The article presents the results of the formation of an economic and mathematical model for optimizing the distribution of cargo flows in the region and the selection of optimal schemes for the delivery of goods through regional transport infrastructure facilities. The approaches adopted in the educational and scientific literature to solve the indicated problem, as well as the proposals of scientists to improve them, are considered. It was concluded that it is necessary to develop its own model that meets the modern conditions for the functioning of water transport and port terminals in the system of regional, interregional and international transportation. An economic and mathematical model has been formulated, taking into account the possibility of organizing the transportation of goods both directly from regional senders to recipients and through terminal complexes with backload. Testing of the model on the control example showed that with a certain number of points of the served transport network, the size of the region and the volume of cargo flows, transportation can be effectively mastered by port terminals, which are most suitable for working in these conditions.