Cargo crime costs the global logistics industry an estimated $40 billion every year. In the EU alone, losses reach up to €8.3 billion annually, according to a European Parliament study. The methods behind these crimes have also moved well beyond opportunistic theft. Organised criminal groups now use fake carrier profiles, identity fraud and fabricated documentation to obtain loads without breaking into a vehicle or warehouse. The vulnerability they target is often the same: trust based on claims that cannot be checked quickly enough.
The Certified Carrier Exchange, launched by TAPA EMEA and Trans.eu Group, is intended as a direct response to that gap. The platform restricts access to carriers whose TAPA TSR security certification is verified automatically in real time, rather than self-declared, creating what the two organisations describe as a “double-locked environment” for freight transactions.
The formal launch is scheduled for 1 July 2026, with early access registration already open.
Certified carriers only
The new service operates as a closed environment inside the Trans.eu platform, under its full name the Certified Carrier Exchange – Powered by TAPA EMEA Standards & Intelligence. Access is limited to carriers holding a valid TAPA TSR 1, TSR 2 or TSR 3 certificate, verified continuously against TAPA’s database rather than submitted once at registration.
“These certifications are not just claimed; they are controlled, maintained, and managed under TAPA’s strict compliance framework,” said Thorsten Neumann, President and CEO of TAPA EMEA. “This is how we are significantly reducing uncertainty and eliminating one of the biggest risks in logistics: relying on information that cannot be trusted.”
The platform is designed to reduce the need for lengthy manual checks when arranging higher-risk or higher-value shipments. Shippers and freight forwarders, including those that are not TAPA members, will be able to use the exchange to find certified capacity without weeks of security vetting.
For TSR-certified carriers, the exchange offers access to freight that would often move through closed or restricted networks, where additional security requirements apply.
What TAPA TSR means
TAPA TSR certification is not a self-registration process. Carriers must pass an independent audit against TAPA’s Trucking Security Requirements standard before receiving a certificate and must maintain compliance to keep it.
There are three levels (TSR 1, TSR 2, and TSR 3) that reflect different security requirements.
TAPA EMEA is a not-for-profit industry association focused on cargo security standards, intelligence and supply chain resilience. Its membership includes manufacturers, logistics companies, transport providers, insurers, security companies, parking operators and law enforcement agencies. Alongside TSR, it operates three further certifiable standards: Facility Security Requirements, Parking Security Requirements and a Cyber Security Standard.
For Trans.eu, the partnership embeds certified security directly within its freight exchange infrastructure. The platform currently serves more than 44,000 vetted companies across Europe and processes over 11 million load offers per month.
“The freight industry has been asking for a modern exchange that embeds security in every step of the process,” said Ewa Węgorkiewicz, Chief Operating Officer at Trans.eu Group. “The Certified Carrier Exchange is proof that speed and security are not a trade-off, but a single, engineered outcome.”
The Certified Carrier Exchange will use Trans.eu’s existing transaction infrastructure, allowing users to move from load offer to confirmed transport order within the same platform.
