Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of
), without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damage and loss, and allows freight to be transported faster. Reduced costs over road trucking is the key benefit for inter-continental use. This may be offset by reduced timings for road transport over shorter distances.Origins
Intermodal transportation has its origin in 18th century England and predates the railways. Some of the earliest containers were those used for shipping coal on the Bridgewater Canal in England in the 1780s. Coal containers (called "loose boxes" or "tubs") were soon deployed on the early canals and railways and were used for road/rail transfers (road at the time meaning horse-drawn vehicles).
Wooden coal containers were first used on the railways in the 1830s on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In 1841,
The early 1900s saw the first adoption of covered containers, primarily for the movement of furniture and intermodal freight between road and rail. A lack of standards limited the value of this service and this in turn drove standardisation. In the U.S. such containers, known as "lift vans", were in use from as early as 1911.
Intermodal container
Early containers
In the
Road Freight Jump into the powerful universe of road freight, where difficulties are dealt with and achievement is fastidiously outlined through essential course arranging, ongoing versatility, and a dream for an electric future. Reveal how the business handles multi-layered hindrances, embraces advancement, and enables groundbreaking change, considering the transformative excursion towards manageability and effectiveness.Read More
Pallets made their first major appearance during World War II, when the United States military assembled freight on pallets, allowing fast transfer between warehouses, trucks, trains, ships, and aircraft. Because no freight handling was required, fewer personnel were needed and loading times were decreased.
Truck
Containerization
In 1933 in Europe, under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce, The International Container Bureau (French: Bureau International des Conteneurs, BIC) was established. In June 1933, Bureau International des Containers et du Transport Intermodal (B.I.C.) decided about obligatory parameters for container use in international traffic. Containers handled by means of lifting gear, such as cranes, overhead conveyors, etc. for traveling elevators (group I containers), constructed after July 1, 1933. Obligatory Regulations:
- Clause 1 — Containers are, as regards form, either of the closed or the open type, and, as regards capacity, either of the heavy or the light type.
- Clause 2 — The loading capacity of containers must be such that their total weight (load, plus tare) is: 5 tonnes (4.92 long tons; 5.51 short tons) for containers of the heavy type; 2.5 tonnes (2.46 long tons; 2.76 short tons) for containers of the light type; a tolerance of 5 percent excess on the total weight is allowable under the same conditions as for wagon loads.
Category | Length [m (ft in) | [m (ft in)] | [m (ft in)] | Total mass [tons] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heavy types | ||||
Close type 62 | 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.20 m (7 ft 2+5⁄8 in) | 5 t (4.92 long tons; 5.51 short tons) |
Close type 42 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.20 m (7 ft 2+5⁄8 in) | |
Open type 61 | 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.10 m (3 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | |
Open type 41 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.10 m (3 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | |
Light Type | ||||
Close type 22 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.05 m (3 ft 5+3⁄8 in) | 2.20 m (7 ft 2+5⁄8 in) | 2.5 t (2.46 long tons; 2.76 short tons) |
Close type 201 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.05 m (3 ft 5+3⁄8 in) | 1.10 m (3 ft 7+1⁄4 in) | |
Open type 21 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.05 m (3 ft 5+3⁄8 in) | 1.10 m (3 ft 7+1⁄4 in) |
In April 1935, BIC established a second standard for European containers:[1]
Category | Length [m (ftin)] | Width [m (ftin)] | High [m (ftin)] | Total mass [tons] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heavy types | ||||
Close 62 | 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.55 m (8 ft 4+3⁄8 in) | 5 t (4.92 long tons; 5.51 short tons) |
Close 42 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.55 m (8 ft 4+3⁄8 in) | |
Open 61 | 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.125 m (3 ft 8+5⁄16 in) | |
Open 41 | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 1.125 m (3 ft 8+5⁄16 in) | |
Light Type | ||||
Close 32 | 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.55 m (8 ft 4+3⁄8 in) | 2.5 t (2.46 long tons; 2.76 short tons) |
Close 22 | 1.05 m (3 ft 5+3⁄8 in) | 2.15 m (7 ft 5⁄8 in) | 2.55 m (8 ft 4+3⁄8 in) |
In the 1950s, a new standardized steel Intermodal container based on specifications from the United States Department of Defense began to revolutionize freight transportation. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) then issued standards based upon the U.S. Department of Defense standards between 1968 and 1970.
