Global Logistics & Trade: Intermodal Transport

The shipping container has enabled the world to trade goods and materials on a scale that was unimaginable just a few decades ago with volumes expected to double in the next 15 years. In order for ocean marine carriers to cope with increasing volumes, they have moved toward economies of scale in vessel design resulting in larger ships calling on fewer ports. Since container shipping is mostly intermodal and is complex when considering the international shipments and modal shifts or transfers that frequently take place, these larger container vessels put heavy demands on the region’s landside intermodal connectors causing road and rail congestion, and environmental problems, during peak periods of loading and unloading containers. Emerging “hub” ports have had to make capital infrastructure improvements to accommodate the larger vessel’s carrying capacity. These hub ports are usually engines of economic growth for the regions they serve and are highly motivated to accommodate these larger ships.