states.