The
In the U.S., starting in the 1960s, the use of containers increased steadily. Rail intermodal traffic tripled between 1980 and 2002, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), from 3.1 million trailers and containers to 9.3 million. Large investments were made in intermodal freight projects. An example was the US$740 million Port of Oakland intermodal rail facility begun in the late 1980s.[2][3]
Since 1984, a mechanism for intermodal shipping known as double-stack rail transport has become increasingly common. Rising to the rate of nearly 70% of the United States' intermodal shipments, it transports more than one million containers per year. The double-stack rail cars design significantly reduces damage in transit and provides greater cargo security by cradling the lower containers so their doors cannot be opened. A succession of large, new, domestic container sizes was introduced to increase shipping productivity. In Europe, the more restricted loading gauge has limited the adoption of double-stack cars. However, in 2007 the Betuweroute, a railway from Rotterdam to the German industrial heartland, was completed, which may accommodate double-stacked containers in the future. Other countries, like New Zealand, have numerous low tunnels and bridges that limit expansion for economic reasons.
Since electrification generally predated double-stacking, the overhead wiring was too low to accommodate it. However, India is building some freight-only corridors with the overhead wiring at 7.45 m above rail, which is high enough.[4]
Containers and container handling
Containers, also known as intermodal containers or ISO containers because the dimensions have been defined by ISO, are the main type of equipment used in intermodal transport, particularly when one of the modes of transportation is by ship. Containers are 8-foot (2.4 m) wide by 8-foot (2.4 m) or 9-foot-6-inch (2.90 m) high. Since introduction, there have been moves to adopt other heights, such as 10-foot-6-inch (3.20 m). The most common lengths are 20 feet (6.1 m), 40 feet (12 m), 45 feet (14 m), 48 and 53 feet (15 and 16 m), although other lengths exist. The three common sizes are:
- one TEU – 20-by-8-foot (6.1 m × 2.4 m) × 8-foot-6-inch (2.59 m)
- two TEU – 40-by-8-foot (12.2 m × 2.4 m) × 8-foot-6-inch (2.59 m)
- highcube−40-by-8-foot (−12.2 m × 2.4 m) × 9-foot-6-inch (2.90 m).
In countries where the railway
Handling equipment can be designed with intermodality in mind, assisting with transferring containers between rail, road and sea. These can include:
- container gantry crane for transferring containers from seagoing vessels onto either trucks or rail wagons. A spreader beam moves in several directions allowing accurate positioning of the cargo. A container crane is mounted on rails moving parallel to the ship's side, with a large boom spanning the distance between the ship's cargo hold and the quay.[5]
- Straddle carriers, and the larger rubber tyred gantry crane are able to straddle container stacks as well as rail and road vehicles, allowing for quick transfer of containers.[5]
- Grappler lift, which is very similar to a straddle carrier except it grips the bottom of a container rather than the top.
- Reach stackers are fitted with lifting arms as well as spreader beams for lifting containers to truck or rail and can stack containers on top of each other.[5]
- Sidelifters are a road-going truck or semi-trailer with cranes fitted at each end to hoist and transport containers in small yards or over longer distances.
- Forklift trucksin larger sizes are often used to load containers to/from truck and rail.
- Flatbed trucks with special chain assemblies such as QuickLoadz can pull containers onto or off of the bed using the corner castings.[6]
Load securing in intermodal containers
According to the European Commission Transportation Department "it has been estimated that up to 25% of accidents involving trucks can be attributable to inadequate cargo securing".[7] Cargo that is improperly secured can cause severe accidents and lead to the loss of cargo, the loss of lives, the loss of vehicles, ships and airplane; not to mention the environmental hazards it can cause. There are many different ways and materials available to stabilize and secure cargo in containers used in the various modes of transportation. Conventional
-
Application in container
-
Polyester strapping and dunnage bag application
-
Polyester lashing application
Transportation modes
Container ships
On board ships they are typically stacked up to seven units high.
