multimodal transport

2022

What is multimodal transport?
Characteristics of multimodal transport
Importance of multimodal transport
Advantages of multimodal transport
Multimodal transport and intermodal transport

We explain what multimodal transport is, its advantages, types, importance and other characteristics. Also, intermodal transport.

Multimodal transport uses different modes of transport under the same contract.

What is multimodal transport?

By multimodal transport is understood all those forms of movement of goods that imply the articulation of different modes of transport. Two or more vehicles are involved in it. contract from services, with the objective to carry out delivery operations more quickly and efficiently. It should not be confused with intermodal transportation.

This type of transportation method has become increasingly popular in the economy contemporary globalization, given that merchandise must travel enormous distances to reach its destination. For this reason, you often have to change vehicles, whether they are air, sea or land.

Any shipment from one hemisphere of the world to the other (say, from the United States to China) serves as an example for this type of transportation, generally involving ships, trains, and trucks. The efficiency Transportation will depend on the contracted organization and the set of legal limitations that the merchandise must overcome, the latter being one of its main problems.

Multimodal transport can be of the following types:

Multimodal maritime transport. That involves mini-ships and large vessels to move merchandise around sea.
Multimodal land transport. Which generally involves road transport and railway transport.

Characteristics of multimodal transport

We can mention some fundamental characteristics of multimodal transport:

It involves various mechanisms of ground transportation or Marine transport, or combinations of both.
It is both national and international, although the latter is more common.
All the movement of the merchandise responds to a single contract that includes all the mechanisms used.

Importance of multimodal transport

Faced with the transport dynamics of a world that is increasingly interconnected economically, but which has not yet managed to overcome its national and regional barriers, multimodal transport is an economical and useful option, which also offers employment locally and internationally. Seen this way, its use overcomes the drawbacks of its greater operational and legal complexity.

Advantages of multimodal transport

As in many cases, the convenience in using multimodal transport will depend on the nature of the merchandise transported and the destination set for it. However, choosing this type of transport can mean advantages such as:

Shorter shipping time, choosing fast mechanisms.
Cheaper transportation services to cover commonly expensive routes.
Reduction of loading and unloading times by up to 70%, using the multimodal organization of the merchandise.
Less risk of theft and / or loss, since insurance premiums are much lower and invite the competitiveness.
Greater simplicity in the process, since everything responds to a single transport contract.