How are military goods transported?

How do you arrange the shipment of military cargo or dual-use items? Who can carry out transport for defence manufacturing or military supply purposes, and under what conditions? What is a WSK certificate?

What do defence trade shows look like?

Konrad Spuła: Do you often attend defence trade fairs? Forgive the stereotypical question, but how do you find your place as a woman in the traditionally male world of defence?

Magdalena Cabała – Business Development Manager | Visline Int. Transport: I think you chose the word “stereotypical” very well, because we’re seeing more and more women in this sector—just like in logistics, where many positions are held by women.

KS: What is it like for you at defence trade fairs? What do these events look like?

MC: I feel great there. The closest comparison that comes to mind is a show. These exhibitions are organised with a lot of grandeur—especially the largest ones, such as London’s DSEI. I attended last year, and it made a huge impression on me, which we can talk about in a moment.

KS: Perfect. So what does it look like on site? Are there tanks, soldiers marching in uniforms or specialised protective gear?

MC: Let me put it this way—there’s everything. Starting with government and military delegations, officers in full uniform, people wearing ballistic vests, with and without armour. There are many global-scale companies, but you can also meet small startups leading the way with innovative solutions. Interestingly, there are also plenty of businesses you wouldn’t necessarily associate with the defence sector. This proves how dynamically the industry is developing—encouraging some civilian companies to adapt certain product lines to military requirements.

KS: I associate trade fairs mostly with civilians, lots of entertainment to attract people and pull them to a stand. There are plenty of giveaways. Do defence trade shows have giveaways too? Any fun ideas—like James Bond–style pens?

MC: Not really—it’s rather standard: keychains, notebooks. No lasers or specialist multi-purpose devices.

What are dual-use products? How is dual-use cargo transported?

KS: Since we’re talking about “multi-purpose” items, I’ve come across the term “dual-use,” which is very important in the context of transporting defence-related goods. What exactly are dual-use items?

MC: These are goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. Examples include various telecommunications and navigation technologies, robots, drones, sonars, scanners, and even machine tools such as lathes or milling machines.

KS: Do you need any special permit to ship a lathe? Is this type of transport subject to restrictions?

MC: Not necessarily. It all depends on where the goods are shipped from and to, or where they are installed, assembled, or integrated.

KS: If I’m a manufacturer of GPS-based navigation equipment, do I have to report or declare the transport of my devices somewhere—for example, for export to Belarus?

MC: This kind of information must be verified in the appropriate registers and classifications—EU, Polish, or US. If a product is listed as dual-use, the relevant export/transport authorisations are required. That responsibility lies with the manufacturer.

KS: So an employee at a freight forwarding or transport company who receives an order for such a shipment doesn’t have to classify the goods?

What is the WSK certificate and what is it used for?

MC: The obligation primarily lies with the manufacturer, who must know whether they produce and export their goods in compliance with regulations. However, certain checks also fall on the carrier’s side. The carrier must also verify the classification of the goods being transported, the destination country, and all export procedures—and only then apply for the necessary permits, if required for that shipment. A fundamental—and in fact essential—requirement is holding a WSK certificate (Wewnętrzny System Kontroli, Internal Compliance/Control System). To arrange the transport of military goods or controlled items, you need to find a transport and freight forwarding company that has these documents in place.

KS: Does the WSK certificate apply only in Poland, or is it recognised across the European Union?

MC: Absolutely. It is a Polish certificate, issued domestically, but it is recognised throughout the EU.

KS: You’ve explained dual-use goods, but what about transporting strictly military items? Is organising such a shipment a complex process?

MC: Yes, it is. This involves a more complex documentation process and meeting all required conditions. You must comply with a number of security and regulatory criteria—not only national requirements, but also EU-wide regulations.

KS: Let’s say I plan to transport dual-use items and, separately, military goods. How will these processes differ?

MC: It all depends on how these shipments are classified. There are cases where goods are moved under the NATO 203 customs document, which simplifies customs procedures. This document allows the transport of goods without paying customs duties.

