What is intermodalism?
Intermodalism involves loading freight in or on a transport unit (either a container or trailer) through different, successive models of transport through the journey from origin to destination.
What is intermodalism?
In freight transportation, the term “modes” refers to the ways in which goods can travel: by water, rail, road, air, and pipeline.
Intermodalism – also known as intermodal transportation – involves freight being loaded into a container which is then carried, generally without being opened, through a sequence of multiple transportation modes.
Intermodal transportation sequences start with a road trailer or chassis, a combination of a train, ship or barge and another road trailer or container chassis, or well car. Air or pipeline transport may also be used in intermodal transportation. While being physically handled over these modes, the freight may also be documented by one or several bills of lading.
What are the benefits?
Intermodal transport helps connect different systems that might not ordinarily work together, either due to technical specifications or due to those systems functioning in different markets. Each mode can have a different transport provider or shipper managing that journey, or one intermediary overseeing the entire move.
When is intermodalism a preferred method of transportation?
Intermodalism is used:
- for long distance shipments
- as a way to reduce transportation costs
- based on the specific costs or size of shipment, as it may provide a more cost-effective alternative to long-haul trucking
- as a more environmentally friendly option
- to reduce costs for cross-border shipments
- to reduce the chance of loss or damage on multiple transfers
What is the difference between intermodal and multimodal transportation?
In some parts of the world, and within some technical circles, it is common to hear movement by more than one mode described as “multimodal” transport. In North American transport circles, the word used generally is “intermodal.”
Intermodalism implies the use of equipment that is designed specifically for the conveyance of goods over multiple modes, such as container ships, container chassis, well cars. Multimodal speaks to the process of simply using multiple modes, without using specialized equipment to convey the equipment between modes without handling.
To learn more about intermodalism and many more transportation topics, sign up for our Transportation Systems course. It is also the first course if you’re working towards gaining your CCLP designation, so it will count towards your certification – a step towards gaining an industry standard designation in the logistics and supply chain industry!