Category: Modes & routing
Intermodal Transport
Definition
Moving the same loading unit across multiple modes without handling the goods themselves at transfers.
Intermodal transport carries cargo in a single container or swap body across road, rail, and sea, so the goods are never rehandled at modal transfers — only the unit moves. This cuts handling cost, damage, and time at interchanges.
The practical distinction from multimodal transport is contractual: intermodal often involves separate contracts per leg, whereas multimodal places the whole journey under one operator. Both rely on standardized containers to make seamless transfers possible.
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