A key consideration in the size of container ships is that larger ships exceed the capacity of important sea routes such as the Panama and Suez canals. The largest size of container ship able to traverse the Panama canal is referred to as Panamax, which is presently around 5,000 TEU. A third set of locks is planned as part of the Panama Canal expansion project to accommodate container ships up to 12,000 TEU in future, comparable to the present Suezmax.[10]
Very large container ships also require specialized deep water terminals and handling facilities. The container fleet available, route constraints, and terminal capacity play a large role in shaping global container shipment logistics.[11][12]
Railways
Increasingly, containers are shipped by rail in container well cars. These cars resemble flatcars but have a container-sized depression, or well, in the middle of the car between the bogies or trucks. Some container cars are built as an articulated "unit" of three or five permanently coupled cars, each having a single bogie rather than the two bogies normally found on freight cars.
Containers can be loaded on flatcars or in container well cars. In North America, Australia and Saudi Arabia, where vertical clearances are generally liberal, this depression is sufficient for two containers to be loaded in a "double-stack" arrangement. In Europe, height restrictions imposed by smaller structure gauges, and frequent overhead electrification, prevent double-stacking. Containers are therefore hauled one-high, either on standard flatcars or other railroad cars – but they must be carried in well wagons on lines built early in the Industrial Revolution, such as in the United Kingdom, where loading gauges are relatively small.
allows it.It is also common in
Thievery has become a problem in North America. Sophisticated thieves learn how to interpret the codes on the outside of containers to ascertain which ones have easily disposable cargo. They break into isolated containers on long trains, or even board slowly moving trains to toss the items to accomplices on the ground.[15]
Trucks
Barges
Land bridges
The term landbridge or land bridge is commonly used in the intermodal freight transport sector. When a containerized ocean
- Land bridge – An intermodal container shipped by ocean vessel crosses an entire body of land/country/continent before being reloaded on a cargo ship. For example, a container shipment from China to Germany is loaded onto a ship in China, unloads at a Los Angeles port, travels via rail transport to a New York/New Jersey port, and loads on a ship for Hamburg. Also see Eurasian Land Bridge.
- Mini land bridge – An intermodal container shipped by ocean vessel from country A to country B passes across a large portion of land in either country A or B. For example, a container shipment from China to New York is loaded onto a ship in China, unloads at a Los Angeles port and travels via rail transport to New York, the final destination.
- Micro land bridge – An intermodal container shipped by ocean vessel from country A to country B passes across a large portion of land to reach an interior inland destination. For example, a container shipment from China to Denver, Colorado, is loaded onto a ship in China, unloads at a Los Angeles port and travels via rail transport to Denver, the final destination.[17][18]
The term reverse land bridge refers to a micro land bridge from an east coast port (as opposed to a west coast port in the previous examples) to an inland destination.
-
Image of a land bridge.
-
Image of a mini land bridge.
-
Image of a micro land bridge.
-
Image of a reverse land bridge.
Planes and aircraft
Generally modern, bigger planes usually carry cargo in the containers. Sometimes even the checked luggage is first placed into containers, and then loaded onto the plane.[19][unreliable source?] Of course because of the requirement for the lowest weight possible (and very important, little difference in the viable mass point), and low space, specially designed containers made from lightweight material are often used. Due to price and size, this is rarely seen on the roads or in ports. However, large transport aircraft make it possible to even load standard container(s), or use standard sized containers made of much lighter materials like titanium or aluminium.
Biggest shipping liner companies by TEU capacity
Company | TEU capacity[20] | Number of ships[21] |
---|---|---|
A.P. Moller-Maersk Group |
2,996,188 | 585 |
Mediterranean Shipping Company | 2,678,779 | 496 |
CMA CGM | 1,819,351 | 460 |
Evergreen Marine Corporation | 931,849 | 195 |
Hapag-Lloyd | 930,398 | 174 |
COSCO | 870,222 | 162 |
CSCL |
684,640 | 134 |
Hamburg Süd | 645,889 | 136 |
Hanjin Shipping | 626,217 | 104 |
OOCL | 561,522 | 104 |
MOL | 554,425 | 98 |
Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation | 538,912 | 102 |
APL | 535,007 | 86 |
UASC |
512,785 | 57 |
NYK Line |
495,723 | 104 |
K Line | 386,265 | 66 |
Hyundai Merchant Marine |
379,392 | 57 |
Pacific International Lines | 362,131 | 147 |
Zim |
358,264 | 82 |
Wan Hai Lines | 215,244 | 85 |
Gallery
-
Containers at Kuantan Port
-
ISO-code and dimension/load table on several newly washed containers
-
The former Asahi liner train running through Tuam railway station.
