Intermodal Shipping 101: Go Green and Save with Intermodal Transportation Support
Thanks to rising international trade, as well as volatile fuel costs and shifts in the labor market, demand for intermodal transportation continues to grow.
In fact, 2018 saw a record 14.5 million units(Opens in a new window) moved via intermodal shipping—up nearly a million units from the previous year.
For companies interested in the economic and environmental perks of intermodal logistics solutions, AIT offers time-tested, reliable services.
Explore AIT's intermodal logistics options
Why partner with AIT for intermodal transportation?
AIT’s efficient, cost-effective shipping solutions optimize supply chains for customers around the world, making use of intermodal transportation’s many advantages, such as:
- Reduced carbon footprint
- Lower fuel expense
- Decreased transportation costs
- No third-party handling during transit
- Deferred transit
- Real-time visibility
- Pickup and delivery flexibility
What is intermodal transportation?
Intermodal shipping combines more than one mode of freight container transportation—without handling the cargo during mode changes. In U.S. domestic shipments, intermodal logistics almost always refers to ground with ocean or ground with rail transportation.
Intermodal vs. multimodal—what's the difference?
While intermodal and multimodal transportation are occasionally mistaken as the same concept, they refer to two distinct shipping processes. Multimodal shipping involves one company (like AIT) that’s equipped to handle every aspect of moving goods through its customers’ supply chains.
Through multimodal shipping, the freight forwarding expert manages each stage of the shipment, whereas in intermodal, the carrier could change with each leg of the journey. As such, multimodal shipping requires just one bill of lading, while intermodal may call for several.
Do intermodal logistics make sense for my business? What cargo types travel best via intermodal transportation?
If your shipment has a flexible timeline and the cargo isn’t extremely valuable, intermodal might be a convenient and cost-effective option for your organization.
Recent service and infrastructure upgrades have improved transit times and the quality of rail shipping, in particular; however, intermodal shipping comes with a longer lead time and potentially rougher transport conditions, compared to air or ground shipping.
So, while intermodal transportation won’t make sense for extremely fragile or urgent shipments, it’s often ideal for inexpensive, bulk, palletized, heavy and/or oddly shaped cargo with longer lead times.
What’s more, if your business is looking to green its reputation or increase pickup and delivery flexibility, intermodal shipping may fit the bill.
What should I look for in an intermodal logistics partner?
If your shipment has a flexible timeline and the cargo isn’t extremely valuable, intermodal might be a convenient and cost-effective option for your organization.
Recent service and infrastructure upgrades have improved transit times and the quality of rail shipping, in particular; however, intermodal shipping comes with a longer lead time and potentially rougher transport conditions, compared to air or ground shipping.
So, while intermodal transportation won’t make sense for extremely fragile or urgent shipments, it’s often ideal for inexpensive, bulk, palletized, heavy and/or oddly shaped cargo with longer lead times.
What’s more, if your business is looking to green its reputation or increase pickup and delivery flexibility, intermodal shipping may fit the bill.