16-18 March 2027Crocus Expo, Pavilion 3
Check out the findings and forecasts of leading experts in the logistics industry
The second day of TransRussia | SkladTech 2026 is over. Tomorrow is the last day of the exhibition at the Crocus Expo IEC, where 550+ companies in the transport, logistics and warehouse industries will present their services, solutions and equipment.
The business program of the second day turned out to be especially rich: 14 sessions, conferences and discussions were held on cargo transportation, digitalization, sanctions logistics, the development of international routes, unmanned vehicles and intralogistics. Below are the key topics and theses of the speeches.
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Open Dialogue: Railway vs Motor Transport: What Is the Choice of the Cargo Owner and Logistician Based On?
One of the first topics of the day was the ratio of rail and road transportation. Participants in the discussion, organized with the support of RZD-Partner magazine, agreed that these modes of transport do not so much compete as complement each other, and the choice is determined by the delivery leg, type of cargo, tariffs and service requirements.
The moderator of the session, Alexander Retyunin, Editor-in-Chief of RZD-Partner magazine, set the tone for the discussion, noting that road transport benefits from flexibility, while the railway faces infrastructure constraints. According to him, if the railway industry today solves the problem of extra wagons and throughput, then road carriers are tasked with finding additional cargo.
Developing the topic, Evgeny Orlovsky, Partner, Head of Transport and Logistics Practice at Technology of Trust, stressed that the railway is effective on long shoulders, and road transport on short ones. The most intense competition, according to his estimates, is concentrated at distances from 500 to 2200 km. Among the reasons for the decrease in loading on the railway, he called the slowdown in the economy, the growth of tariffs and the gap between the expectations of cargo owners for service and the real capabilities of the infrastructure. At the same time, the global trend, according to the speaker, is a gradual decrease in the share of rail transportation against the backdrop of demand for door-to-door delivery and an increase in the share of piece cargo.
Vadim Filatov, co-founder and deputy general director of PEC, also spoke about the complementarity of modes of transport. He noted that different cargoes require different logistics solutions: it is rational to transport bulk raw materials by rail, while expensive and time-sensitive products are transported by road. The expert also drew attention to the general decline in demand for transportation, a drop in tariffs and a decrease in the profitability of large transport companies to zero or negative values. Separately, he highlighted the increasing regulatory pressure - from the register of freight forwarders to the launch of an electronic waybill.
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Alevtina Kirillova, General Director of the Eurasian Logistics Autonomous Non-Profit Organization for Assistance in the Development of Agro-Industrial Activities of the Eurasian Agroexpress Project, spoke about the prospects for multimodal chains and new export destinations. According to her, the railway remains the basic tool for the transportation of bulk cargo, while the service and multimodal components are largely provided by road carriers. Among the most promising destinations, she singled out South and Southeast Asia, including China, Iran and the UAE. At the same time, according to her estimates, the increase in tariffs in 2026 has reduced the competitiveness of rail transportation, and the presence of Chinese logistics companies in the Russian market continues to strengthen.
The importance of railway infrastructure for Russia's international competitiveness was emphasized by Vladimir Gerus, Deputy General Director of LOGOPER. He noted that with a decrease in freight turnover, the fleet of cars continues to grow, and an increase in the turnover of a car even for one day means a significant increase in the need for rolling stock. He called the main advantage of Russian logistics multimodality and the ability to build door-to-door delivery. The speaker paid special attention to the development of the company in the direction of Kazakhstan.
Discussion session: air cargo transportation: from challenges to growth points
Another important topic of the day was the state of the air cargo market, which in Russia is developing in more difficult conditions than the world one. The participants discussed the role of aviation in servicing e-commerce, regions with limited transport accessibility and the supply of urgent and high-margin cargo.
Opening the discussion, organized with the support of Moscow Cargo Sheremetyevo, Georgy Bautin, head of the working group on improving legislation and removing administrative barriers in order to implement the action plan ("road map") of the Aeronet National Technology Initiative, called cargo aviation "blood vessels" for the dynamically growing e-commerce market. The expert noted that in Russia, the domestic and international air transportation market is in a negative trend: domestic flights decreased by 8%, international ones - by 11%. Although, in general, the global market for air transportation in 2025 is growing.
