Intermodal transport

Growth in transport demand has been very strong in Europe over the last few decades, and its nature has changed profoundly. The transport of bulk solids, such as ores and coals, has been greatly reduced due to the development of gas, oil and nuclear energy, and the decline in steel production in Europe. On the other hand, the transport of products with a higher value per kilogram has grown considerably, and the need to improve productivity has led to just-in-time and split shipments to reduce stocks at all stages of the production and distribution process. The rail mode, well suited to mass bulk shipments, has declined, as has the river mode, in favor of the road mode. Today, the development of road transport is generating more and more nuisances that are less and less acceptable to the public, and the search for sustainable development solutions based on more environmentally-friendly transport is intensifying. Alternatives to road transport are unable to meet market requirements (dispersion of production units and the need to serve consumption areas). It was only natural, therefore, that solutions using several modes in succession should emerge to make the best use of the qualities of each of them, while respecting the overall competitiveness of the transport chain. This is how intermodal transport came into being, and is gradually gaining a foothold in certain market segments.