By Maria Kalamatas | May 9, 2025
Hamburg, GERMANY —
In logistics, knowing what’s happening in your network is valuable. But in 2025, knowing what will happen — and reacting before it does — has become a competitive necessity. That’s where digital twins, long considered a futuristic luxury, are stepping firmly into the real world of freight.
“We’re simulating disruptions before they hit,” said Henrik Lindholm, Director of Innovation at NorthPort Logistics. “And adjusting our operations in hours, not days.”
Virtual freight networks come to life
A digital twin is a real-time virtual model of a physical system — in this case, a freight operation. It reflects current volumes, shipment statuses, infrastructure limits, labor availability, and environmental conditions. In 2025, these models are no longer just dashboards. They’ve become decision engines.
Lindholm’s team uses a twin of their intermodal hub in Lübeck. It syncs data from WMS, port terminals, truck GPS feeds, and rail ETAs to model how delays or bottlenecks will impact downstream links.
“It’s like air traffic control, but for freight,” he explained.
From reactive to proactive planning
Until recently, most freight decisions were reactionary — based on yesterday’s data. But with cloud-powered twins fed by IoT devices and transport APIs, logistics teams are now running “what-if” scenarios in real time.
In April, one NorthPort client avoided a demurrage penalty of €18,000 after a simulation flagged a vessel delay that would have blocked cross-dock operations. The team rerouted two containers by rail before the ship even docked.
Investment is shifting
According to a 2025 survey by TransInsight Europe, 39% of medium-to-large 3PLs are now investing in digital twin infrastructure — up from just 14% in 2022.
The biggest driver? Predictability. In an industry rocked by global shocks, being able to visualize ripple effects before they happen is now seen as the next evolution of supply chain resilience.
“It’s not AI versus people,” Lindholm said. “It’s people making smarter calls because they see the future unfolding.”
Beyond visibility: orchestration
Companies like CargoFlux and TwinOps Logistics now offer off-the-shelf digital twin platforms that integrate with standard TMS and ERP software. The goal isn’t just visibility — it’s orchestration: the ability to adjust, reschedule, or reallocate resources before disruptions snowball.
Fleets are using twins to pre-position chassis, ports to reschedule slot windows, and warehouses to adapt labor shifts — all before the actual problem arrives.
Conclusion
In 2025, logistics leaders aren’t waiting for disruption — they’re modeling it. Digital twins are no longer a tech trend — they’re a strategic tool, helping supply chain professionals trade uncertainty for insight. And that makes all the difference.