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The topic of restrictions on the global aviation market was touched upon by Natalia Sukhova, pointing to the growing demand for air travel in general. At the same time, she called the large-scale shortage of aircraft one of the key problems: according to her estimates, from 2019 to 2025, the volume of underdeliveries reached 5000 units. This limits the industry's ability to expand carrying capacity.
A more optimistic view was presented by Ilya Yaroslavtsev, CEO of S7 Cargo. He noted the growth of global cargo traffic in 2025 and stressed that e-commerce remains a key driver of demand. According to him, in 2026, the market will develop under the influence of rising costs, a shift in domestic cargo flows to Siberia and the Far East, as well as a likely increase in international volumes due to foreign carriers. Separately, the speaker emphasized the importance of digitalization and the gradual transition of the industry to electronic transportation documents.
The regional aspect of the industry development was revealed in detail by Ivan Shakirov, Vice President for Cargo Transportation of UTair Airlines PJSC. He noted the growth of the regional international network over the past five years, but drew attention to the fact that the cargo segment still remains in the shadow of passenger programs for the development of airports. According to him, regional carriers are able to compete with the capital's carriers due to less congestion, but they are inferior in the level of service and the possibilities of multimodal integration. As one of the solutions, the speaker proposed to form a single product of airlines and cargo terminals, focused on the specific needs of customers.
Discussion session: logistics under sanctions. Let's forget about theory, discuss actions
A session supported by ACEX was devoted to a practical analysis of work under restrictions. The focus was on the restructuring of routes, payment infrastructure, secondary sanctions and business adaptation to protracted instability.
The moderator of the discussion, Dmitry Nikulin, Director of Supercharter, noted that the market has been living in a state of global transformation for several years, and one cannot count on a quick return to the previous conditions. According to him, delivery is increasingly moving away from globalized schemes, and the main restrictions for aviation logistics remain the shortage of cargo capacity, lack of aircraft, difficulties with equipment maintenance and obtaining permits. Among the key areas of cargo traffic, he singled out China and East Asia. According to the speaker's forecast, in 2026-2027, instability will continue, and rates will remain at the usual high level.
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A systematic view of the change in foreign trade was presented by Georgy Vlastopulo, the founder of Optimalog. He noted a further turn in exports and imports towards Asia, increased control by near-circuit countries and increased pressure through compliance and traceability tools. Among the key challenges of 2026, he named the recession, the strengthening of digital control and the tightening of regulation of freight forwarding. In response, in his opinion, companies need to build backup payment and logistics circuits, regularly recalculate unit economics and accelerate digitalization. Separately, the speaker stressed that AI is already able to increase efficiency in sales, analytics, and operational processes.
Final Strategic Session: "Freight Transportation and Logistics Market of the Russian Federation 2026: In Search of Internal Reserves"
The final strategic session of the Conference, with the support of the National Union of Experts in the Field of Transport and Logistics, was devoted to the search for internal sources of growth in the context of a slowdown in the market, high cost of money and structural transformation of foreign trade.
The moderator of the session, Alexander Ovanesov, Managing Partner of Arthur Consulting, noted that China remains the main trading partner, although after a period of sharp growth, the market is moving to stabilize. Among the main challenges of the industry, according to surveys, he singled out rising costs against the backdrop of a high key rate and geopolitical tensions.
Natalia Ivannikova, Deputy Commercial Director of FESCO Integrated Transport, spoke about the situation in container rail logistics. According to her, in 2025, the Russian container market decreased by 5.3%, while the segment of domestic transportation also decreased. China is still the main driver of routes, but its role is gradually changing. Among the factors affecting the market, she singled out digitalization, increased regulation, a decrease in the load of the Russian Railways network, expensive money and changes in the structure of supplies.
