Do you ever think about what kinds of globally collaborative corporate efforts it takes to deliver the various consumer goods you take for granted?
Think about it; every consumer good that you see in a department store, or order online from some warehouse hub, had to be delivered there before it could be transacted to you.
And chances good that the everyday goods that you purchase were delivered by you via sea cargo shipping. Then, those goods were delivered via another mode of transport to get those goods to you.
It makes sense if you consider the logistics of intermodal shipping practices, which is ostensibly a delivery supply chain system.
After all, an entire inland transport logistics system must exist beforehand to coordinate with the unloading process of a 1,300-foot long container ship to efficiently deliver those goods.
Sounds complicated? Well, it isn’t.
There is more than one way to deliver consumer goods than shipping. And when consumer goods are delivered in a collaborative, logistical way to numerous business destinations simultaneously, this is called intermodal shipping.
Otherwise, the further that you lived away from the coastline or a port city, the longer it would take for goods delivered by container ship to reach you.
The easiest way to explain intermodal shipping is to briefly explain its rise as an efficiency system standard after WWII.
Intermodal Transportation After WWII
Almost every commercial good on Earth is delivered via ocean freight shipping. In fact, over 90% of the consumer goods you buy every day, from bananas to clothing to cars, were delivered by a seafaring container ship.
It’s only been in recent decades that commercial container shipping via sea has become more efficient via modern intermodalism.
Before World War II, intermodalism existed in the form of horse-drawn buggies, carts, and inefficient, slower vehicles of the era unloading and transporting goods off cargo ships. Needless to say, the unloading process was disorganized.
To make matters worse, the containers on container ships in that era were not all of the same uniform size and dimensions. So, it took longer to unload, load onto various intermodal transport systems, and then deliver.
It wasn’t until the late 1960s, with the advent of larger cargo ships and standardized, uniform shipping containers that were used on every ship, that globbing shipping deliveries became more efficient and timely.
This, in turn, made intermodal transportation more efficient and timely. And this was a vital industry transport development because it is why your consumer goods get to you so quickly now.
If your company needs assistance with intermodal transportation or intermodal stations, then contact Alba Wheels Up today.
Now, let’s break down the concept of intermodal transport.
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What is Intermodal Transportation?
In the simplest terms, intermodal transportation is the utilization of two or more different modes of commercial transport to deliver goods.
Intermodal transportation empowers the more efficient streamlining and faster delivery of goods from a cargo ship to you.
Think about it this way; remember that 90% of all commercial goods on Earth are delivered by cargo ship. After a cargo ship docks, all of the standardized containers are unloaded.
In the 21st century, goods must be transported as quickly as possible to maintain supply chain integrity.
So, after docking and unloading, shipping containers or the goods contained inside such are then loaded onto:
- Freight trains
- 18-wheeler tractor-trailer truck beds
- Air cargo
- Trucks
- Cars
In the near future, even drones will one day become indelible parts of commercial intermodal transport systems.
In a commercial transportation delivery supply chain system, the cargo seaport is the point of origin. The destination endpoint is your front doorstep.
In between the point of origin and final destination, commercial goods are ferried from the cargo ship, via intermodal transportation, to a supply chain system of warehouses and distribution centers to await final transport.
Intermodal Transport Regulations
Modern-day intermodal transport systems didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. As well as being more efficient for companies, they were further enabled by regulations.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1988, also known as OSRA, reduce numerous regulations in reference to the intermodal shipping practices of the era.
Additionally, the 1988 passage of OSRA also expedited the evolution of imaginable shipping relationships between carriers, importers, and exporters.
This regulation helped land-based and ocean-based carriers coordinate global supply chain systems like never before.
It is beneficial to understand such regulatory intricacies when considering intermodal stations.
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What is an Intermodal Station?
Intermodal stations are basically dockside supply chain origin station for container ships that dock at the port.
An intermodal station, which is ostensibly an undocking, unloading, and distribution infrastructure, is required at all docks to unload cargo ships efficiently. The intermodal station then efficiently load consumer goods onto many other modes of transport.
Specialized equipment like cranes, conveyor belts, forklifts, and, ultimately manual labor are all required to make intermodal stations viable.
Additionally, intermodal stations are integral to initiating and coordinating pre-planned logistical shipping schedules.
Companies must know which modes of transport is required to ship goods before they reach an intermodal station.
When Should Intermodal Transportation be Initiated?
It is at an intermodal station that goods are placed on rail freight, tractor trailer trucks, vehicles, and so on.
Sometimes, standardized containers are lifted and then attached to tractor-trailers. Or, they may be opened at port and then unloaded onto various other modes of transport.
Without logistical directives for shipping preplanned before a ship arrives at port, shipping schedules can be disrupted before they start.
Benefits of Intermodalism in Shipping
Intermodalism and intermodal stations has many benefits for all involved.
For one thing, shipping and fueling costs can be drastically cut if shipping routes are determined well beforehand. Companies know what products require short-haul, medium-haul, and long-haul transports before they arrive at the port.
Intermodalism also enhances safety. Less manual laborers will get hurt during complicated unloading practices with the implementation of efficient unloading and transport practices.
Intermodalism is also a more environmentally friendly way of doing business when you consider the amount of fuel saved during intermodal shipping processes.
Intermodal Vs. Multimodal Transport
The main difference between intermodal and multimodal transport is the contract process.
During the intermodal process, a different transport company deals with the cargo through different parts of the journey. If you are receiving goods from the other side of the world, you may receive bills of lading from a dozen or more shippers for each leg of the journey.
With multimodal transport, only one shipping contract is required because only one carrier does all the shipping.
You will use either transport process depending on the expanse of your consumer base and shipping system.
Consult Intermodal Logistics Experts
If you are grappling with shipping schedules, logistics, and deadlines, you need to make the right decisions long before goods begin shipping for port.
Consult with Alba Wheels Up if you need help with intermodalism today.
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