See also
- Combined transport
- Co-modality (by the European Commission)
- Container numbering
- Containerization
- CargoBeamer
- Customs Convention on Containers
- Dunnage bag
- Double-stack car
- Dry port
- Haulage
- Inland port
- Intermodal container
- Intermodal flatcars
- Konkan Railway Corporation
- Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping
- Load securing
- Merchant ship
- Modalohr
- Piggy-back
- Roadrailer
- Rolling highway
- Shipping
- Sidelifter
- Swap body
- Tanktainer
- Transloading
- Top intermodal container companies list
- Well car
References
- ISSN 1339-5629.
- ^ Initial Study: Intermodal Interface Demonstration Project, Port of Oakland, Oakland, California, Earth Metrics and Korve Engineerning, December 20, 1989
- ^ "Port of Oakland Official Site: Facts and Figures (2006)". Archived from the original on August 8, 2013.
- ^ Railway Gazette International August 2009, p. 17
- ^ a b c d Rushton, A., Oxley, J., Croucher, P. (2004) The Handbook of Logistics and Distribution Kogan: London
- ^ Jones, Sean. "Container Loading and Unloading System". Patent Docs. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- ^ "European Commission Transport". Road Safety: Best practice guidelines on cargo securing and abnormal transport. April 9, 2009. Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
- ^ AXSliner.com Archived 2009-03-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Julie Holt (28 May 2010). "Ebba Mærsk beats world record". Ingeniøren. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
- ^ Berglund, Patrik. "How the Panama Canal Expansion Affects Freight Rates". www.xeneta.com.
- ^ The Scottish Government – Container Transhipment and Demand for Container Terminal Capacity in Scotland
- ^ "Halifax Port Authority Presentation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2007-05-12.
- ^ "Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe TOFC / COFC Cars Album – Page One". www.qstation.org.
- ^ "42°21'35.4"N 71°05'31.6"W". 42°21'35.4"N 71°05'31.6"W.
- ^ Wollan, Malia (January 28, 2024). "The Great Freight-Train Heists". New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ Forbes Logistics 2006
- ^ Land-bridge, mini-bridge, and micro-bridge: A question of getting it together; R K Miller,1977; American Society of Traffic and Transportation.
- ^ Geography of Transportation; Edward James Taaffe, Howard L. Gauthier, and Morton E. O'Kelly, 1996.
- ^ "Loading container into an airplane (X4 play)". YouTube.
- ^ "PublicTop100". alphaliner.axsmarine.com.
- ^ "Leading container shipping companies – number of ships 2020". Statista.
Bibliography
- DeBoer, David J. (1992). Piggyback and Containers: A History of Rail Intermodal on America's Steel Highway. San Marino, California, USA: ISBN 0870951084.
- European Intermodal Association (2005). Intermodal Transport in Europe. EIA, Brussels. ISBN 90-901991-3-6
- McKenzie, David R.; North, Mark C.; Smith, Daniel S. (1989). Intermodal Transportation: The Whole Story. Omaha, NE, USA: Simmons-Boardman. ISBN 0911382097.
- Sidney, Samuel (1846). Gauge Evidence: The History and Prospects of the Railway System. Edmonds, London, UK. No ISBN.
- Solomon, Brian (2007). Intermodal Railroading. St. Paul, MN, USA: Voyageur Press. ISBN 9780760325285.
External links
- IANA: The Intermodal Association of North America
- EIA: European Intermodal Association at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 2012-12-24)
- World Transportation Organization The world transportation organization (The Non-Profit Advisory Organization)