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From the point of view of a large cargo owner, the situation was described by Kirill Kuzmenko, Managing Director of X5 Transport. He noted that the first half of 2025 was comfortable for customers of logistics services due to lower prices, but then some carriers faced financial difficulties, up to bankruptcies and the return of equipment to leasing companies. By the end of the year, the market had come to a more stable balance of supply and demand. Among further trends, the speaker named the consolidation of carriers, regulatory pressure and a decrease in consumer demand.
The macroeconomic context was set by Natalia Orlova, Chief Economist at Alfa Bank. She noted that 2025 was a period of slowdown in growth after the economy overheated, and 2026 could be marked by an investment pause. According to her forecast, demand from the population will remain positive, but business is increasingly concerned about the solvency of the end consumer. The speaker also pointed to a gradual reduction in the key rate, but warned that this would not automatically lead to an equally rapid reduction in the cost of loans. In general, according to her estimates, the market will be characterized by high competition and pressure on margins.
A practical view from the side of e-commerce was presented by Alexey Shiryaev, Director for Transport Infrastructure Development at Ozon. He called 2025 a difficult year for carriers due to a sharp drop in rates and high volatility, which affected the stability of partners and the availability of equipment. According to him, the market continues to reduce the number of players, and work in the "gray zone" is becoming less and less viable. In these conditions, companies are forced to revise approaches to transportation management and develop their own digital platforms.
2nd CHINA BUSINESS OUTREACH FORUM
A separate block of the second day was devoted to Russian-Chinese cooperation. The participants of the forum, organized jointly with the CCTT, discussed the expansion of land and sea routes, the development of service infrastructure, digitalization and new formats of customer support.
Vivian Yu, CEO of Ningbo GH Forwarding Co. Ltd., spoke about long-term work in the Russian market. She stressed that the company has been present in Russia for 25 years and in the current conditions is expanding the range of services - from sea transportation and container fleet to payment services and deferred payments. According to her, further development should be based on a "platform of trust" between Russian and Chinese partners.
A look at infrastructure development was presented by Sky Yang, Senior Expert at China-Intelligence Supply Chain Think Tank. She spoke about plans to create 100 service stations in key cities of the macro-region by 2029, including Moscow. The organization pays special attention to the development of Russian-Chinese transport corridors and the integration of resources within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Dong Wanxu, General Director of Beijing Trans Logistics Ltd, spoke about the digitalization of work processes. At the same time, business localization remains an important part of the strategy: despite the international scale of its activities, the company's work in Russia is based on the local market and Russian-language communication.
The development of land routes and the service model was revealed by Maxim Bukhanov, General Director of FESCO Central Asia. He noted that the company continues to expand ground logistics, develop assets and strengthen its presence in China and Central Asian countries. In the context of rising sea rates and overloading of border crossings, FESCO is reorienting cargo flows and relying on the speed, safety and predictability of service, declaring 2026 the "Year of the Customer".
The international transit context was set by Lin Beiran, Chairman of the International Rail Express Freight Alliance (IFREA). He noted that disruptions on global sea routes have increased interest in rail services, and the volume of traffic on the China-Europe route has grown significantly in 2025. According to him, the focus is now on a single international bill of lading and the development of alternative southern corridors to reduce dependence on congested border crossings.
Panel session "Digital Transformation of Logistics: Trends, Challenges, Solutions"
The digital agenda became one of the central topics of the second day. The participants of the panel session discussed how the priorities of the industry are changing: from technological experiments to solutions with a quick and measurable economic effect.
The moderator of the discussion, Anton Kurash, an industry expert, noted that 2026 could be a turning point for the digital transformation of logistics. According to him, it is now that major projects are being launched, the state digital infrastructure is being developed - from GOSLOG and EPD to navigation seals - and the role of Russian software and unmanned vehicles is growing. Strategies, he stressed, should be based on simplification, improvement and anticipation.
An overview of global technology trends was presented by Olga Vasilyeva, Project Manager of the Industry and Technology Practice at Strategy Partners. Among the key areas, she singled out agent-based artificial intelligence, robotization of warehouses, the development of unmanned vehicles and the transition from pilots to digital twins. According to her, the Russian market in a number of segments, in particular in unmanned logistics, is already showing development rates above the world average.
