France rail freight: loaded intermodal units
France rail freight: loaded intermodal units stood at 2,346.75 thousand TEU 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 2016 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rail freight by type of goods | |||||||||||
| Loaded intermodal transport units in combined transport | 2,346.75 | 1,698.11 | 1,490.84 | 1,807.03 | 1,695.57 | 1,580.77 | 1,633.11 | 1,527.61 | 1,677.99 | 1,650.64 | |
| Tonnes transported, total | 80.43 | 78.82 | 75.83 | 88.73 | 93.87 | 82.22 | 90.21 | 87.86 | 97.82 | 95.91 |
Understanding france rail freight: loaded intermodal units
The physical count of loaded intermodal transport units utilized within combined rail freight operations is tallied here in thousand twenty-foot equivalent units. This metric measures containerized throughput capacity moving across the rail network, distinguishing actual cargo-carrying units from empty positioning runs and non-containerized bulk freight. It complements distance-weighted performance indicators by providing a direct count of standardized shipping containers and swap bodies.
Interpreting annual counts requires tracking developments in maritime port throughput and inland terminal logistics hubs. Analysts should focus on year-on-year comparisons to smooth out seasonal fluctuations driven by retail inventory cycles. Comparing this unit count directly with tonnage or tonne-kilometre measures can be misleading, as container weight varies significantly regardless of TEU dimensions.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a twenty-foot equivalent unit represent in this context?
- A standard measure used to quantify the capacity of intermodal shipping containers loaded onto rail wagons.
- Are empty containers included in this loaded intermodal count?
- No, this series strictly counts units carrying active commercial cargo payloads.
- Why is this measure reported in thousand TEU rather than weight?
- It reflects physical box handling capacity and intermodal terminal activity rather than cargo mass.