Introduction 

Disruptions in multimodal transport networks – caused by low water levels, railway infrastructure failures, or extreme weather – can halt the flow of goods between terminals for days or weeks. When a barge or rail connection between two terminals is blocked, there is currently no standardised, digitally supported mechanism to reroute containerised freight
quickly and flexibly via road. This gap threatens the resilience of European supply chains and undermines the modal shift towards sustainable transport. Within the ReMuNet project, MANSIO GmbH addressed this challenge by developing digital handover protocols and a configurable mobile application prototype that enable secure, traceable truck-to-truck relay transport as an alternative routing option. The result provides a practical tool for bridging
disrupted multimodal connections, integrating local road carriers and SMEs into larger transport ecosystems, and significantly reducing rerouting time and administrative overhead.

MANSIO’s contribution to ReMuNet

European multimodal freight corridors rely on the seamless interplay of rail, inland waterway, and road transport. When a link in this chain breaks, affected cargo must be rerouted – often at short notice and under significant time pressure. Terminal operators, freight forwarders, and carriers face several challenges in these situations: the lack of standardised digital processes for handing over intermodal loading units (containers, cranable semi-trailers) between ad-hoc road carriers; the difficulty of verifying equipment identity, documenting condition, and ensuring seal integrity during improvised transfers; and the absence of a lightweight, mobile-first tool that truck drivers – who may speak different languages and operate under strict time constraints – can use reliably in the field.
At the same time, the truck-to-truck relay transport concept, in which semi-trailers or containers are swapped between drivers at designated roadside handover stations, offers a proven logistics principle that can be activated rapidly. However, without a formal digital handover protocol, such transfers lack traceability and legal accountability – both of which are essential for insurance, compliance, and operational trust in a cross-company, cross-border setting.
The ReMuNet vision of synchro-modal relay transport on European rail, road, and inland waterways therefore requires not only intelligent disruption detection and rerouting algorithms, but also robust operational tools at the point of physical handover. This is where MANSIO’s contribution is positioned.

About MANSIO and Role in ReMuNet

MANSIO GmbH is a logistics software company based in Aachen, Germany. The company operates a cloud-based, AI-powered B2B transport matching platform that enables digitally supported, cross-company truck relay transport with trailer swapping for heavy-duty long-haul road freight. Within the ReMuNet consortium, MANSIO is responsible for developing digital handover protocols for multimodal relay transport.

The Challenge

The specific challenge addressed by MANSIO was to design and implement a digital handover protocol that works across three distinct operational scenarios: truck-to-truck relay handovers at roadside stations (public or private parking areas), truck-to-terminal gate-in processes (delivering a container or trailer to a terminal), and terminal-to-truck gate-out processes (picking up equipment from a terminal).
Each scenario involves different actors (truck drivers, terminal operators), different equipment types (40-foot containers on chassis, cranable semi-trailers), and different verification requirements (container number recognition, license plate verification, seal checks, ADR hazardous goods labelling, damage documentation). The protocol had to be
language-independent, usable on standard mobile devices, and fully integrable with the ReMuNet platform architecture via API. It also had to accommodate the time pressure inherent in terminal operations and the practical constraints faced by truck drivers on the road – including limited connectivity, varying literacy levels, and the need for fast, guided workflows.

The Solution: ReMuNet Handover App

MANSIO developed a configurable mobile application prototype that digitises the entire handover process for intermodal loading units. The app is designed as a lightweight, multilingual tool (currently supporting English, German, Polish, Russian, Romanian, and Bulgarian) that guides operational staff step by step through the handover workflow.

Key features of the handover app:

Secure login: Users authenticate either via email/password or through a transport-specific numeric access code linked to a particular rerouted tour. Access codes are generated by the MANSIO platform and distributed via the ReMuNet platform or directly to dispatchers.
Real-time tour details: After login, the driver sees all relevant information about the current rerouted tour – origin, destination, container number, tour number, ADR status, and attached documents – retrieved in real time via API from the ReMuNet platform.
Container and trailer verification: The app supports both automated photo-based recognition and manual entry of container numbers or license plates. The entered identifier is cross-checked against the transport data to confirm that the correct loading unit is being handed over.
Photo documentation: Mandatory photographic documentation from four angles (front, rear, left, right) creates a visual record of the equipment’s condition at the moment of handover.
Damage reporting: A structured damage report feature allows drivers to select damage categories (tyres, lights, tarpaulin, portal doors, brakes, tyre pressure, tarpaulin fastener, tarpaulin frame), add descriptions, and attach photos. ADR labelling discrepancies can also be reported.
Seal check: The app includes a seal verification function with photo upload and seal ID confirmation. For cranable semi-trailers, a seal cord check is integrated.
Proof of Delivery (POD): An optional POD upload function enables drivers to photograph and submit delivery documents digitally through the app.
Service case reporting: If issues arise during the tour, the driver can report a service case directly to MANSIO for immediate support.

System integration

The app communicates with the MANSIO platform as its backend. Rerouting requests originate from the ReMuNet platform, are processed by MANSIO’s matching algorithm, and the resulting tour information is transmitted to the handover app. After a successful handover, the digital protocol – containing verification data, photos, damage reports, and seal checks – is sent back to the MANSIO backend and forwarded to the ReMuNet platform, ensuring complete traceability within the overall logistics workflow.

Key Results and Next Steps

The ReMuNet handover app prototype has been successfully developed and tested for the two primary equipment types (40-foot containers and cranable semi-trailers) across all three handover scenarios. The entire roadside handover process, including digital protocol completion, can be performed in approximately 20 minutes. The configurable architecture of the app allows straightforward extension to additional loading unit types and handover
scenarios.
Key outcomes include: a standardised, language-independent digital handover process that replaces paper-based or ad-hoc procedures; full API integration with the ReMuNet platform for real-time data exchange; structured damage and seal documentation for insurance and compliance purposes; and a practical demonstration that truck-to-truck relay transport can serve as a viable disruption-bridging mechanism in multimodal networks.
Looking ahead, the relay transport logic and the handover app could be extended to direct barge-to-barge or train-to-train handover operations. MANSIO’s vision is to establish a Europe-wide network of certified handover stations and trusted carriers, leveraging the app as a core operational tool for resilient, cross-company multimodal freight transport.

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