Natalia Yurkina, Director of the Digital Transformation Department of Russian Railways Logistics, spoke about the transition of technologies from the experimental phase to real processes. She called 2026 the point of reaching a technological plateau, when businesses do not need demonstration projects, but a quick economic effect. Among the most promising tools, she singled out digital twins, AI, cargo condition sensors, blockchain and robotization.
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A practical port case was presented by Anton Popov, Deputy IT Director for the Far East Region and CIO of VMTP FESCO. He spoke about the Smart Port program, which includes systems for reading data from containers, video analytics, machine vision and IoT telemetry. The speaker's main thesis is that digitalization makes sense only when it directly increases the efficiency of operations.
The topic of automation of multimodal centers was continued by Vitaly Potapov, Deputy General Director of LOGOPER. He spoke about the development of a network of transport and logistics centers and the introduction of crane technology with integration into the control system at the Sibirsky TLC. According to him, this made it possible to drastically reduce human participation in transshipment operations and reduce the cost of handling containers.
A platform view of the market was presented by Sviatoslav Vilde, CEO and founder of ATI. SU. He spoke about the possibilities of analytics based on large data sets, including the ATI index. SU FTL RF, API of average rates and the "Profitable Directions" service. According to him, it is the mathematical processing of data that is becoming one of the main advantages of modern logistics platforms.
The case of implementing a TMS system was presented by Sergey Pletnev, Logistics Director of Blago Group. He stressed that successful digitalization begins with an accurate diagnosis of business problems, and the TMS itself is not a "magic button". In the company, the project was accompanied by dozens of meetings, formalization of more than 100 business requirements and a detailed choice of solution, which ultimately made it possible to get a high user response and meet the budget better than the plan.
Anti-crisis session "Development cannot stop: where to put a comma in the investment issue?"
The discussion on digitalization continued with an anti-crisis session focused on the choice between investments in technology, processes and organizational efficiency.
The topic of hidden reserves of efficiency was revealed by Tom Shirinyan, CEO of Vezubr. According to him, the main potential today is not in direct, but in indirect costs - primarily in automation, the use of AI and reducing the labor intensity of processes. At the same time, he stressed that digitalization is possible only on the basis of high-quality data and a mature management system.
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Vladimir Ermakov, Head of Warehouse and Transport Logistics Automation at 1C, recalled the risk of "fading the effect" from the implementation of IT solutions. He noted that the initial effect decreases over time if the company does not develop processes, train staff and maintain the system. For small players, in his opinion, the way to implement ready-made solutions without deep customization may be more realistic.
Discussion session "Unmanned Road Transportation: From Experiments to Financial Efficiency"
At the end of the IT conference, the participants discussed how unmanned technologies are moving from experimental projects to commercial use. The session was moderated by Polina Davydova, Director of the Digital Transport and Logistics Association, the session was supported by the CTL.
Alexey Shilo, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, spoke about the state view on the topic. He noted the high interest of business in unmanned transportation and stressed that large-scale implementation requires the absence of a person in the cabin, reliable communication, a regulatory framework and the versatility of vehicles. According to him, the relevant law is planned to be adopted by the end of the year, and by 2028 the industry may reach full operation. At the same time, unmanned vehicles, as the speaker noted, are potentially safer than traditional ones.
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Samat Sattarov, General Director of National Carrier JSC (KAMAZ Group of Companies), spoke about the "hub to hub" model. He stressed that the real economic effect is achieved only with the complete exclusion of the driver from the cab. The company is testing highly automated cars on the Neva highway and records savings of about 15%, but scaling requires the restructuring of customer supply chains, the development of infrastructure, certification and cybersecurity.
The position of the technology company was presented by Andrey Kholodny, Head of the Automotive Platform Development Division at Yandex Autonomous Transport. He said that unmanned trucks are already used on commercial flights and can reduce the cost of transportation by 5-10% with an increase in mileage and disposal of vehicles. He called the high cost of platforms and the need for a stable regulatory environment the main challenges.