But to answer your question—it’s very difficult to point to universal differences. A lot depends on the unique specifics of each shipment. Right at the beginning, before we can even quote a price, I need to analyse exactly what the goods are, what classification applies, where they are going, and whether they are subject to any sanctions or export control regulations. My role is to support the customer in organising the entire process, and it always comes down to an individual approach. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for transporting, for example, counter-drone systems.

How to find a reliable company for military transport?

KS: How high is the bar—are the qualifications and know-how required to handle military and dual-use shipments difficult to obtain?

MC: At the moment, only a limited number of Polish companies can claim this level of experience. In this market, two things are decisive: certification and trust. Certification obliges transport companies to meet a series of requirements, including WSK certification (Internal Compliance/Control System). Trust, on the other hand, simply takes time and consistent performance.
Companies that want to enter specialised transport can start as subcontractors for larger players who are already established and have an excellent reputation. There is no room for cold-selling services here—clients in this sector won’t choose the cheapest carrier, but rather one that is credible, compliant, and operates with robust, well-secured safety and security procedures. I know this first-hand, because I have these conversations almost every day.

KS: Can you share what is transported most often?

MC: I don’t think there will be any surprises. It’s usually various kinds of components and parts of larger systems. Not necessarily finished products—actually, that happens quite rarely.

KS: Exactly—Poland is well-known for manufacturing components and semi-finished parts for the automotive industry. Let’s move smoothly into the economy and the opportunities that intensified defence production creates for EU industry. Could the crisis in the automotive sector be solved by switching to military production?

MC: You can see it with the naked eye. Even setting the automotive industry aside, many companies across different sectors have recognised growth potential in defence. For example, tent manufacturers that previously produced only for civilian use are now launching dedicated product lines specifically designed for military needs.

A very interesting example is FMCG companies that used to arrange transport of frozen goods for civilians, and now supply the armed forces—for instance with field rations in small pouches or tins.

Is defence production an opportunity for Polish businesses?

KS: And what about Polish manufacturers—are these goods produced mainly for the domestic market, or do we export?

MC: We export. We definitely export.

KS: Why is domestic procurement for the Polish armed forces so weak? I keep hearing that Poland is an excellent supplier, but we don’t buy our own products.

MC: The main issue is price. As we know, Poland has crossed a certain development threshold—we are no longer the cheapest country in terms of labour costs and, overall, the cost of doing business. As a result, for many Polish companies, a low product price still works like magic. In other words, price is very often the decisive factor in purchasing decisions.

Let me ask you a question now. Can you estimate how much it costs to train a specialist in our GROM special forces unit?

KS: No idea—maybe €100,000?

MC: You overshot, but in the opposite direction. It’s around €1 million. The conclusion is that we allocate major funding to training and personnel quality, but not necessarily to high-quality equipment—which we actually produce domestically.

KS: But we have tender procedures, don’t we?

MC: We do, but price still sits at the top of the list. You can see a big difference in tenders held just across our western border. There, price is only one of many evaluation criteria—it may account for, say, just 15% of the overall score. The rest may include user comfort/ergonomics, build quality, delivery speed, lead time, and so on.

What does military transport look like operationally?

KS: Let’s go back to transport. Operationally, is transporting military and dual-use cargo different from standard freight?

MC: The overall process is very similar. The same key factors apply: security, on-time delivery, and solid planning. However, there are differences in terms of dimensions and shipment profiles—these are often either large, specialised loads, or small but high-value components for larger systems. Examples include aerospace components, propellers for military aircraft, or drones.

Sometimes such transport requires an additional escort. In most cases, though, it’s more about precise route planning. The freight forwarder must have full control over the planned route, and the driver must be informed which parking areas are approved for stops. Rest stops must be carefully selected to ensure the highest level of security.

What are the outlooks for the military transport market?

KS: Finally, I’d like to return once again to the economic angle. What is your forecast for the military transport market?

MC: Since 2022, we have seen a significant increase in this type of orders. By the end of 2025, the European Union was expected to allocate a record €380 billion to the defence industry, which represents around 2.1% of the EU’s GDP, and for the first time in history exceeds the NATO target.