Multimodal transportation involves using two or more modes of transportation, such as air, ocean, rail, and road. It can save time and reduce costs, making it an attractive option for shipping goods. Customers should consider the available options to determine the most cost-effective combination.
Multimodal transportation is a term used to describe a shipping and delivery strategy that involves the use of two or more different modes of transportation. Such a strategy may involve a combination of methods including the use of various shipping options that fall into the broad categories of air, ocean, rail, and road transportation. As long as at least two of these modes of transport are used, the movement can be considered multimodal in nature.
A simple example of multimodal transportation would involve shipping a sales order that leaves the warehouse by truck. The truck then travels a designated route to a railroad, where the goods are unloaded and placed into a railcar. Rail service is used to transport cargo to an airport, where it is then loaded onto a cargo plane. Upon reaching an airport near your destination, your goods are loaded back onto a delivery truck, which uses a road system to complete the final leg of the delivery route.
There are some advantages of multimodal transport in both national and international scenarios which make the strategy attractive. In some cases, combining two or more modes of transportation can save a lot of time in terms of delivering goods. For example, using road transportation to move goods to an airport for shipment, flying goods to a destination often means that goods can be delivered in a matter of hours rather than days. Customers who need such goods sooner or later will often pay more for air services to be included in the mix, allowing the shipper to make more money from the transaction.
Other times, multimodal shipping can be used to reduce shipping costs. This is especially true when the recipient can afford to wait for the delivery for an extended period of time. This means that even though the delivery point may be overseas, the freight forwarder can use sea freight forwarders and sealed containers instead of the higher cost of air freight. At both ends of the process, road or rail services can be added to the mix, completing the delivery with the most cost-effective combination possible.
Multimodal transport can be used efficiently in a number of scenarios and to successfully manage the delivery of a wide variety of goods. When placing orders, customers should ask about the various options available with shipping and determine whether a given combination of options would actually result in a lower shipping cost. Assuming that a given combination allows the goods to be delivered in a time frame acceptable to the customer, the combination of rail, air, sea and road transport may be a good idea.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