Concluding the discussion, Roman Zakharov, Deputy Director for Government Relations at X5, noted that the development of unmanned logistics is associated not only with the innovation agenda, but also with a shortage of labor resources. According to him, an early entry into this technology turned out to be strategically justified for the company. The general conclusion of the participants: unmanned transportation in Russia has already gone beyond experiments and demonstrates measurable economic efficiency.
Discussion session: the warehouse of the future will not stop. Why Safety = Efficiency
At the SkladTech Arena site, experts discussed how the security of warehouse infrastructure directly affects the performance and sustainability of the operating model.
Nikolay Dolgiy, Director of ALUTECH Group of Companies in the Russian Federation, spoke about the technological side of the issue. He noted that for the warehouse complex, safety is not only the protection of people from injury, but also the safety of goods, equipment and the continuity of operations. According to him, the failure of equipment in one dock area can paralyze a significant area of the warehouse and lead to the downtime of dozens of trucks. Among the important solutions, the speaker singled out gate fall protection systems, fireproof structures and high-speed gates that can automatically recover after being hit by equipment.
Vladimir Lykov, Commercial Director of EME, spoke about a systematic approach to the design of a modern warehouse. According to him, today the warehouse should be built not around a set of functions, but around business processes that combine people, robots and infrastructure in a single system. He noted the importance of a fault-tolerant architecture and spoke about a hybrid data storage model that provides both high speed and long-term stability. The speaker made a special emphasis on the fact that automation should maintain the continuity of warehouse operation even in the context of the transition to new IT platforms.
Case Battle "Robotization: Investment in Leadership or Unjustified Expenses?"
The participants considered the topic of robotization at the SkladTech Arena site through practical cases and the economics of implementation. The session was held with the support of the Robotics Consortium.
Igor Demin, First Deputy General Director of ANO FC BAS, noted that by 2030, robotization can provide an increase in labor productivity by 15%, and in trade, robots are potentially able to replace every seventh employee. At the same time, according to him, in logistics, robotization is already available at all stages of the chain, including the last mile.
Alexey Demchenko, Head of Business Development at EvoCargo, spoke about the applied model of autonomous logistics. He presented a service that includes an analysis of the client's needs, vehicle rental, route design and integration with the customer's IT systems. According to the company, the economic effect can appear in a month and reach 35% compared to the traditional transportation scheme.
Practical steps to prepare the warehouse for automation were outlined by Tatyana Kudryavtseva, a lecturer at the Institute of Transport and Logistics and the author of her own channel "Love.Business.Robots". She identified three basic conditions for the start of mobile robotization: a high-quality floor, stable Wi-Fi and good pallets. Before scaling, she says, it is necessary to create a simulation model that helps to avoid errors and save significant investments.
"Battle of Strategies: Invest in Technology or in People?"
Another topic of SkladTech Arena was the balance between internal competencies and external expertise in warehouse automation.
Oleg Tarasenko, Head of Strategic Change Development at Pyaterochka, noted that robotisation is relevant not only for large companies: if the warehouse is inefficient, it is worth considering automation regardless of the scale of the business. At the same time, according to him, competencies are needed to implement such projects, and in their absence, it is critically important to choose a strong integrator.
This idea was developed by Ivan Popov, Deputy General Director of the Russian Post. He stressed that the decision to create your own integration team depends on the size of the company and strategic goals. Large structures can develop such competencies internally, especially if they plan to bring services to the market in the future, but even when working with an external integrator, the customer needs his own expert who is able to evaluate the proposed solutions.
Smartseeds and JSC GLONASS will join forces in the development of navigation solutions and logistics for cargo transportation. Within the framework of the TransRussia 2026 exhibition, a cooperation agreement was signed between Smartseeds (part of Demetra-Holding) and GLONASS JSC, the operator of the ERA-GLONASS state information system.
The document enshrines the intentions of the parties to jointly develop information technologies, navigation and logistics solutions for the Russian cargo transportation market
TransRussia Exhibition | SkladTech 2026 continues to work on March 18 and 19. Ahead are two more days of business communications and discussions on the tasks and prospects of the transport and logistics industry.
