cargo.one accelerates multimodal strategy with Cargofive deal
German logistics technology company cargo.one has acquired Spanish digital freight platform Cargofive, as it deploys a recently secured €17 million funding round to expand into fully multimodal logistics. The move positions cargo.one to go beyond its core air cargo marketplace and offer shippers and freight forwarders integrated access to ocean and other transport modes on a single digital interface.
From air cargo specialist to multimodal marketplace
Founded as a digital booking platform for air freight, cargo.one has built a global network of airlines and freight forwarders, digitising a traditionally offline, email-driven booking process. By adding Cargofive, which focuses on digitalising ocean freight rate management and quotations, the company is taking a significant step toward a unified, multimodal booking experience.
Cargofive brings technology that helps freight forwarders manage complex shipping rates, compare offers and generate quotes for customers in real time. Integrating these capabilities into the cargo.one platform is expected to give logistics providers a more comprehensive view of capacity and pricing across air and sea, and eventually rail and road.
€17 million backing to fuel product and market expansion
The acquisition is being supported by a new €17 million investment into cargo.one, earmarked for expanding its multimodal logistics capabilities, accelerating product development and deepening its presence in key global trade lanes. Investors are betting that digital freight marketplaces will continue to gain share as the logistics industry modernises and customers demand faster, more transparent pricing.
Industry analysts see the deal as part of a broader consolidation trend in logistics tech, where platforms that started with a single mode, such as air or sea, are racing to offer end-to-end visibility and booking. By combining cargo.one‘s airline relationships with Cargofive‘s expertise in ocean freight rates, the enlarged group aims to become a central digital gateway for forwarders managing complex, global supply chains.
Implications for freight forwarders and shippers
For freight forwarders, the integration promises a reduction in manual work tied to rate searches, email negotiations and spreadsheet-based quoting. Shippers, in turn, could gain faster access to competitive options across multiple transport modes, backed by real-time data. As digitalisation reshapes global trade, the combination of cargo.one and Cargofive underlines how software-driven platforms are redefining how capacity is discovered, priced and booked.