Mixed or multimodal transportation is the transportation that is carried out by sea, road, rail and air transport using transshipment terminals where cargo is transshipped. Multimodal transportation allows for the delivery of goods under the “door-to-door” scheme from other countries and continents (intercontinental transportation).
The desire to streamline logistics processes and the constant search for savings makes it necessary to develop more complex transport solutions, in connection with this multimodal transportation is becoming increasingly popular in the field of international supply. Mixed or multimodal transportation is one of the elements of a complex transport process in which cargo moves through different types of transport.
The essence of multimodal transportation was included in the Convention on International Transport and it sounds like this: “Multimodal transportation between countries is carried out using two or more different types of transport on the basis of a single contract on intermodal transport from the point where the goods were received, to the specified destination, where the goods must be accepted.”
Classification of multimodal transport
Multimodal transportation can be divided into two types: intermodal and combined. In practice, they are used interchangeably, but differ in several minor features.
- Intermodal – carriage of goods using different types of transport, but in the same unit of cargo (for example, a container or semi-trailer), in which the cargo is located along the entire path from the sender to the recipient.
- Combined – the cargo unit most of the way is transported under one shipping document using land, water or air transport in any combination, and is delivered to the recipient by truck. This type of transportation is a rather complicated process that requires accurate calculation and coordination of the transport scheme and route, time and place of loading / reloading of cargo, as well as the implementation of its temporary storage, if necessary. The main feature of the combined transport – material and legal responsibility for the delivery and safety of cargo lies with one transport company on the basis of the contract.
Multimodal transport is the most commonly used solution in the international transport of cargo units.
The main advantages for the client using this type of delivery:
- minimizing transport costs;
- minimization of transportation time;
- exemption from problems associated with the organization of transport;
- the conclusion of a contract of carriage;
responsibility for the goods on one authorized person.
Based on these advantages, it becomes clear why multimodal transportation in recent years has become an important part of the transport sector.
How to calculate multimodal transportation
In order to find out how much multimodal transport costs, just call our operator, who will answer all questions. The price of multimodal transportation depends on many factors: the type of transport, the country of the recipient, the distance, the volume of cargo and other important nuances, which is why it is always calculated individually.
